Letters to the Editor

+ Volunteers sustain Red Cross efforts
To The Editor:
(March is) Red Cross Month, and we would like to recognize our everyday heroes who reach out to help their neighbors when they are in need.

These everyday heroes are our volunteers who help disaster victims get on the road to recovery. They brighten the day of an injured service member in a hospital far from home. They take our classes and step forward to help someone having a heart attack or to save a drowning child.

March is also a great time to become part of the Red Cross. It’s easy. Household members can work together on a preparedness plan. People can sign up to take a class, volunteer their time or make a financial donation.

Our mission is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.

The Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 disasters a year in this country. It provides 24-hour support to members of the military, veterans and their families; collects and distributes about 40% of the nation’s blood supply and trains millions of people in first aid, water safety and other life-saving skills every year.

More than 96% of the American Red Cross’ work is done by volunteers.

Here in our area, the Southwest Florida Chapter responded to more than 100 local emergencies, assisted nearly 700 military families and trained more than 6,700 people in lifesaving skills.

Red Cross Month is observed in dedication of everyone who supports our mission. We are grateful to people for their generosity which enables us to continue our work, and encourage everyone to become an everyday hero during Red Cross Month by helping their neighbors.

Sincerely,
Brent Myers,
Chairman
Southwest Florida Chapter of the American Red Cross

+ More north-south roads needed
Dear Editor,
As a Sarasota resident for most of my life, I am outraged at the debacle at Lakewood Ranch on Monday Jan. 27, after getting the lowdown on what happened (the equipment falling off the truck) on the University Parkway/ I-75 overpass from a merchant adjacent to the store where I work.

She informed me that there was a back way to Fruitville Road via south Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.

By the time I arrived, (Schroeder-Manatee Ranch) turf trucks were stopping through traffic from going on what I found out to be a private road.

My normally 10 minute ride home took two and a half hours in traffic because of the lack of a usable emergency route.

With a new mammoth mall going in across the street, combined with an inadequate road system and the lack of neighborly help we can expect from SMR turf, an emergency evacuation from Lakewood Ranch would be nothing short of a disaster in the event of a hurricane. 

Bernard Hassab
Sarasota