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WWII Veteran Repays Red Cross Kindness by Helping Katrina Survivors
Written by
Shannon M. Garry
, Special to Redcross.org
Wednesday, September 21, 2005 — HOUSTON – Bill Ritt’s first experience with the American Red Cross came near the end of World War II, when the then 17-year-old Navy recruit fell ill and the organization helped contact his parents.
“I’ll be glad to help whenever and wherever they need me,” said World War II Veteran Bill Ritt, who helped move evacuees and equipment into the Houston Astrodome.
(Photo Credit: Michael Seamans/American Red Cross) |
More than 60 years later, Ritt has gotten a chance to repay the Red Cross – many times over – as a volunteer working for the Santa Clara Valley Chapter in California. The day after Hurricane Katrina struck he traveled from his San Jose home to Houston, where he spent the next three days working – with no sleep – to move survivors and equipment into the Astrodome shelter.
The fact that the 78-year-old was accepted for the assignment, which carried numerous hardship conditions, is a testament to the retired lawyer’s fitness and vitality.
Ritt said that the biggest challenge in those first few days – aside from exhaustion – was trying to help the some 25,000 distressed survivors settle in.
Just some of the supplies volunteers like Bill Ritt helped move into the Houston Astrodome to meet the needs of the massive influx of tens of thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors evacuated from New Orleans, Sept. 1, 2005.
(Photo Credit: Daniel Cima/American Red Cross) |
“In all fairness to everybody, the Red Cross did a really good job,” he said. “I’m really pleased that I was able to be here – it’s a great organization. I’m delighted to be part of it, and I’ll be glad to help whenever and wherever they need me.”
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Midwest ice storms, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
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