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Guam Relief Work Brings Satisfaction to Victims and Volunteers
Written by Carrie Martin, Special to RedCross.org
GUAM, Jan. 2, 2003 — Inside the Red Cross service center in Dededo, large Frito-Lay boxes duct-taped to long rectangular tables provide confidentiality barriers while Red Cross volunteers talk with storm victims. At these makeshift “teller” booths, travelers’ checks are issued to people who suffered damage as a result of Supertyphoon Pongsona. The Red Cross volunteers providing this direct assistance say the experience is immensely gratifying.
Victims of Supertyphoon Pongsona receive disaster assistance at "teller booths" in the Red Cross Service Center in Dededo, Guam. Almost 7 million dollars has been provided to island residents who suffered damage during the December storm.
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Norma Wieman, a Red Cross volunteer from the Olympic Peninsula Chapter in Washington State, says she enjoys her new role as disburser of financial assistance. She recently traveled to Guam on her first Red Cross disaster relief operation and expected to spend her days working at the operation headquarters helping register Red Cross workers as they arrived from all over the United States. But when the call went out for volunteers to help distribute money, Norma jumped at the chance.
“I’ve received tremendous personal satisfaction working as a disaster assistance teller,” said Wieman. “Every single person expresses thanks in some way -- in words, a handshake, a hug, or just a gleam in their eyes.”
As many as 25 Red Cross volunteers work as tellers at the Red Cross service center in Dededo, while another 15 tellers provide assistance at the Red Cross service center in Agat. All of these individuals are part of an innovative service delivery plan in which the Red Cross is providing assistance in the form of travelers’ checks for the first time ever.
In the past, disaster victims were given vouchers for area merchants who would provide tools, supplies, clothing and other products for rebuilding or replacing what was lost or destroyed. In Guam, however, people are given checks instead of vouchers so that they can decide how they will spend the money themselves.
Those who suffered damage as a result of Typhoon Pongsona called a special toll free number to talk with a Red Cross caseworker. They then reported to one of the two service centers on the island and were issued travelers’ checks. With travelers’ checks, families assumed responsibility for their own recovery by purchasing whatever essential items they decided would help meet their needs.
Although Guam residents are told to first call the toll free number, the face-to-face meeting with the case worker is where the real assistance begins. “Direct contact with people is what the Red Cross is all about and is a major factor in providing the best possible service to disaster victims,” said Larry Koslick, director of the Red Cross disaster relief operation in Guam.
Red Cross worker Carrie Martin explains to a typhoon victim how to use the travelers' checks he received at the service center in Dededo. The author is among the hundreds of volunteers feeling satisfication from helping the people of Guam.
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Joe Mesa, a volunteer at the Guam Chapter of the American Red Cross, thrives on direct contact with families. Retired from the Guam Power Authority (GPA) and the National Guard, Joe has worked as a teller at the Red Cross service center in Dededo since it opened on December 16.
“Every person has a different story. They don’t care about the dollar amount—each and every person is thankful that the Red Cross is here giving them some help,” Mesa said.
Another local volunteer, Rosie S. Fejeran, hasn’t been able to go back to her job at Guam Public Radio since the typhoon damaged the station. She started volunteering for the Red Cross as a teller after she came to get assistance for herself.
“I came in to get my Red Cross help and saw the lines,” said Fejeran. “I decided to help others first before I helped myself. I still have a roof over my head and that’s more than a lot of people have.”
At of the close of business on December 28, the Red Cross has distributed nearly 7 million in direct assistance to 11,360 individuals representing families that suffered damage as a result of Typhoon Pongsona. In total, 26,669 families have been issued case numbers and are scheduled to go to one of the two service centers in Agat and Dededo to receive assistance.
You can help victims of this and thousands of other national disasters each year 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 those in need. Click here to make a secure online donation.
If you'd like to donate your time to the Red Cross, check out our volunteer information to find out how you can become a disaster responder like Brother Phillip.
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All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. The Red Cross also supplies nearly half of the nation's lifesaving blood. This, too, is made possible by generous voluntary donations. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year 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 those in need. You can make a secure online credit card donation or call 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Or you may send your donation to your local Red Cross or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. To donate blood, please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543), or contact your local Red Cross to find out about upcoming blood drives.
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