By Paige Katrinchak
“We were just so grateful that when we got home, we made a gift right then to pay back for what they had done for us.”
Sandra Merritt has been a devoted supporter of the American Red Cross for most of her life. She and her husband, Cullen, have been married for 48 years and call Nashville, Tennessee, home. Every December, they make it a tradition to include the Red Cross on their list of annual gifts. However, it was 24 years ago when the Merritts first experienced the life-changing impact of the Red Cross’ services firsthand.
“We had just arrived at our vacation home in North Carolina and the very next day we knew there were fires in the area,” says Merritt. “Then all of a sudden someone came to the door and said that we needed to get out.”
In 2000, a forest fire was spreading in Surry County near the Virginia border. This included the unincorporated community of Lowgap, where the Merritts’ property was located. She said once they were told they had to evacuate due to the fire, they gathered up their things and drove down to a little restaurant near the highway. It was there the community gathered and learned about assistance from the American Red Cross.
Sandra Merritt shares photos from her North Carolina house.
“Someone came in and said, ‘I’m from the Red Cross and we are going to put you up for the night in Mount Airy,’” Merritt recalls. “They said arrangements had been made if we wanted to go.”
Luckily, their home survived the night and was not damaged by the fire. Volunteer firefighters had put a tanker truck near their home and gave them the all-clear the next day.
“We were just so grateful to the Red Cross,” says Merrit. “Because you hear about it, you see people on TV in the field there helping folks, and we felt we normally take care of ourselves, but that night we couldn’t.”
According to a story in the Winston-Salem Journal, that forest fire in 2000 burned over 700 acres. Merritt says she enjoys sharing the story of that night with others, giving a glimpse into the care they received in a moment when they needed it most. They were able to enjoy over 20 more years at that home before selling to their nephew. But she says the assistance in North Carolina is not the only reason why she continues to donate to the American Red Cross. To her, it’s a nonprofit organization that she can trust.
“The Red Cross is something I think of as solid and dependable and you can trust what they are going to do with your money,” explains Merritt.
Monetary donations to the American Red Cross help provide food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance during disasters. The Red Cross provides critical services to people who don’t know where to turn after a disaster, who require lifesaving blood or who need help from our nation after making sacrifices on our behalf. To donate to the American Red Cross, visit https://www.redcross.org/local/tennessee/ways-to-donate.html.
“Among all nonprofit organizations, that would be at the top,” says Merritt. “We certainly respect what the Red Cross chose to do and how they help.”
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