Roger Boughton

Guest columnist

The Office is closed and the doors are locked.

The closing of the local Austin Red Cross office and Elaine Hanson’s leaving left me speechless and wondering what really happened? The Red Cross has been important to Austin in providing assistance to families who have had a house fire, been flooded out of their home either in 1983, 2004 or 2010, or been devastated by a tornado. I found out the disappointing news by a recent email about an open house for Ms. Hanson at the Red Cross Office. It was to say goodbye to an individual who for many years was the face of the Red Cross in Austin.

I visited the open house only to find the door locked and lights off. While waiting outside the door of the Red Cross Office, a young lady showed up to also say good-by to Elaine. She happened to be originally from a country on the other side of the world and wanted Elaine to know how important she had become. When first moving to Austin, this young woman got lost trying to walk home and happened to enter the Red Cross office asking for assistance. Elaine was there for her as for everyone else in the community and walked her home. I fondly remember when I entered the Red Cross Office asking how I might be of help since the Red Cross was so good to my father who, needing assistance, was living in Ohio. Elaine was there for me and sent me to Camp Ripley to receive Red Cross training. My first experience after training was 9/11 in New York City. Elaine, did you ever realize how important you were to so many people in the community? Many remember the numerous floods that struck Austin in past years. Elaine was there in a Red Cross van handing out food and other items as needed.

Not knowing the politics of the Red Cross, I can only say that the closing of the office in Austin has not been for the safety of the community or our residents. The office is dark for the first time in over 97 years having first been chartered in 1917 in response to World War I. However, we are not alone as Albert Lea went through the same experience a couple of years ago. My guess is that we’ll receive assistance from the Rochester office or we’ll call headquarters in Washington, D.C., when another emergency hits the community. And it certainly will in the future.

When the Red Cross come calling for money in the spring I am sure there will be explicit instructions as to where to send the money and it will be either to Rochester or Washington, D.C. Does that make any sense? Questions that remain are what will become of the building. Will the remodeled building be sold and the profit moved to Rochester or the national headquarters?

We will forever be in Elaine Hanson’s gratitude for her remarkable service to the residents of Austin and the Red Cross. A large thank you to Elaine from a former volunteer who will miss you. Who says an individual doesn’t make a significant difference to a community?

Roger Boughton is an outgoing Austin City Council member and a Red Cross volunteer.