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The Red Cross is considering renting office space in the Jackson County Department of Health and Human Services building, which will have an opening in December.
The office would allow local Red Cross volunteers to better coordinate regular events such as blood drives and fundraisers and help get aid to people in need, said John Elliott, a local Red Cross volunteer.
“In one way, it establishes a presence in the area so people know there is a local person who oversees local Red Cross efforts,” Elliott said. “But it also gives a place where people know they can go to.”
The Scenic Bluffs Chapter of the Red Cross covers Jackson, Monroe, Vernon and La Crosse counties in Wisconsin as well as Houston County in Minnesota. The 93-year-old chapter has about 1,200 volunteers, but has no offices outside its La Crosse-based headquarters.
Scenic Bluffs Chapter executive director Cheryl Hancock said the chapter has recently looked at providing more and better services to people in rural areas such as Jackson County.
“The Red Cross is really a grassroots organization and being able to provide the services at the local community level is important to us,” Hancock said.
And should things go well in Black River Falls, Hancock said it’s possible more satellite offices could be opened.
