The American Red Cross has launched a national campaign to replenish its disaster relief fund.The effort to raise $100 million began in September, and officials say about $60 million has been collected thus far. Logan McCulloch, the chief development officer for the Louisville Area Red Cross, says nationwide, the agency responded to 70 large scale disasters this year.They included Hurricane Ike, the remnants of which tore through this area in mid-September.Immediately, the American Red Cross through this region was setting up shelters for people who were driven from their homes, had medical needs where they had to have power. We were even providing cots for utility workers that came from neighboring states so those utility workers could keep hooking up power."The Red Cross has designated Saturday a National Day of Giving. Volunteers will go door-to-door and work phone banks to raise money for the disaster relief fund.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.