LITTLE ROCK — The Garland County Red Cross chapter has made a few changes in the past weeks by welcoming a new executive director and adding four counties to its service area.
Fran Theos began her new job four weeks ago and said the Garland County chapter added Polk, Montgomery, Howard and Sevier counties to the areas it serves. The chapter will be renamed in the coming weeks after approval from the national Red Cross.
Theos, a licensed clinical social worker, is from Memphis where she served as a mental health volunteer for 10 years at the Red Cross' Midsouth Chapter. Theos also served as the director for two Memphis nonprofit organizations, Birthright of Memphis and the Memphis/Shelby County Coalition for the Homeless.
Theos said as a Red Cross volunteer she went on seven national assignments, including to Hurricane Charlie and Hurricane Francis.
"I worked as a mental health volunteer on several national assignments," Theos said. "It gives people a chance to just tell their stories, and we also worked with people dealing with stress, depression and suicide."
Susan Griffin, president of the chapter's board of directors, said it was because of Theos' previous volunteer work and nonprofit work that got her the executive director position.
"We knew she would make a good fit because of her Red Cross experience and expertise in social work," Griffin said.
Theos said the Garland County chapter has 30 volunteers who assist with various classes including CPR, swimming lessons, basic-aid training and baby-sitting training.
"The biggest things we do arethe CPR classes, disaster response and militar y assistance," Theos said.
Theos said so far this year, 39 families have been assisted aftertheir homes burned and 10 volunteers have been deployed to help during a national disaster. Onevolunteer with the Garland County chapter is in Baton Rouge assisting with Hurricane Gustav.
Theos said the chapter has already handled two fires from the new counties it covers. She said it is the Garland County chapter's responsibilit y to help these counties because they don't have their own Red Cross chapter.
"We all have to pitch in andmake sure all counties have our services; it should be the same for everybody," Theos said.
" We are going to beg in training these other counties to handle their own disasters, too."
The Garland County Red Cross was the first chapter to receive its charter in 1917.
This year it has conducted 331 swimming lessons, trained 21 baby sitters, 775 fourthgraders in basic-aid training, 20 lifeguards, 40 Girl Scouts on water safety, helped 39 families after house fires, held 168 CPR classes and deployed 10 volunteers to assist in national disasters.
To make a contribution to the Garland County Red Cross, send donations to the chapter at P.O. Box 1362, Hot Springs, AR 71902. All funds donated to Garland County will stay in the county, Theos said.
The chapter's main fundraising event, Tinsel and Traditions, will be held Friday, Nov. 14, and Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Hot Springs Convention Center.
Tri-Lakes, Pages 56, 57 on 09/04/2008