Red Cross celebrates 2025, looks for more success in the new year

The Dublin American Red Cross had a busy 2025, moving from outside of town on U.S. 441 South to across the street from the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center.

When officials gathered recently to celebrate 2025, they could not help but look forward to bringing in more volunteers to help provide support to people and families who encounter disasters in the area.

“These people mean more to me than just being volunteers,” said Peggy Bentz, community disaster program specialist for the American Red Cross. “They have been my family and been my backbone, helping hand and shoulders to cry on when I needed it.” 

Jackie Shoemaker, executive director for the South Central Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross, called this group “a family.”

“We not only work together to help others but we work together to help each other,” Shoemaker said. “It is easy to see in events like tonight. We all just have the joy of giving with each other and the joy of giving to this community.” 

Kelly Crane, senior disaster program manager for South Georgia Red Cross, was at the group’s Christmas celebration at Moore Station Village on Dec. 18.

“This group has something special with each other,” Crane said. “I believe Peggy has been here for 14 years, and she is our oldest tenured employee. She has been through a lot of change with the Red Cross, and Peggy had gone with that flow. She has managed to build a team here in the Dublin area. These folks really work well together.” 

It is important to have a Red Cross in the area.

“Our whole mission is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in a variety of ways,” Shoemaker said. 

“We collect lifesaving blood. We respond to disasters big or small. Most of them being home fires, which happens just about every day in our chapter.” 

The Red Cross trains people on lifesaving skills such as first aid, CPR and how to be a lifeguard. They also provide service to the military and veterans, which is why it is good to be located across from the VA.

“I think there is so many people in the community who do not know the extent of what the Red Cross does,” Crane said. 

“They think blood or when we respond to a hurricane but we are there day -in and day-out responding to home fires. And we help people recover from everything from the small disasters and up to the big ones.”

Janine Cameron, a local Red Cross volunteer, said the smoke alarms are needed in every home.

“These are free,” Cameron said. “We will either come install them or we’ll get the fire department to come install them in their homes. There are several people who have been saved by a working smoke alarm in their homes. They worked and have allowed people to get out. We want to keep people safe. They only have two minutes to get out, so that smoke alarm is critical.” 

Unfortunately, there have been a few fatal fires. Those needing and wanting a smoke detector can call 1-800-RED-CROSS to get their names on the list.

Besides volunteers, the Red Cross also need monetary donations.

“Our new building is not big enough to hold everything we used to hold,” Bentz said.  

“With the house fires going up that means we have to put out more. We sometimes have to help multiple people in a house. That is why monetary donations are important.” 

The Red Cross still needs volunteers, which can be done at redcross.org

“I will never turn them away,” Bentz said. “My target is to get them as part of our Disaster Action Team. We have 25 counties and not every county has volunteers who can respond to fires. We go out and help our clients who have been involved in a fire and other disasters. My volunteers work hard throughout the year.”