Two volunteer after watching news

By JAMES CLARK / Editor for the Southern Standard

Vanessa Panter and her daughter Jasmine Ware have traveled to Tuscaloosa, Ala., as American Red Cross volunteers. (James Clark photo)

The images of flooded streets and ravaged towns made a lasting impression with Jasmine Ware and her mother, Vanessa Panter. So much so, the two traveled to Tuscaloosa, Ala., yesterday for three weeks of volunteer work at a Red Cross food distribution center.

“We were watching the news and thought we should help out,” said Ware, 20, a former Lady Pioneer softball and basketball player. “When you see things like that, it makes you appreciate what you have.”

The Red Cross has been flooded with calls from people who want to assist storm victims. To volunteer through the Red Cross, a person must be Red Cross certified and make a three-week commitment. The Red Cross will pay for travel expenses.

For anyone interested, local Red Cross director Kathy Nesmith is holding a training session tomorrow night, Sept. 8, at 6:30 p.m. at Caney Fork Electric’s auditorium.

“The Red Cross requires three weeks because you fall into a job and that’s what you’re expected to do,” said Nesmith.

In Tuscaloosa, Ware and Panter will be over 200 miles from the worst of the destruction. And that’s by design.

“You don’t want first-time volunteers to go straight to a shelter,” said Nesmith. “That’s too rough.”

The two have experience in food distribution as volunteers for Meals on Wheels. Panter has been running a route on Thursdays and she has taken Ware with her on recent trips.

“You really get to know the people on your route and that makes it enjoyable,” said Panter.

Added Ware, “They get so excited to see us because they don’t have anyone else to talk to and most of us don’t think about that.”

Ware worked in a daycare over the summer and said she looks forward to working with families and helping children.

The two, who are making the trip with Altamont resident Michael Tate, aren’t scheduled to return home until Sept. 26. They received Hepatitis A shots Saturday to fight against health problems associated with contaminated water.