A+ Rating for the Red Cross

By: Heather Kanipe and Cindy Huge, American Red Cross Volunteers

“We are anxious and scared about what we will find,” said Jackie Thompson, “but we are alive and safe; everything else can be replaced.”

Jackie Thompson, his fiance Sandy and her
daughter Bailee cuddle with puppies at the Red Cross shelter
in Marlboro County. Photo by: Heather Kanipe

Jackie experienced loss two years ago when Hurricane Matthew hit his home. He and his fiance, Sandy Lassiter, were still trying to fix the inside of his home when Hurricane Florence hit. Today, they find themselves back inside a Red Cross shelter.

Surrounded by adorable puppies at the Blenheim Elementary and Middle School shelter, Jackie and his family sit on the floor allowing the bundles of fur to crawl, tumble and play all over them. Without any prompting, Jackie looked up at the red crosses on t-shirts and said, “I give this place an A+. If there were a higher rating to give I would do it.”

Meanwhile, his fiance’s daughter, Bailee was dancing in the hallway with a Red Cross nurse, happy to be wearing her new warm socks. Her mother, Sandy explained, “after having to wear wet shoes for several days, the warm socks given to them were a welcome gift."

Bailee dances in the Red Cross shelter as
she shows off her new socks.
Photo: Cindy Huge

 Sandy was quick to note she had moved to the area recently and had already made great friends at the shelter. 

“I had to be transported to the hospital during our stay at the shelter and everyone pitched in to make Bailee, my daughter felt, comfortable while I was gone. The staff was fabulous and Bailee never seemed anxious or afraid in my absence.”

While playing outside, Bailee had been stung by a bee a few days earlier and Dennis Grooms, a Red Cross nurse, became her new best friend and they’ve been attached to each other ever since. Jackie added, “Believe it or not, this is a disaster but we’ve really enjoyed our stay here.”

Many of the families staying at the Blenheim shelter received assistance from the Red Cross for both hurricanes Matthew and Florence over the past two years and the sentiments of this family were echoed by other shelter residents also making the most out of their stay.