Local chapter gets new home on North Meridian Road

Staff and a platoon of volunteers moved mannequins, equipment, mountains of records and more to relocate the Red Cross office across town Thursday.

Although the organization was in transition for the day, its services never were out of reach. Telephones were manned and volunteers were at the ready had a disaster occurred.

"The Red Cross can't have any downtime," said Gayle Wilhelm, director of the Kalispell Service Center.

The American Red Cross Chapter Service Center and the Lewis and Clark Blood Services Center moved west to a larger facility on North Meridian Road.

The new location - between Snyder Bakery and Ace Hardware - nearly doubles the space from which the Red Cross responds to a huge territory that covers Flathead, Lincoln, Lake and (soon) Sanders counties.

During packing, sorting and recycling years of accumulation at the First Avenue East office, Red Cross staff and volunteers helped house fire victims in Evergreen and Polson, and kept up a rigorous schedule of blood draws.

Wilhelm also followed up on an anguished call from a father in Libby who heard about an attack on his son's unit in Iraq. She was able to determine that his son had sustained only minor injuries.

"That's how I started out my morning," Wilhelm said with a smile.

As this area's population expanded, needs for Red Cross services multiplied. Soon staff and volunteers strained the square footage at First Avenue East.

"It's been wonderful there but we've just outgrown it," Wilhelm said.

When the lease expired, Lisa Sydnor, chapter solution manager for the western service area, began helping Wilhelm to find a new home to share with blood services. She said the process began six months ago.

"We had no place to grow," Sydnor said. "It was painfully obvious during Katrina."

Wilhelm said the office was overwhelmed with volunteers wanting to help the hurricane victims, but there was too little space to train them or even accept donations efficiently.

Although Kalispell has a lot of lease space available, she said many of the buildings were out of the reach of a lean nonprofit such as the Red Cross.

But Montana Chip Partners made a deal that gave more square footage for the same cost.

"The landlord was very helpful," Sydnor said.

The new location solved a lot of problems, such as no separate spaces for classes, blood draws or council meetings, according to Wilhelm. Sydnor said the Red Cross now has a private space for victims of fires and other disasters.

"It allows them a sanctuary," she said.

Victims now have a quiet space to share their needs and get reassurance that the Red Cross will help with lodging, food and clothing.

The new facility also provides the Blood Services Center two private rooms in which to take blood histories and a space for blood draws. Sydnor said the Blood Services Center provided the labor to remodel the space for their shared needs.

"It's been a collaborative effort," she said.

Wilhelm said the community also has pitched in with donations such as a conference table and chairs from Grouse Mountain, and monitors and office equipment from Ameriquest Recovery Systems.

Visitors will find improved parking and access for the public.

For an agency involved with disasters, the move to North Meridian solves another concern for storing supplies and equipment.

"It's out of the flood plain," Wilhelm said.

An open house planned from 3 to 6 p.m. July 26 offers a chance to tour the facilities, have refreshments and at 4 p.m. attend a ribbon-cutting with Kalispell Mayor Pam Kennedy and other dignitaries.

The open house also offers a chance to hear about volunteer opportunities at the Red Cross.

Wilhelm said that people could volunteer for just a few hours a few days a week.

Volunteers are needed in the office to instruct the wide range of classes, including swimming safety, CPR and first aid.

"We would love to reach out and get more volunteers," she said. "We can't do it with just two of us [paid staff]."

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.