Auburn University and the American Red Cross have been working hand-in-hand to serve Alabama and the Lee County community for more than 40 years.
Recently that hand grip has become tighter through the formation of the Auburn Red Cross Campus Club.
Lauren Scruggs, junior in biomedical sciences and club president, said despite the club being new to Auburn, it has already accomplished a lot alongside the Lee County Red Cross.
Scruggs said she is thrilled with being able to provide students with a way to get involved alongside a great organization.
"Personally what I have enjoyed is being able to lead these very eager students and provide them with opportunities they would not have known about if they were not involved in this club," Scruggs said.
The club has given students the chance to serve as active Red Cross volunteers and become involved in blood and food drives as well as disaster relief.
The campus club, established in 2007, became a chartered group through the American National Red Cross and Auburn University SGA.
The group has three advisers, two working for the American Red Cross in Lee County and the other is journalism and communications department head Margaret Fitch-Hauser, who also serves on the board for the Lee County chapter.
The group's mission statement, found on its Web site, reads, "Our club is dedicated to engaging Auburn students in the mission of the American Red Cross: To help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies."
The campus club currently has 50 active members. An active member pays the $25 dues to be part of the club.
Club member Rebecca Croomes, freshman in journalism, said she learned about the club through the University sponsored event O-Days.
"It's been a real positive impact on me because it is a opportunistic club," Croomes said. "There are many ways for you to get involved. I joined because I like the work they do in disaster recovery and blood drives."
Croomes said one of the best rewards she received from being involved with the club was being able to become CPR certified at a reduced price.
This semester the club has worked with the Lee County Red Cross on several projects, including the assembly and distribution of flu kits, blood drives and CPR training.
Scruggs said the club is currently planning its annual spring fundraising events and looking for volunteers and members.
The club will have another blood drive today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m in the third floor ballroom of the Student Center.
This will be the last one for the fall semester. The blood drives will resume Feb. 10 and 18.
The club meets the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Student Center.
For more information, visit www.leeredcross.org/auredcrossclub.
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