While in Central Florida March 8 for a multi-stake conference, President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, brought along a check made out to the American Red Cross for $20,000 to benefit victims of tornados in the vicinity. The tornados, which struck Feb. 22, killed 48 people. No members of the Church were killed, and all missionaries serving in the area were safe.
President Monson gave the check to Elder Alvie R. Evans Sr., an Area Authority Seventy, who presented it on March 9 to Red Cross officials in Orlando."They were most grateful for the donation," Elder Evans said of the Red Cross officials. "They commented on the things the Church has helped the Red Cross with in the Southeast Area."
The Church has offered its services to the Red Cross in a variety of ways, including providing buildings as emergency shelters, donating food, clothing and other supplies for victims of natural disasters, and organizing thousands of volunteers to help with relief efforts.
"In addition to the tornados in central Florida just recently, we've had Hurricane Andrew in Florida in 1992 and Hurricane Fran in North Carolina in 1996. In 1994, we had flooding in Albany, Ga., and now we've had flooding again this week in Albany. We continue to be besieged with natural disasters in the Southeast," Elder Evans said.
"I don't know a finer association we could have than with the Red Cross in the capacity of helping provide relief to victims in a disaster. The Red Cross has recognized our abilities and calls on us in many ways."
