WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) — As the wildfires in Maui continue to cause destruction, the American Red Cross has boots on the ground and is continuing to provide aid to those affected. One West Virginia resident is among those that answered the call.

Ra Lene Henthorn is the disaster program specialist at the Ohio Valley American Red Cross and will be one of around 200 outside volunteers traveling to Hawaii for the next three weeks to assist the Red Cross in the response phase of disaster relief.  

Henthorn said that many local volunteers in Hawaii have been affected themselves and she is prepared for the worst but hoping for the best. 

“My everyday job is working in disaster. I focus my efforts on preparing volunteers to go and respond to things that happen every day around here – home fires, floods, things that would displace their families – so, this is just a bigger scale of that. I’ve been doing this for now a little over three years. So, I’m ready and willing and able to go. I’m filling in that gap that’s needed.”

Ra Lene Henthorn – Disaster Program Specialist, Ohio Valley American Red Cross

Henthorn said that the number one need right now is financial support.  

If you’d like to support Henthorn and the American Red Cross, an easy way to help is to text “REDCROSS” to 9-0-9-9-9. Doing so will send $10 directly to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief.