Following four years as Board President of the local Red Cross, Jorge Valdez was visibly choked up on Tuesday evening, Nov. 25th, as he detailed the numerous achievements of the institution during his term. Among these, in addition to now having 6 ambulances on hand for service to the community, Valdez explained through donations and fundraising they were able to acquire valuable equipment, including a “jaws of life” device, as well as work on improvements to the facility itself located along Blvd. Fremont. A particularly noteworthy achievement of the Puerto Peñasco Red Cross was its recent accreditation as an educational facility that provides Emergency Medical Technician training. This makes it one of just two such facilities in the state. With just four paid staff at the local Red Cross, Valdez explained the remaining personnel is made up completely of volunteers whose numbers have fluctuated between 30 and 40 during his time as Board President.
The brief yet emotional ceremony marking the change of the local Red Cross board took place at the offices of the local Chamber of Commerce and included the presence of City Secretary Oscar Villavicencio Lübbert, DIF President Rafaela Félix de Figueroa, State Administrator Coordinator of the Red Cross Adrian Camou Loera, Fire Chief and Director of Civil Protection Nicandro Cornejo, State Emergency Workers Coordinator Enrique Brown Perez, Lieutenant Dr. Marco Antonio Pacheco there on behalf of Naval Command, and incoming Red Cross President Julio Valenzuela.
The phrase reiterated time and again by both the exiting and incoming President, and others, places emphasis on the role the entire community (and its visitors) have in supporting the Red Cross: “one is never too poor to give, nor too rich to require assistance.” On that note, incoming board members remark current needs at the Red Cross, as expressed by staff and volunteers, are for single mattresses and boxes of disposable gloves. Donations of supplies and equipment are always welcome!
The incoming Puerto Peñasco Red Cross board consists of President Julio Valenzuela, Vice President Enrique Rodríguez, Secretary Leonardo Ellud Meza, Treasurer Mariela Muñoz Solís, and Ma. Dolores Monteverde Sesma as board member.
