Hunter Wilson/Daily NewsFrank LaManna (right), fitness and wellness supervisor for Bowling Green Parks and Recreation, accepts an award from Eli Capps, 4, and Jeremy Laswell, board chairman for the South Central Kentucky Chapter of the Red Cross, as Jennifer Capps (back), executive director of the chapter, reads off names during a reception Tuesday at Edmonton State Bank. The Red Cross honored people, businesses and organizations that have aided its fundraising campaign.

For every $500 the American Red Cross receives, it can provide food, shelter and clothing for a displaced family of four for 72 hours, or send 16 emergency communications to soldiers around the world; or provide 20 families of four with a week’s worth of meals from the food pantry; or provide disaster education for 1,000 families.

So American Red Cross Director Jennifer Capps said she greatly appreciates all the Heroes who have participated in a fundraising campaign so far, raising about $16,000.

“And we still have several Heroes planning events after the first of the year,” Capps said.

Capps and other Red Cross board members honored those Heroes at a reception Tuesday at Edmonton State Bank.

One of those Heroes was Phi Gamma Delta fraternity at Western Kentucky University. The fraternity raised $4,500 for Red Cross with a football run to Middle Tennessee State University.

“I got the idea back in the summer,” said Jake Ryle, philanthropy chairman for the fraternity. “A football run from Virginia Tech to Virginia raised $120,000 over six years, so I knew if it was organized right we could be successful.”

Ryle said the fraternity will continue the run, alternating each year which charity will get the funds.

“So the Red Cross will receive our money every other year,” he said.

Becky Hankins, of Morgantown, was happy to hand Capps her money, making the total raised from her holiday food show $1,050. This year she also persuaded the VFW Post 5837 and Ladies Auxiliary to make a donation. Jennifer Odle handed Capps a check for $500.

Capps said such funding is critical to continuing to provide Red Cross services. As an example, since October, the Red Cross has responded to eight single-family home fires and three apartment fires, where a total of 48 adults and 28 children were displaced.

It continues to see a need for its food pantry.

“I know last year we were up about 30 percent, and I expect it is up as much this year,” Capps said. “In the next few weeks I expect we will see more as some factories are shutting down over the holidays. We will see those people we won’t see any other time of the year.”

Capps hopes the food lasts until February or March, but will take donations any time people want to provide them.

“It seems like every other week we have groups calling, wanting to provide us with food items,” she said.

Canned vegetables and meats are among the most-needed items, Capps said.

Funding also will be used to help launch a new campaign, 21 Weeks to Preparedness, being organized by AmeriCorps volunteers.

Volunteer Sharon Durie said the program will be launched in early January and each week will feature a different item that families can spend $5 to $10 on for a disaster kit.

At the end of the 21 weeks they will have a disaster kit that will allow them to shelter in place for up to 72 hours or take the kit and evacuate, Capps said.

Durie and others will work with local retailers to place preparedness signs on store shelves near where kit items are located. For example, that first week has families purchasing 1 gallon of water, one jar of peanut butter, one box of crackers, one can of tuna or chicken, and one flashlight.

— For more information about the Red Cross campaign or its services, call 781-7377.