Multiple changes have taken place at what used to be the Montgomery County chapter of Red Cross. There will no longer be a local chapter in Montgomery County. Executive Director Denise Maxwell has been dismissed by Red Cross officials.
The entire local advisory board has resigned.
The Paper has learned that even the building is for sale, though it has not been posted yet.
Britton Riley is the Executive Director for the West-Central Indiana chapter of the American Red Cross, which covers 17 counties, including Montgomery County.
“We no longer have a board representing just Montgomery County.,” Riley said.
“We have a larger chapter board that covers the area.”
Regarding the reasons for the entire board resigning, Riley said, “From the information I was given it was the new direction and what their purpose was as a board now that they were not governing. So not understanding that, and what that purpose was, they decided that they would disband at that point.”
The Paper could not confirm that explanation. When asked about the board’s resignation and the future of Red Cross in Montgomery County, former board chair Jason Wagoner declined comment.
The Paper’s attempts to reach former board members for comment were unsuccessful.
Maxwell has been with Red Cross for several years.
When asked about Maxwell’s dismissal, Riley said that “it was specific to Denise. It was a situation that was specific to Denise. That position is in the process of being reposted for the area.”
“The position formerly filled by Denise (Maxwell) – as far as volunteer services – is now a position that will be open for application,” Riley said. “That position will likely not be filled by someone here in Montgomery County, but it will depend on where that person lives within the chapter.”
Maxwell was philosophical about the change. “Oh, I just quietly faded away,” she said. “Services are still here. Volunteers are here for clients. They will make sure volunteers are sent out.”
What these changes mean for services in Montgomery County is negligible.
“Calls go to our office in Indianapolis, and outside of business hours they go to an answering service that’s 24/7 that gets that call from dispatch and reaches out to the local volunteers to have them respond, “Riley said. “ So it a much more ‘streamlined process’ than where it was before.”
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