American Red Cross volunteer travels to California for relief efforts

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) –As wildfires continue to devastate California, people across the country are stepping in to help. One of those volunteers is Gene Pavone, who has been working with the American Red Cross since 2012.

Pavone first joined the Red Cross after Hurricane Sandy. Since then, he’s been part of more than 40 disaster relief missions. This is his fourth trip to California to assist with wildfire recovery efforts.

He is expected to land in Los Angeles Friday night, where he will join hundreds of volunteers at a local shelter. Once there, they’ll receive instructions on how to best support the affected communities.

For Pavone, volunteering is more than just helping out—it’s about making a real difference in times of crisis. He says, “How can anyone sit home and just watch it? I couldn’t do that. That’s why I got involved with the Red Cross. I wanted to help people who were in trouble, and this is one way of doing it.”

If you’d like to help, whether by donating or volunteering, you can find more information on how to get involved by visiting the American Red Cross website.