Two chapters of Red Cross finish merger

BANGOR – The Pine Tree and Eastern Maine chapters of the American Red Cross have merged, which officials say will save money for the organization while combining resources and staff.

The new entity, called the Pine Tree Chapter, was approved in a March joint board meeting and began functioning July 1.

The merger will join administrations and finances. The new chapter is fully funded through donations. All five locations are remaining open, and nine full-time and two part-time staffers are staying in place, the executive director said Wednesday.

“The services will not decrease; if anything, we are working on increasing our services to the public,” Executive Director Suzan Bell said Wednesday.

The services are expected to include more first-aid and CPR education courses, she said.

The new name was chosen because it didn’t geographically isolate any of the locations in Maine and also was considered since Maine is called “the Pine Tree State,” Bell said.

Both chapters handled the preparation for and prevention of disasters and weren’t responsible for blood drives. The new chapter will continue in that function. There are 11 volunteers from the new chapter in Florida and Texas right now, assisting in the areas stricken by Hurricane Emily, Bell said.

The former Pine Tree Chapter employed four full-time employees in its Bangor location and two full-time employees in its Presque Isle office, which serviced Penobscot, Piscataquis, Aroostook, Washington, and part of Waldo counties.

The Eastern Maine Chapter had three full-time and two part-time employees in its three locations in Ellsworth, Belfast and Rockland that serviced Hancock, Knox, Lincoln and Waldo counties.

“Essentially we are just realigning the staff so two people are not doing the same job. We are realigning internally so we do a better job externally,” Bell said.

Bell was the executive director of the former Pine Tree Chapter and assumes that same title at the newly formed chapter. Michael Holmes, formerly the executive director of the Eastern Maine chapter, is now the head of the special events and public relations department.

“I’m very excited about the merger. We’re all going to be working smarter so that one person does not have too much on their plate,” Holmes said Wednesday.

Now, instead of having two employees, one from each chapter, work on finances or public events, one person can specialize in a particular service.

Financially the merger will save the chapter money. Each chapter pays the national organization a yearly sum, and because of the merger, the sum will be cut in half. After three years, the new Pine Tree Chapter, however, will have to pay the national organization the amount equivalent to having two chapters, since the sum is determined by the chapter’s budget, Bell said.

“This merger allows us to save money and reinvest in ourselves,” the executive director said.

The Pine Tree Chapter plans on using the money saved by hiring a development director, who will work on fundraising, Bell said. The executive director said she hopes the position will remain after the three-year period, since the fundraising efforts should cover the cost of the salary.

Holmes said that other American Red Cross chapters are using the Pine Tree Chapter as a model and are interested in the long-term success of the merger. Other chapters may follow the Pine Tree lead if all goes well.

“I’m thrilled [by the merger], and I know Suzan is thrilled. It’s a little scary to be the first one [to merge], but we have a lot of good hearts and people helping us out,” Holmes said.