In a scenario rather akin to the ‘other shoe dropping,’ the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region announced last Friday that the Claremont facility on Indian Hill Boulevard, known for many years as the chapter house, is being sold, necessitating relocating health and safety classes that are normally held in that space.

A press release from the office of Monica Diaz, director of communications, was sent on June 29 announcing the changes. It stated “there will be no change in the way disaster services are provided to the Claremont community.”

Classes in health and safety, once the sale is complete, will be shifted to the ARC Blood Services facility in Pomona, located at 100 Red Cross Circle at the Cal Poly Pomona campus.

This change follows a major reorganization in the fall of 2011 that eliminated the positions of the chapter’s executive director and health and safety manager, announced as a saving of $90,000 annually.

Since then operations of the local board of directors have been under the direction of Ben Green, chief executive officer of the San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter of ARC. Gwenndolynne Parrish, regional health and safety chairman has supervised local operations by volunteers.

The terms of office of present volunteer board members for the 2011-2012 ended on July 1. The board included Chairman Rosie Bister, Vice Chairman Chuck Freitas, Board Secretary Penny Myrdal, Finance Chairman Marci Alvarez and Philanthropy Chairman Bill Buehler. It was not clear at press time how that part of the organization would proceed. Ms. Bister had announced at the beginning of the term in 2011 that she would serve for only one year. The COURIER is in the process of contacting the other board members as to their plans and checking on community reaction to the changes.

Mr. Green noted that he has met with City Manager Tony Ramos about cooperative efforts in the use of facilities in the community, but that nothing has been finalized at this point.

—Pat Yarborough