July 23, 2010 -- FREEPORT -- Volunteers with the American Red Cross Northwest Illinois Chapter responded to calls for help in the middle of the night to area residents affected by Thursday night's torrential rains, putting a family of four whose basement wall collapsed into a hotel and providing other financial relief.

As the day unfolded, residents began calling the Red Cross for shelter. One call came from Pearl City where a woman and her children were knee-deep in water, with water rising around the home, still, at 10 a.m.; another call came from Cherry Avenue, in Freeport, where a woman and her two children have ankle-deep water in the basement.

Ironically, the Disaster Action Team volunteer paged out at 3 a.m. to the cave in -- on her first call as a primary responder -- was Bobby Yount, also a Board Member with the Chapter. The client was her son, Gregory Yount, his wife Elisha, and their two children, ages 8 and 10, who live on Woodside Drive in Freeport. The basement wall caved in taking part of the house with it, Yount said.

For Bobbie Yount - a Red Cross member for more than a year and a half -- the value of Red Cross services came home hard.

"This did not hit home, this hit the heart," Yount said. The Chapter put the family up at the Baymont hotel and provided other financial relief, said Disaster Director Scott Allshouse.

The American Red Cross is not a government agency and depends solely on the generosity of the American public and aid from the United Way and foundation grants to assist those in need in times of disaster. The local agency is poised to release a new fundraising initiative - "Save the Day" which asks small and medium-sized businesses to donate funds that would cover the cost of one day's operations at the Chapter.

"With one day, you can help rebuild lives," said Chapter Executive Director Diana Roemer.

A donation of $493 would "save" one day for your Red Cross; $3,451 would save one week, Roemer said.

"Please help us help others. Please donate, and be generous," Roemer said.

To help, call the Chapter at (815) 233-0011 and talk to Diana.