Red Cross Dedicates Katherine Harper Staging Area

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—On May 1, the Greater Carolinas Red Cross officially dedicated the Katherine Harper Disaster Staging Area as part of the Sadie Fowler Disaster Center in Charlotte, N.C.

Ron and Katherine Harper were among key players in the creation of the Disaster Center. The Harpers—owners of Harper Corporation of America, which pioneered the industrial plasma flame-spraying technology for anilox rolls—provided money for the creation of a staging area within The Sadie Fowler Disaster Center. The Katherine Harper Disaster Staging Area provides 2,000 square feet of multi-use space for storing, loading and deploying disaster equipment and supplies.

This center is unique in that it is only one of a dozen facilities of its kind among Red Cross Chapters nationwide. The disaster center, which offers state-of-the art capabilities, and is staffed by 1,800 trained volunteers, enables the Greater Carolinas Red Cross to respond more quickly and efficiently to neighbors in need. It also provides a place for community residents to learn emergency preparedness so that they too may help their neighbors and save lives.