Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Due to Mother Nature, the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) will be postponing their recruitment trip to Farmville. The group had planned to recruit volunteers this Sunday during an event at Wilck’s Lake. Instead, that’ll be pushed back a couple months. 

On Wednesday, the group announced that they’ll try it again in June. Specifically, an event will be held on June 3 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Wilck’s Lake, 1701 W. Third St. in Farmville. 

“This event will serve as a great opportunity to meet new possible volunteers,” said Piedmont MRC Coordinator Felecia Manns. “We can’t wait to showcase what MRC is all about and help spread the important work that we do.”

For those wondering what is MRC, it’s a national organization of volunteers who work to meet the public health needs of the community. The organization started in 2002 after the September 11 attacks to have a reserve of volunteers who are retired or have the skills to help in the midst of a disaster. However, the MCR does much more.

“It’s not always after a disaster,” Manns said. “We are at festivals, parades, vaccine clinics, food distributions — anywhere we can support the community and county’s health.”

Volunteers with the MRC attend different events to act as support to the emergency medical services or others who are there. They can support in case someone trips, gets overheated or gets injured.

Especially in more rural areas like parts of Prince Edward County, Cumberland and Buckingham, fire departments and other organizations may not have the resources to take care of everything. That’s where the MRC comes in. Manns gave an example of a bus accident. If something like that happened the MRC would help out by pitching tents to get those displaced out of the elements, any care or medications they need and help them find their family members.

If you are interested in volunteering and can’t make it to the event, visit the Medical Reserve Corps page at vdh.virginia.gov/mrc to learn more and apply. For questions, contact Manns at felecia.manns@vdh.virginia.gov or call (804) 904-9224.