NATCHEZ — After a lengthy search, Angie Brown has been named chapter manager of the Natchez Chapter of the Red Cross.

Since May, board members and a specially developed search committee have been looking for a new chapter manager after John Goodrich, former chapter manager, resigned.

Brown, a volunteer and board member with the Natchez Red Cross for the past four years, gave up her seat on the board in order to apply for the position.

“I really love this organization,” Brown said. “What they do for people is extremely important.”

Brown said her first order of business as chapter manager will be to increase the amount of volunteers in the organization and take charge of new fundraising efforts.

Brown said that volunteers and funding are similar in that the organization can never have too much of either.

“I’d like to see everyone in Natchez volunteering,” she said.

Brown also said that she would like to raise at least $50,000 to have available in the event of an emergency in the community.

Brown stressed that almost all of the Red Cross’ funding comes from donations.

While funding is important to the Red Cross, Brown said that the ability for the group to be active in the community is one of her top priorities.

Until Brown started on Nov. 7., the Red Cross office on North Union sat mostly vacant for much of the day.

Brown said the handful of volunteers the Red Cross has in Natchez were simply not able to have the office open all day.

“I’m looking forward to getting in here,” she said. “We really need to have someone here every day.”

And now that Brown will be in the office every day she said that wants to start having more CPR classes and make the organization more available to the military.

Brown said that as of now the Red Cross works with the military by getting messages to and from families of those serving overseas.

While, Brown said, this is a valuable service, she is making plans to do more.

But regardless of the group’s past or future, Red Cross Board member Stan Owens said Natchez is lucky to have Brown as a chapter manger.

“Her compassion makes her a great fit for this job,” he said.

As Brown looks to the future of the Red Cross, she looks back on her history with the group fondly.

Brown said her most rewarding experience with the Red Cross was when she was working with Katrina refugees staying in Natchez.

“People in the shelter actually took up a donation for the county,” she said. “I was so moved.”