toledoblade.com --

As Hurricane Ernesto increased its strength, so did the American Red Cross across the Gulf Coast, aided by two Toledoans who made the trip yesterday to Louisiana in preparation for the storm and its aftermath.

Amy Newman-Mentel, 34, a staff member with the Greater Toledo Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, and Doug Dinnebeil, 55, a retired Toledo postal worker, departed from the Toledo Express Airport with a small group of family seeing them off.

Both will be gone for three weeks working as Red Cross volunteers wherever Ernesto lands.

Mrs. Newman-Mentel and Mr. Dinnebeil will help serve meals to relief workers and others in need after the storm hits.

The two landed in Baton Rouge last night, which will be their staging area with other volunteers.

Mrs. Newman-Mentel, a case worker with the Red Cross, is making her fourth out-of-state trip, working in Biloxi, Miss., after Hurricane Katrina last year. She will work as a feeding supervisor.

"One year ago today [Sunday], I left to help with Katrina," Mrs. Newman-Mentel said.

"It's odd that this falls on the same day. It was time to come home when it was time to come home, but it was rewarding. I would have gone back. It was hard work, but you knew you were helping so many people, and they were so grateful."

Red Cross spokesman Kristen Cajka said the organization has more than 500 trained volunteers ready for disaster relief, the most in the six years she has been at the Red Cross.

Mr. Dinnebeil, who retired in May from the local postal service unit, began volunteering last year, inspired by Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

He will help serve meals and said he was excited about his first out-of-state trip to provide assistance.

"I get a new extended family out there," Mr. Dinnebeil said. "You get a chance to help people and that's always great. People need help and I feel that's why we're put on this earth. I'm lucky enough to be retired; other people can't afford to go out and help."

There are some hardships. Mrs. Newman-Mentel will miss her husband's birthday later this month for the second consecutive year, and the first day of school for her daughter Olivia, 7. Mr. Dinnebeil said goodbye to his wife, Laurie, at airport.

They said, though, lending a hand wherever they can will be rewarding enough.

"I expect to get a lot of satisfaction," Mr. Dinnebeil said. "I'm going into this very optimistic. It's an important thing, knowing that I was able to help people."

Contact Clyde Hughes at: chughes@theblade.com or 419-724-6095.

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