The animated, energized four year-old sat on the kitchen counter watching grandmother mixing ever so carefully biscuits that the enlarged family soon would savor. It was a special time in her life and in America: World War II, family in the Army and dependents crowding into the stable household; grandparents guiding the little one in farm chores, for there were the cows to milk, fresh butter to be molded, her constant companion-the collie except when the cows were to be taken back to pasture or brought up to the barn. Connie Augustine was already charming people and collecting friends like stamp collectors over their stamps.

Connie was learning geography, also. The farm near Post, TX, spread across the caprock where the plains start. She was to experience a greater variety.

When mother Vera remarried, to Archie Cox, they were to move often as Archie earned the living in the oil patch. But it also gave Connie an opportunity to collect more friends. Before moving to Louisiana, Connie attended high schools in Crane, Brownfield, Seminole, Hamlin, and Sweetwater. Brownfield and Sweetwater had sweepstakes bands that looked more rewarding than P.E., so she taught herself to "hold a clarinet." There was the excitement of marching in parades and football games, and they were invited to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. That was the ultimate for bands! At the game with TCD playing; later was a stage play where Connie volunteered to sit in the distant seat only to be surrounded by the team and quarterback Jim Swenk sitting by her!

The next move was to Kinder, LA, where Connie collected lifetime friends and was a favorite of the Augustine twins. Upon graduation she and Roy were steadies, but as a concession to her family she enrolled in Stephen F. Austin University, Nacogdoches, TX; Roy enrolled in electrical engineering at USL. Connie earned her degree in three years and her MBA at the Univ. of Texas-Austin the following year. Roy went into the Air Force after graduation while Connie taught a year in Freeport. Then they married.

Roy had worked on Collins radio in the Air Force and developed great respect for the company; thus, he wanted to work for them. He began in Richardson, TX as they wrapped the world in the micro-wave system. Soon he went with the company to Pakistan.

Connie was expecting and had to wait to follow him until the baby was three months old. Roy came back for two weeks when Renee was born. Three months later, Connie with baby and several bags began the 36-hour flight from Lake Charles. A nagging hip problem showed the instant she boarded the plane. Her medicine for the pain was packed in her checked luggage. Stopping in Hobby Airport, Houston, Connie's affirmed her belief that the Lord provided someone when needed. There they were: a mother and daughter from Seminole who were also traveling to London. "At that time, one felt comfortable trusting people." They took care of Renee to relieve Connie. Then, on to O’Hara.

Although the plane was to be emptied for cleaning before continuing nonstop to Frankfurt, Germany, Connie was allowed to stay on the plane. Her luggage was brought so she could get her medicine, while the stewardess played with the baby and took her to the pilots for more cuddling. A Nun sat by Connie as they continued to Karachi, India. She kept the baby while Connie slept briefly. Roy was waiting for them and secured a hotel room for the four- or five-hour layover and needed rest.

They were settled in the economy at Peshawar, Pakistan. In a large, rented house in University Town, Connie felt safe as she learned a new culture and a new religion that influenced the culture. They had privileges at the air station for shopping, church, clubs and entertainment. "We had five servants and were expected to have more." It was organizing and working with the servants that Connie's mediation skills came to the fore. The bearer was the only Christian and spoke perfect English; he was the main servant that Roy lured from the Officers Club.

Upon their return to the states and adding two sons to the family, they eventually moved to Louisiana from Tucson, AZ. That is when Connie joined our faculty at LSUA. Eventually, she answered a blind ad in the newspaper for an opening with a non-profit organization. In her words, "The way I got to the Red Cross was an answer to prayer and a blind ad in the newspaper. I was looking for a career change, and this came up."

She was willing to apply her organizational skills, creativity and (outstanding) personal relations skills. When her abilities were immediately applied to the local chapter of the American Red Cross, everyone knew she had found her niche. This was in 1988.

Executive Director Connie Augustine joined three full-time employees and knew the $170,000 budget must be increased. It was apparent that more volunteers were needed. As she drew more volunteers, stressing the goals of the Red Cross in serving needs wherever, the staff grew to six full-time, two part-time and three per diem staffers and a budget of $478,00. Compare the statistics in 1988: 213 volunteers, 42 house fires with $25 allotted per family, 30 disaster volunteers trained, 951 trained in CPR, first aid and lifeguard.

In 2003-04, volunteers had tripled to 685, 133 house fire victims given $400-$600 per family, 107 disaster volunteers trained, community education 5,627, and 6,362 trained in CPR, first aid and lifeguard. United Way had funded 51 % of the budget and reduced it to 19% as the local chapter initiated innovative fund raisers. How did this happen? Connie plainly stated, "My goal was to provide expanded services to the community and military.. ...you have to have the money."

With fast-expansion of services and remaining solvent, Connie and the staff had brain-storming sessions for fund-raising. One that most travelers around the city are familiar with is the good fireman at an intersection shoving his empty boot up to the driver's window expecting a donation.

One of the most successful, repeated several years, was the "Get your Goat." I personally was involved in this one year, and here is what we did. A student, a young, strong man holding the goat and I, wearing our Red Cross T-shirts, had a number of businessmen to call on. We went in my car. . . the young man cradling the goat in his arms, sitting in the back seat. Each one we called on paid $25 to get rid of the goat and $10 to send us to antagonize someone. Most were having fun. However, when we entered the lobby of the Rapides Parish Courthouse, whose floors were shining, Mrs. Bruce, the greeter, warned us briskly to get that goat out of there! The year before, the goat lost control over body impulses. We went upstairs to the Clark of Court’s office where the girls almost pushed us out the door, shushing, "You all, get out, get out" while one quickly dipped into the cash drawer for a fist full of change.

By the time our calls were made by noon, the young man's arms simply played out, and he had to let the goat stand up. We and the little goat were in the mix to play a number of pranks. The fellow providing the fine goats helped the chapter raise some $12,000 (probably equal to $25,000 today). Again, this event exemplifies creative planning, many volunteers involved and a cash flow to finance multifarious needs. Director Connie quickly adds that "cruelty to animals" were assailed from over the U.S.

On the other side of the equation were the needs presented daily and a major event occurring every year. One was Hurricane Andrews in 1992. This powerful, moving tragedy swept over South Florida, crossed into the warm Gulf waters and roared into South LA. Early evacuation warning sent thousands flooding into Central LA. As stalled traffic on 1-49 was diverted through Lecompte onward, two young men on the main street hailed many cars to come to our church. With no pre-planning, our church suddenly was a shelter for 110 people. They had to be fed.

Families claimed Sunday School rooms, while others staked out the padded pews in the sanctuary. Breakfast was a challenge both for hot biscuits and butter, coffee and paper goods. I called the Red Cross office who promptly recorded the church as a shelter. At noon, National Guard personnel began bringing in huge pans of cooked food. This story has a happy ending, however. A few of the single men decided to go home, although a curfew was in effect. Those remaining was a "church" and wanted to give us a concert on Wednesday evening. They put on fresh clothes and filled the choir, with musicians at the piano and organ. We never had a concert like that-it was the one they had given the month before on a tour of Japan. Then those grateful people literally mopped themselves out of the church, leaving it clean and tidy. Their own church was destroyed, but they kindly sent a donation back to our church.

In the meantime, Connie and staff and volunteers were coping with the opening of 83 shelters, caring for 10,000 evacuees. "That's the largest number ever sheltered by one chapter in our state's history. I had faith that we would make it. Most of our trained volunteers had gone to South LA, but others were stepping in to help. We had to get feeding supplies delivered, and we didn't have a truck or personnel. I prayed, 'Lord, we need a truck.' At that instant, there was a knock on the door; it was John Medica with his truck, saying, 'Anything I can do?'" When this was occurring, Connie had to be at the hospital with her mother, undergoing knee replacement.

There were other hurricanes, also. Connie confided that Sep. 11,2001, affected her the most. "People started pouring in our doors with donations, calling to help. We had to borrow cellular phones from local vendors because of the calls. We had to leave the office open 24 hours a day for the first week." Sending 31 trained volunteers to New York topped the number of any chapter in LA. No deed in service went without the Director recognizing the volunteers.

Connie's boundless energy and social skills enables her to meet personal and global needs. After 16 years as Executive Director, Connie is now teaching spiritual workshops through her church and is a lay leader and sharing time with husband Roy, her three children and spouses, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

“A career with Red Cross is a life.”