By Karen Conklin, Executive Director, Lake to River Chapter

Working for the Red Cross provides wonderful opportunities to use our creative skills.

Recently I got a call from an over the road trucker who wanted to give us chickens – 3,200 chickens. Yes, that is the number he was offering – 3,200 ready to cook, whole chickens. It seems the birds were originally destined for Walmart, but the expiration date was two weeks out; Walmart declined them.  The driver had tried the local homeless mission and another organization with no luck.

Let’s face it…that is a lot of chickens!

The driver was on his way to the American Red Cross office in Jefferson County when he called with his generous offer. I was able to connect him with the Food Bank in Youngstown, and he was happy to make the drive to pass the chickens on to someone.  OK, anyone!

End of story:  3,200 families can now get a free chicken thanks to the power of the Red Cross brand and the power of community connections.

This incident clearly falls in my job description under “other duties as assigned.”

Editor’s note: While we don’t deliver chickens, we do have volunteer positions available for drivers to pick-up and deliver lifesaving blood products.  Visit redcross.org/volunteer to learn more about volunteer opportunities available.  And you can hear from current volunteers and staff members in person at one of our upcoming volunteer information sessions:

• Cleveland (3747 Euclid Ave), March 6th from 5:30 – 6:30 pm
• Cleveland (3747 Euclid Ave), March 9th from 10:00 – 11:00 am
• Akron (501 W Market St), March 13th from 5:30 – 6:30 pm
• Akron (501 W Market St), March 16th from 10:00 – 11:00 am

RSVP to Melanie Collins at melanie.collins4@redcross.org, or call 330-204-6615.