Note: To celebrate National Volunteer Week, we are featuring profiles of some of the volunteers who help the Red Cross fulfill its mission in Northern Ohio

By Olivia Wyles, American Red Cross volunteer

April 23, 2020- Ever since I was a little girl, I have dreamed about studying abroad in another country just as my mom had when she was in college. Four months ago, I was finally bringing that dream to fruition and packing my bags to depart for five months of living in Spain and traveling around Europe.

About two months into my experience, I found myself waking up every day with feelings of anxiousness about the developing global situation and wondering how the coronavirus pandemic would present itself in Spain. We had already seen the horrible effects it had had in Italy, and I watched my friends who were studying in Rome be sent home from their programs, away from the new homes and connections they had made.

Olivia Wyles

Soon enough, Spain became the second country with the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Europe. So two-and-a-half months into my time abroad, I found myself packing my bags in utter disbelief and denial about the opportunities and experiences that I would be leaving behind. But also knowing that the Spain during a pandemic—empty streets and stay-at-home orders and travel bans—would not be the Spain I wanted to experience for an indefinite period of time.

When I arrived home I, like most of us, felt very unsure as to what my new daily life was going to look like. Before I knew it, my classes had switched to online courses, and I now had an incredible amount of extra time on my hands. I had to adjust to living in another environment yet again, without any real way to plan for the future as the uncertainty of a pandemic made it difficult to proceed in any one direction.

One thing has always been certain, though: helping others is the very best way that I can help myself. I began seeking out opportunities to reach out to others and started applying to various jobs and volunteer positions, including with the American Red Cross.

I have always admired the mission and work that the Red Cross does for their communities and the world at large. They are an inspiring organization as you can see from the innovative and impactful projects that they bring to the world, while operating almost solely from the efforts of volunteers.

The Red Cross is a great example of the fact that even though stores have shut down and many things we were all looking forward to this spring have been canceled, helping others is never canceled. And I am excited to be a part of that mission.

Although my time studying abroad was cut short, I am a confident believer that we can make something good out of everything. I am looking forward to seeing what good we can create from this experience—whether that be getting involved with a new volunteer experience or simply learning how to love those around us even deeper.

If during the COVID-19 outbreak you have also had an interest to do more to help your local community and become a Red Cross volunteer, the Northern Ohio Region will be hosting two virtual volunteer information sessions. The two sessions, April 28 5:30-6:30 p.m. and April 29 12-1 p.m., will provide you an opportunity to learn how you can make a difference by providing disaster response assistance, including shelter, food and comfort following a home fire, flood, tornado, or other emergency, installing smoke alarms, creating fire escape plans to help make homes safer, assisting at blood drives which keep our nation’s blood supply stable and providing support to our military, veterans and their families

The information sessions will take place online.

For more information and to RSVP, contact Melanie Collins at (330) 204-6615 or melanie.collins4@redcross.org.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer