By Doug Bardwell, American Red Cross volunteer
Don’t look outside; but trust me — summer is coming. We may just skip spring, but summer is coming. And, what do your children or grandchildren have planned for their school vacation? Red Cross has a suggestion.
Since many teenagers are required to complete a certain number of service hours, there’s a way they can do that and gain some life skills at the same time. Have them consider the American Red Cross Summer Youth Corps program where youth will serve as Donor Ambassadors at our blood drives.
Open to teens and young adults from 14 to 24, it’s easy to get involved. Start by contacting Melanie Collins at melanie.collins4@redcross.org or 330-204-6615. She’ll enroll them in one of the two remaining mandatory training sessions:
- Saturday, May 5, 2018 9:30 am – 11:00 am
- Tuesday, June 12, 2018 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
After training, the program suggests a minimum of 10 shifts between June 1st and August 31st; but hopefully, they’ll enjoy it so much they’ll want to sign up for more.
What to expect?
The program focuses on Biomedical Services and helping with the blood drives throughout Northern Ohio, usually held Monday through Friday. You can select the locations and times that are most convenient. Heck, where else can you find a summer job that doesn’t tie up all your weekends?
At the drive location, there are multiple ways to help the medical staff, such as:
- Welcoming, registering and escorting donors as they arrive.
- Explaining the donation paperwork process.
- Making reminder calls, scheduling or rescheduling donor appointments and doing follow up.
- Recognizing donors for their contribution and socializing in the hospitality area.
The goal is to make the entire visit pleasant for the donors, ensuring that they’ll want to donate again in the future.
In return, volunteers will develop customer service skills transferable to any industry. With a Red Cross name badge, they’ll be respected as a member of America’s leading blood donation organization. They’ll also receive a letter of reference for their resume/portfolio. Isn’t that a better deal than a discount on greasy burgers?
Contact Melanie Collins for more details: melanie.collins4@redcross.org or 330-204-6615.
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