Tag Archives: Karen Conklin

Cherished volunteer is taking her talents to Toledo

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Lake to River Chapter says goodbye to Tab Alden

August 16, 2019- The first moon landing was still a year away when Tab Alden first volunteered for the American Red Cross.  She has been a mainstay in the Lake to River Chapter ever since, screening prospective volunteers when they first come through the door of the Youngstown office, registering guests at the annual Acts of Courage awards, and visiting hospitalized veterans at the region’s VA facilities are among the many tasks she has tackled in the past 51 years.

Tab doesn’t plan to stop volunteering for the Red Cross anytime soon.  But she does plan to do it from a different location.

Tab is moving back to Toledo.

“It’s important to be with family, and I have a brother and nieces and nephews back in Toledo.  I’m moving back to be with them.”

The staff of the Lake to River Chapter surprised Tab with a going away party on Thursday, August 15. She reminisced about the more than half a century she has spent as a Red Cross volunteer.

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“It may be hard to believe, but I wasn’t very outspoken back then,” she said.  “The Red Cross helped bring me out of my shell.”

Karen Conklin, the executive director of the Lake to River Chapter, said she’s known Tab longer than almost anyone else. “She’s been with me so long, I can’t imagine what it will be like without her.”

She said Tab will always have her Red Cross family in the Lake to River Chapter.  “We’re going to miss her.  We’ve been so blessed to have her here for so long.”

See more photos from Tab’s going away party in our Flickr album.

Winner winner, chicken dinner – thousands of them!

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By Karen Conklin, Executive Director, Lake to River Chapter

Conklin, Karen

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.

Feel the Heat, 2015

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Working With the Military on a Disaster Drill

The firefighting abilities of the 910th Airlift Wing Fire Department were on full display at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station on Thursday, October 22, 2015, as were the services provided by the American Red Cross during times of disaster.

Video credit: Cal Pusateri/American Red Cross Volunteer

The second annual “Feel the Heat” exercise involved a simulated airplane crash, to demonstrate the response of firefighters and Red Cross staff and volunteers.  The drill also showcased how the Red Cross cooperates with the military to respond to the needs of family members and others.

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Photo credit/Jim McIntyre, American Red Cross

As flames shot from the hull of the simulated wreckage, members of the 910th Civil Engineer Fire Department raced to the scene, fought the fire and searched for “survivors.”  It is those survivors and their loved ones who the Red Cross serves in the event of an aviation disaster.  The American Red Cross is responsible for tracking victims and their families, and providing them with counselling and support.  Staff members and volunteers would be activated to set-up necessary shelters, coordinate family and childcare facilities, arrange suitable non-denominational services, and make referrals to mental health professionals and support groups.

The American Red Cross responds to more than 70,000 disasters every year, big and small.  Most are home fires.  Victims are given emergency financial assistance, food, shelter, clothing and assistance with medicines, eyeglasses, even dentures they may have lost in a disaster.

It takes the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors to help the victims of disasters.  You can learn more about volunteering, and make a donation at redcross.org, or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.  You can also text the words “Red Cross” to 90999 to make a $10.00 donation.

The American Red Cross also serves members of the military and their families through the Service to Armed Forces program.  Learn more about the ways in which the Red Cross is committed to helping the U. S. Military here.