Tag Archives: Ottawa County

Club Red donates time, talent and treasure

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By Eilene E. Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

Never underestimate the power of volunteers. The American Red Cross certainly doesn’t: Harnessing the willingness of volunteers and the generosity of supporters is what we’re all about.

Carol Schemmer

In Ottawa County, Club Red is a million-dollar example of that willingness and generosity. Club Red members focus on four “pillars” of service to the Red Cross: fundraising, support of the military, blood drives and education.

Carol Schemmer serves as the group’s commander, the same rank she held as a U.S. Navy nurse – although she hastens to say she doesn’t “command,” she just coordinates.

With a core of a couple of dozen women, she can call on as many as 60 “ad hoc” participants for specific events: staging fundraisers, packing “boxes from home” for service men and women at Christmas, manning blood drives, teaching citizen CPR and making homes safer with free smoke alarms.

“The Red Cross addresses so many needs,” Carol said. “For us, it comes down to ‘If we don’t do it, who will? If I don’t step up, who will?’”

Club Red began in Ottawa County when one woman, Cindy Amerine, was inspired to raise funds for the Red Cross in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Her “Sherry and Chocolates” event evolved over the years, featuring home tours, galas and, more recently, a day-long golf and social event that raised more than $50,000!

That put the group’s tally “well north of a million dollars” since its first fundraiser in 2006, said Rachel Hepner, executive director of the Western Lake Erie Chapter of the Red Cross.

Club Red volunteers staff a registration table at a recent golf outing

“I can’t tell you how fortunate we are to have the support of these wonderful women, who give so generously of their time to these important activities,” Rachel said. “But it’s not just their time and their talents: It’s the influence they have on their community on behalf of the Red Cross.”

Carol said it’s easy to muster support. “People here know the Red Cross. We’re just a conduit for the generosity of the community that supports us.

“We’re connecting the community with the cause.”

If you’d like to get involved with Club Red of Ottawa County, Rachel Hepner at Rachel.hepner@redcross.org can put you in touch with this dynamic group. For volunteer opportunities with the Red Cross elsewhere, go to redcross.org/volunteer.

As Carol said, “If we don’t do it, who will?”

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

Posted by Ryan Lang, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

Club Red women raise funds and awareness of Red Cross mission

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Ottawa County supporters stay engaged despite the pandemic

By Eilene E. Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

October 21, 2020- The women of Ottawa County Club Red have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the American Red Cross to carry out its humanitarian activities.

Just as importantly, this “sisterhood with a cause” advocates for the many lines of service of the Red Cross mission.

It started with one woman. Cindy Amerine came home from a “life-changing experience” as a volunteer in a Red Cross shelter in Baton Rouge after Hurricane Katrina. She was determined to do whatever she could for the organization. She reached out to her friends to organize Club Red and inspired a whole team of Red Cross ambassadors.

Pictured are Karen Blizzard, Lynn Majce, Peggy Rolf, Cindy Amerine, Beth Leggett and Danis Putzbach

For 13 years, beginning in 2008, the 100 women or so — mostly residents of eastern Ottawa County or “friends of friends”— have staged an annual fundraiser. “Sherry and Chocolates,” which featured a tour of lovely homes on Catawba Island, became the annual membership drive and prelude to each of 11 fun-filled galas. Every one sold out as the Club Red event was the area’s hottest ticket of the summer.

In 2019, the group switched it up and organized a golf scramble and auction. This year, because of the pandemic, they had to resort to a letter-writing campaign for a “non-scramble,” which was still a success. 

“These are women who know how to network,” said Beth Leggett, former Ottawa County Red Cross director. “When we have a need, they use their circles of influence on behalf of the Red Cross.”

“We live in an area with a very active community spirit, a very active sense of giving back,” said Club Red member Carol Schemmer. “It comes out of a need to serve. It’s what we do.”

It’s not hard to get people to donate time, talents or money to their cause. “Everyone around here knows the good work of the Red Cross. And if they don’t, we tell em!,” she said with a grin in her voice.

At the same time, the women enjoy the growing fellowship. Deb Biro, the group’s current chair, admits that current COVID limits on gatherings have cut into the group’s many activities. But, “We’re trying the best we can to keep engaged and recruit,” she said.

Members have taken Red Cross disaster preparedness and response training, taught citizen CPR, collected supplies and packed “care boxes” for armed forces posts overseas, and served as a “speakers bureau” to spread the word about Red Cross activities. Deb points out that club members still help conduct blood drives.

Because many are “snow birds” or have homes elsewhere, they carry their enthusiasm with them. “These women are far-reaching,” Beth said. They “use their influence to promote Red Cross there as well.”

If you’d like to learn more about the Red Cross and its many humanitarian activities, visit redcross.org. You’re sure to find a mission to get excited about, whether it’s as a volunteer (local or national; in person or virtually), a financial supporter, a blood donor or a Club Red-style influencer. 

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer