Tag Archives: Red Cross Volunteers

National Volunteer Week Spotlight: Photographer finds picture perfect volunteer opportunities

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By Ryan Lang, American Red Cross

The American Red Cross would not operate at the level it does without its incredible volunteers. In fact, 90% of the Red Cross mission is accomplished by volunteers, many of whom are utilizing their skills across multiple lines of service.

Nikole Goncalves, Red Cross volunteer

Nikole Goncalves is only a couple of years into her Red Cross journey and already she is exploring all the different volunteer opportunities available to her.

“A little more than two years ago I started as a Blood Services Donor Ambassador after I donated blood for the first time,” Nikole said. She saw what they did for her when she went to donate and thought, “Oh this is cool,” and she signed up.

“I enjoy putting a smile on donors’ faces when they walk in the door,” Nikole said, adding that she feels like she’s doing a lot for her community while working as a Blood Donor Ambassador.

Now, Nikole is doing even more for her community as a part of the Sound the Alarm program. “I didn’t realize the Red Cross installed smoke alarms in homes,” Nikole said after seeing photos from previous Sound the Alarm events. With her photography background (she studied photography in college) Nikole thought this was a perfect opportunity to utilize her particular skillset as a volunteer.

Photo credit: Nikole Goncalves, American Red Cross
Photo credit: Nikole Goncalves, American Red Cross

So, Nikole started volunteering as a staff photographer for Sound the Alarm events, taking photographs of other volunteers and Red Cross staffers installing smoke alarms in homes around Toledo and Lorain, where she’s originally from.

“I feel like the photos I take of these installations can really tell the story and give the look of the Red Cross mission.” And Nikole says she’s learned so much about that mission while going out for Sound the Alarm events.   

“My outgoing personality makes people feel comfortable,” Nikole said. And whether that’s a first time blood donor walking up to her table or someone she’s taking a picture of at a Sound the Alarm event, the Red Cross sure is grateful for volunteers like her.

If you’d like to join Nikole and the thousands of other volunteers utilizing your skills while carrying out the Red Cross mission, click here.

National Volunteer Week Profile: Pam Orban

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By Kathryn Dean, American Red Cross volunteer

Dedicated volunteers are a vital part of the American Red Cross workforce. That’s why recognizing volunteers like Pam Orban is an important part of National Volunteer Week.

Pam Orban, American Red Cross volunteer

Pam has been volunteering with her local Red Cross since the summer of 2019 when she signed on as a blood donor ambassador. A retired intervention specialist with a focus on psychology, Pam had originally considered returning to work when she spoke to a friend.

“I was going to go back to the hospital and work in the pediatric department, and then I thought, ‘oh man, I don’t know,’ and then a friend of mine says, ‘well why don’t you do the Red Cross? ’ And that got me started in it,” Pam reflected.

Due to her ever willingness to help out where needed, her role quickly shifted to becoming the lead scheduler for blood drives in her region, as well as a liaison for the Academic Service Learning (AS-L) program. Kathy Cline, volunteer supervisor for Northern Ohio Biomedical Services, has nothing but praise for the hard work and dedication of Pam to the organization over the years.

“Pam’s roles have been an immense support to the success of the Donor Ambassador and Academic Service programs in Northeast Ohio,” said Kathy. “The Donor Ambassador territory she helps lead is always one of the top in the country, and the AS-L program, which she has greatly supported, is a success because of Pam’s assistance.”

The AS-L program coordinates volunteer service with academic learning. Pam works with Kent State University nursing students and the Blood Donor Ambassador (BDA) program.

“Dr.(Mariann) Harding, who is a professor there, developed the program as part of the curriculum for the students. So, the students have to do one drive per semester for credit. It helps us out because it schedules (blood) drives in the southern counties that don’t normally get filled,” Pam explained. “In the BDA, the (students) welcome the donors, help them with registration, talk to them and handle the canteen (refreshment area), and of course they call me for an event. It’s a good experience for these kids.”

Pam’s supervisors admire her reliability and dedication to the Red Cross and willingness to go the extra mile. Pam herself appreciates her volunteer service as a way to keep her mind and body active in retirement.

“I love it. I feel my Red Cross volunteering plays an important role within the community,” Pam joyfully stated. “I work directly with volunteers to find and schedule blood drives. I also help team members whenever needed. I have an active part in saving lives.”

Volunteering can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience, and the Red Cross is always in need of enthusiastic volunteers. Learn more about volunteer opportunities in your area by visiting the Red Cross website.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

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

National Volunteer Week Profile: Wesley Leong

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Engaging the next generation of volunteers

By Samantha Pudelski, American Red Cross volunteer

You may know that 90% of the American Red Cross workforce is made up of volunteers. You also may be aware that there are various roles in which someone can serve the organization. Today, we want to share another aspect of the Red Cross that you may not be as familiar with—our Red Cross Clubs and our club coordinators who help support them.

Wesley Leong, American Red Cross volunteer

Red Cross Clubs support the overall mission of the Red Cross, engaging with key local, national and international issues. Any school age or college student can start a club, with the support of the Red Cross and their school. In the Northern Ohio Region, there are 12 clubs at various high schools and colleges.

Wesley Leong is one of two Red Cross club coordinators who support the region. His passion for the Red Cross Clubs and the organization as a whole is evident the minute he starts talking about it. Wesley works with new and existing clubs, acting as their primary source for any questions, advice or support they need. Typically, he meets with each club’s officers once a month to get an update on their activities. With new clubs, he meets regularly with their leadership to develop a charter and help brainstorm ideas to help establish the club and lay a solid foundation for success. He also acts as a liaison between each club’s officers and the Red Cross Northern Ohio Region, helping navigate any needs that may arise.

Clubs are required to create and hold various mission projects through the year that support the different areas of service in the Red Cross. This school year, some of the events that have taken place include blood drives, volunteering with veterans and completing CPR training.

Wesley has volunteered with the Red Cross for about four years. During the pandemic, he learned about the work done by the Red Cross for natural disasters—in response when disasters strike and how they educate communities to be prepared before they hit their area. This work inspired him to start his own club at Revere High School in Richfield. His club’s first mission project was organizing a gift drive to collect items and create care packages for veterans. The club continues to grow and support the Red Cross.

When asked what was his favorite part of being a club coordinator, he cited all of the different people he gets the opportunity to work with, from the various clubs to the employees and volunteers who support the Northern Ohio Region. He also has the opportunity to see all of the work being done by the clubs in the region and how they impact our community.

For those interested in starting their own Red Cross Club, Wesley highly recommends doing so. “It gives you volunteer and leadership experience, and you can help the community.”

You also have the opportunity to see how different areas of expertise come together to support the Red Cross, from clinical volunteers to even law. It can help individuals find different volunteer opportunities and gain experience in the areas they want to pursue for their future career.

Wesley’s final thoughts sum up his dedication to the Red Cross perfectly. “If you are interested at all in joining the Red Cross as a volunteer, don’t miss out on the opportunity. It will impact so many people around the world and in your community.”

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

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

National Volunteer Week Profile: Dave Martaus

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By Eilene E. Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

Semper Gumby: Always flexible. That’s a cherished characteristic of American Red Cross volunteers – and Dave Martaus is Gumby in person.

Dave Martaus, American Red Cross volunteer

“Dave is a key volunteer here at the North Central Ohio chapter. He’s willing to do anything that needs to be done – not just the high-profile, public-facing activities, but even the so-called ‘little things’ that keep an operation running,” said chapter Executive Director Todd James.

A retiree from Marathon Petroleum Corp. in Findlay, where he rose through a series of interesting assignments, Dave has been involved with Red Cross facilities maintenance, logistics, disaster response and support for our armed forces.

“Cheryl Wolfe (operations manager for the chapter) always has a list of things for me to do,” he said with a chuckle. Recently, he assembled a couple of new filing cabinets for the office. “Wasn’t something I’d ever done before, but it was interesting.

“When Lora Taylor (disaster program manager) came on board, we needed to account for our disaster trailers. So we brought all four trailers from around the chapter to a vacant garage here in Findlay and emptied all the contents,” he recalled. “We laid all the stuff out; it looked like a giant garage sale.”

He and his co-workers sorted the contents and repacked the trailers with the right number of cots, blankets, comfort kits and other supplies that would be needed in case of a major disaster. He said it was interesting, getting familiar with what’s involved in preparing for a big response.

Dave appreciates the variety of volunteer opportunities within the Red Cross. “I’ve thought about possibly getting involved with blood services,” he said. “I know they need people to transport blood (from blood drives to the blood processing center in Cleveland and from there to hospitals). I could do that.”

Dave Martaus is one of the more than 265,000 Red Cross volunteers that we’re saluting during Volunteer week. But their selflessness is invaluable all year round.

If you’d like to find out more about the many volunteer opportunities with the Red Cross, please click here for more information.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

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

It’s National Volunteer Week

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Volunteer Profile; Pat Crawford

By Sue Wilson, Red Cross Volunteer

What would we do without the selflessness of those who give their time by
volunteering?

In honor of National Volunteer Week (April 21-27), we are featuring profiles of some of
the dedicated volunteers who help the American Red Cross fulfill its mission in Northern
Ohio.

From left: Gail Wernick, Pat Crawford, Kelsey Jeffrey, Debra Kellar, and Kevin Brooks of the Northern Ohio Region Volunteer Services team, and Rachel Hepner, Executive Director, Western Lake Erie Chapter

Pat Crawford spends most of her time honoring and thanking others for their service.
From her home base in the Western Lake Erie Chapter, headquartered in Toledo, she
handles the five chapters in the Northern Ohio region as the Regional Volunteer
Services Recognition and Appreciation Lead. If you thought that in this crucial role in the
Volunteer Services Department, Pat seems to have volunteering in her blood, (pun
intended) you’d be right! And she passed down that heart to serve to her sons: her
eldest was Red Cross trained in water survival, first aid/CPR and was a lifeguard, and
her youngest is a law enforcement officer in Findlay. 

Like many who volunteer, Pat has a Red Cross story. 

Pat’s oldest son and his family moved to Louisiana. When Katrina hit, their home
experienced extensive damage, and they had to come back to Ohio for awhile. Pat will
be forever grateful for the tremendous support the family received from the Red Cross.
Beyond that, Pat appreciates what the Red Cross does for our military.

“I have many family members and friends that were and still are in the military. I know
what the Red Cross does to help our servicemen and women and their families,” she
said. 

Pat’s volunteer experience started many years ago. She was a front desk receptionist
and a TeleCare call receiver. She was later “hired” by AmeriCorps to serve a year at the
Red Cross, but stayed on for four years, starting first in the Disaster Services office and
then moving to other areas like the Pillowcase Project and educational classes. After
her last AmeriCorps year, she retired and became a full-time volunteer for the Red
Cross. 

Volunteers Pat Crawford and Gareth Loboschefski catch up at a volunteer recognition event

What Pat loves most about her job as the Volunteer Services Recognition and
Appreciation Lead is expressing gratitude for the hard work of the many volunteers
throughout the regions’ five chapters.

“I feel it is very important to let volunteers know that they are appreciated and supported
for what they do,“ Pat said. “I feel really good when a volunteer wins a gift card or
receives a Red Cross item and they take the time to tell you how much they appreciate
it.”

While it may be the little things that Pat finds rewarding, she has one story in particular
that exemplifies the powerful life-changing and lifesaving impact volunteering can make.

One day, way back when she worked the phones, she received a call from a woman
who could not get in touch with one of her older female clients. “We called the police
and fire to do a wellness check on this person, because her daughter, who lived out of
town, hadn’t spoken to her since Saturday, and it was now Monday,” Pat shared. 

Pat called emergency responders who broke into the house and found the woman
unresponsive, but thankfully alive. When Pat went to visit the client in the hospital, the
grateful woman said, “you saved my life” — a comment she still gets goosebumps
about.

One of Pat’s dreams, and something she worked over two years to accomplish was to
get the Nurses Pin awarded at the Recognition and Appreciation Events. That dream
came true for Pat in 2023 and will continue every year. “They are special pins that have
numbers that are assigned to the volunteer nurse, and records of these pins are kept in
the archives in Washington, D.C.,” said Pat.

Pat Crawford, who spends much of her time honoring others for their volunteer work, is
a true example herself of what it means to be a Red Cross volunteer.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Helping all family members, human and pet, after a disaster

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By Tim Poe, American Red Cross volunteer

“We found a cat!” I was descending a stairwell, having spent the day assisting those impacted by a multi-family fire, when a firefighter and police officer rushed in. They had found someone’s pet, soot-covered, but alive. Reaching out to the family so they could contact the fire department about their pet is among my favorite American Red Cross experiences. I’ve also seen how much animal family members mean during times of crisis, whether helping recover from tragedy or mourning their loss.

Over the past year, the Red Cross Northern Ohio Region has improved its ability to ensure pets are included when assisting families after a disaster. Megan Sylvester, Regional Recovery Manager for the Red Cross, has led this initiative.

Megan Sylvester, Regional Recovery Manager for the Red Cross

Megan, who has a zoology degree and extensive experience caring for and working with animals–including having “two rescue pitties and a shepherd” of her own–realized the need for improved pet care after responding to a home fire in which three cats died. When asked what the family could do with the bodies, she did not have an immediate answer. She knew pets are important family members that bring joy and comfort to our lives, and that the issue had to be addressed.

The efforts are having tremendous results. In January alone, the Northern Ohio Disaster
Assistance Team (DAT) responded to 121 events, aided 454 people (330 adults and 124 children) and 226 household pets, including seven emotional support and three service animals. Most were dogs and cats, but there were also small mammals, lizards, and a bird.

Building partnerships has been key in this effort. These include Neighborhood Pets Outreach & Resource Center, which helps people of all income levels care for their pets, Berea ARF, a no-time-limit animal rescue, and Faithful Companion, which provides service after a pet has died.

Megan Sylvester, with the Central California Animal Disaster Team

These partners help ensure families recovering from a disaster have resources for pet food, bedding and, when needed, services to take care of their pet’s remains.

In addition to her local efforts, Megan said that nationally, the Red Cross now has a household pet program. Sadly, people have perished in large disasters because they did not want to leave their pets behind. There were no pet shelters, so they did not evacuate. The national household pet program is meant to address this issue.

Megan helped the national effort while aiding families impacted by California floods, where she saw how greatly pets helped those recovering from disaster as well as Red Cross members.

Working as a pet liaison, she helped coordinate Red Cross efforts with those of humane
societies, the ASPCA, animal control and shelter organizations, veterinarians, a pet groomer, and therapy dogs (pet visitation is also an important part of the Red Cross’s Services to the Armed Forces).

“Walking a dog brings a little bit of normalcy,” Megan said. “helping both human and animal.” She also spoke of a young girl who was comforted by keeping her pet fish nearby. Overall, the pets brought, “A little sunshine during rainy days.”

Tips on including pets in your disaster preparedness plans are available here. The Red Cross also offers an online Cat & Dog First Aid training course and a pet first aid app.

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Protecting what matters most in Northern Ohio

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October 8 – 14 is National Fire Prevention Week

By Doug Bardwell, American Red Cross volunteer

Unless you live near a fire station, you might be surprised by how many fires occur in
Northern Ohio. Where we live in Strongsville, you can usually detect that single
siren driving down Royalton Road as an EMS ambulance. But, if you hear multiple
sirens and the sound of large diesel engines, you know the entire squad is responding
to yet another fire – and they are usually home fires.

The Red Cross works with local fire departments to help prevent home fires

The most common home fires are caused by cooking. Every year, firefighters respond
to more than 170,000 kitchen fires, causing hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries
and more than $1 billion in damages each year.

Since 2015, would you believe the American Red Cross in Northern Ohio has
responded to more than 11,000 home fires, and assisted nearly 17,000 families?
Despite insurance or Red Cross financial assistance, think of the inconvenience of
being displaced for weeks or months before your home is habitable again after a fire.

Damage caused by fire to a home in East Cleveland in 2022

There’s a better way

Following these simple tips, you and your family can help prevent kitchen fires:

  1. Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.
  2. Keep anything that can catch fire — potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils,
    paper or plastic bags, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your
    stove, oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.
  3. Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make
    sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.
  4. Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, near
    sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms if you sleep with doors closed. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year if your smoke alarm requires it.
  5. Tap here for another half dozen sensible tips to avoid kitchen fires.
A Red Cross volunteer installs a smoke alarm in a home in Cleveland, with guidance from a firefighter

Smoke alarms are crucial in saving lives

The Northern Ohio region of Red Cross has been installing free smoke alarms for those who need them since 1992. To date, more than 200,000 alarms have been
installed.

Nationally, the Red Cross and partners, through the Home Fire Campaign, have installed 2.6 million alarms in more than 1.1 million households since 2014.

Do they really make that much difference?

Verifiably – yes, they do. As of August 31, 1,928 lives nationwide were documented as
saved due to work done by the Red Cross and partners through the Home Fire
Campaign.

For five more ways you can help the Red Cross continue this valuable practice in Northern Ohio communities, tap here.

If you’d like trained Red Cross volunteers to offer you valuable home fire safety
information to help YOU prevent a fire in your home – and/or to install smoke alarms in
your home, tap here.

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

An apprehensive volunteer turned regular blood donor: How Ashley Hopkins discovered just how special her blood is

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By Ryan Lang, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

More than 20 years ago, if you’d asked Ashley Hopkins about donating blood, you may have gotten a cringe coupled with a shake of the head. While she’d grown up around blood donors and blood drives (her father was a firefighter, now fire captain), donating herself was never really an option.

Ashley Hopkins, American Red Cross board member, volunteer and blood donor

“Back then I had a crazy fear of not even needles, but needles taking blood out — it just freaked me out so I never did it,” Ashley said. 

So how did someone with a healthy fear of the blood donation process wind up a volunteer for the American Red Cross Blood Services and a regular donor? 

“I went to volunteermatch.org and put in my zip code, and (blood services) came up as a flexible option with weekend availability.” So despite Ashley’s apprehensions, it was a perfect match, and as she’d soon find out, even more perfect than she’d initially thought. 

Ashley started out working weekend blood drives. “I did a background check and then shadowed someone for a couple of blood drives and then I was on my own,” she said, noting that back in 2012 things were “a little bit different.” 

At one of those blood drives at the Canfield fair (Ashley’s favorite blood drive), she was working a few days in a row with one specific blood rep who asked her why she’d never donated before.

“I don’t know, it just seemed kinda scary,” Ashley replied. But that same day she decided to roll up her sleeve and donate — on the bus at the fair, which Ashley highly recommends. “It is heaven,” she advocated. 

When you donate blood, the Red Cross tests your blood. And that’s when Ashley found out how special hers was. “I did not know that they were testing for a specific allele (genetic information present in your DNA) in your blood that is an antibody.” After donating Ashley got an email saying that her blood was CMV negative, which is quite rare. 

Red Cross board member and volunteer Lou Joseph with Ashley Hopkins

From RedCross.org: CMV is generally harmless to adults but can be fatal to babies. For this reason, babies needing transfusions as part of their medical care should only receive blood from donors who have not been exposed to CMV (CMV negative).

And being O-Positive, Ashley’s blood is even more special, as she’s compatible with roughly 80 percent of people who need blood! Even more of a reason for her to donate regularly — every 56 days, if she can. 

When asked what she’d say to someone who is apprehensive about donating for the first time, especially someone who is nervous or scared, Ashley simply said, “Volunteer at a blood drive!” She said seeing it happen and helping with the process helped her overcome her fear of not just needles, but the whole process.

To find a blood drive near you, CLICK HERE. To learn about volunteer opportunities with the Red Cross, CLICK HERE.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

Using her spare time to give back to our community

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By Sam Pudelski, American Red Cross volunteer

When Jenn Mayfield found herself with some extra time and a need to complete community service to graduate with her degree in IT, she immediately thought of the American Red Cross. “I know the Red Cross and the reputation of blood services and how [they help] so many people with blood products,” she said.

A little over a year ago, she began volunteering with the Red Cross Northern Ohio Region as a volunteer candidate screener. In this role, screeners speak with people who have signed up to volunteer with the Red Cross to help place them in a role that not only fits the candidate’s interests and skills, but also is a good fit within the organization. It also allows her to volunteer after work in the evenings and on weekends since it is a remote position. Jenn enjoys the role because she loves to volunteer and connect with people. “I know that every time I talk with someone on the phone or answer someone’s question, I feel like I’m contributing in a positive way.”

In addition to her role as a volunteer candidate screener, she decided to start a second role with Red Cross headquarters in the department of public inquiry in July 2022. Not only did it allow her to further her passion for volunteering, but she also learned more about the services the Red Cross provides internationally and here at home. With the public inquiry team, Jenn helps answer questions, inquiries, complaints and comments from the public. Since this role also is remote, she fits in volunteering as her schedule allows.

Jenn looks at her opportunity to volunteer as a way to do something rewarding with some of her free time. In addition to her two permanent volunteer roles, she checks the Red Cross Volunteer Connection portal for other opportunities to give back. In fact, she recently volunteered at the Dominion Preparedness Day on April 1st. It was her first volunteer event, and she brought her fiancée as well. In addition to volunteering, she gives back by donating blood whenever she can.  Jenn truly believes that every little bit can help our communities, “even an hour a day or a couple hours a week can make a big impact.”

To all of those who are thinking of the Red Cross, Jenn can’t recommend it enough. As a part of the volunteer services team, she knows firsthand there are tons of different roles across the system that can fit for various interests and skills. In Northern Ohio, there are plenty of opportunities that allow individuals to volunteer when it fits their schedule, offering both in person or remote roles. “Honestly, there’s something for everybody. There’s a volunteer role for everyone.” To learn more about current volunteer opportunities in Northern Ohio, visit us here.

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

This volunteer donates time, talent and treasure

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By Chris Chmura, American Red Cross volunteer

The American Red Cross celebrates the work and support of the hundreds of thousands of volunteers during National Volunteer Week. Red Cross volunteers fulfill many roles from coordinating blood drives, to responding to home fires in the middle of the night, to serving as board members and many more.

Betsy Sterling, left, and Kim Kroh

Betsy Sterling volunteers with the Red Cross of Heartland, Stark and Muskingum Lakes. Betsy met chapter Executive Director Kim Kroh years ago at a charity event called Day of Caring and they have supported each other ever since. 

Betsy is a Tiffany Circle member, current board chair (past 9 years), an every 56-day blood donor, hosts regular blood drives at her company, and a former BASH co-chair (two years in a row).  BASH is an annual fundraiser for the chapter which raised $80,000 in 2022.  Monies raised by this event are used to support the chapter’s work in the local community:

  • Installing free, life-saving smoke alarms
  • Saving lives through health and safety training in CPR/First id/AED & Aquatics Training
  • Providing shelter, clothing, food, comfort & hope to families devastated by home fires
  • Supporting U.S. service men and women during an emergency
  • Supplying critical blood, platelets, and plasma to patients in area hospitals

In 2023, the chapter is combining the BASH fund raiser with the annual Festival of Trees to create a unique event!  https://www.redcross.org/local/ohio/northern-ohio/about-us/news-and-events/events/festival-of-trees.html  

The Tiffany Circle is a close group of people that donates their own personal funds to support the Red Cross.   

Betsy and her family are true believers in giving back to their community.  She is a third-generation member of the Sterling family Beaver Excavating Company.  Community service has played a key role in shaping the long history of community involvement that Beaver Excavating’s ownership and employees have created. Contributions not only include personal time and money, but also have included many donations of construction services, labor, and materials.  

Nationally, the Red Cross has more than 200,000 volunteers, which makes up more than 90 percent of the workforce.  The Heartland, Stark and Muskingum Lakes Chapter is thankful to have humble volunteers like Betsy Sterling.  Her time is extremely valuable because she works in her family business, takes time to volunteer for several charities, and perhaps most importantly is a mom.  

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer