Tag Archives: Volunteers

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Posted on by
Reply

By Gail Wernick, Regional Volunteer Services Officer, American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

As I begin my 15th year with the American Red Cross, I would like to share a message of appreciation to the truly special Red Cross team and volunteers with whom I have had the privilege of working to deliver our mission.

This fall I deployed for the first time in-person to be a part of the Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief Operation in Asheville, North Carolina. On deployment, I joined a team of dedicated Red Crossers to share volunteer opportunities with surrounding communities.  Due to intermittent internet availability, the team often connected with new volunteers personally to complete volunteer intake to begin volunteering as soon as possible! The Disaster Event Based and Local Community Volunteer teams supported volunteer scheduling, with more than 200 calls/texts to coordinate and prepare for the volunteers’ engagement. The team created volunteer recognition messaging and unique ways to say THANK YOU!  Each day, some more than 12 hours, was filled with new experiences, learning quickly, and adjusting to the evolving needs of the disaster operation. I will always remember my Red Cross deployment experience and the kind people I met, who inspired me and helped make a meaningful difference each day.

Thank you for delivering service in the community to help your neighbors when needed most. Your efforts are greatly appreciated, and we are most grateful for your service as a Red Cross Disaster volunteer.

Featured in the photo above, Red Cross volunteer deployment team members, disaster event based and local community volunteers from Asheville, North Carolina.

Glen McCandless, a disaster event based volunteer, featured on the far right in the photo above, volunteered at the AG Center every day for two weeks consecutively. He said, “Volunteering at the shelter and helping others in the midst of so much devastation is like salve for the soul.”

The Red Cross shelter supervisors we met extended their sincere appreciation for the dedicated disaster volunteers from the local community who tirelessly volunteered, many whose own lives and homes have been impacted by the disaster, to prepare and serve meals and offer support. Whether a volunteer gave two hours or several days of their time to help, we are grateful to them for helping deliver the Red Cross mission! 

More than 1,400 Disaster Event Based Volunteers joined the Red Cross in North & South Carolina this October and November, engaging in more than 640 volunteer commitments to provide comfort, care and hope by assembling and distributing emergency supplies, preparing and serving meals, setting up and cleaning up and supporting residents impacted by Hurricane Helene. 

The Red Cross is here to help make your volunteer experience the best it can be! Please continue to volunteer with us and encourage your friends and family to join you. Thank you for exploring and sharing our most-needed ongoing volunteer opportunities at www.redcross.org/volunteer.  We are working hard to prepare for, respond to and help communities recover from disaster. Become a part of the Red Cross Disaster Action Team at www.redcross.org/dat.

Red Cross Clubs prepare our leaders of tomorrow

Posted on by

Subscribe to continue reading

Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.

Northern Ohio Red Crossers deliver relief where hurricane survivors need it

Posted on by
Reply

Husband and wife team-up to respond to storms far from home

By EILENE E. GUY, American Red Cross volunteer

Jeff and Laura Mann were on what you would call a “mission of mercy” when I reached them by phone, headed for the hospital in flood-ravaged Asheville, N.C., to pick up specialized medical equipment for a baby in an American Red Cross shelter in Burnsville, another hour away.

Jeff Mann, inside the Red Cross disaster vehicle, hands supplies to wife Laura in Burnsville, North Carolina

The couple are what the Red Cross calls a “fulfillment team.” Jeff says they’re “a store on wheels.”

They deliver consumables like toilet tissue, paper towels and baby formula as well as essentials like pillows, blankets, and special need items to shelters in northwestern North Carolina, where the number of storm refugees continued to grow.

When we talked, a week after Hurricane Helene swept from the Gulf to the East Coast, the Manns were still seeing helicopters – some ferrying evacuees to shelters and others airlifting food and water to isolated communities.

Jeff, a retired YMCA executive director, is a veteran disaster responder. “This is my 15th, 16th (response) – I don’t know,” he told me with a chuckle. He’s served in evacuation shelters, warehouses, supply units. “I’m quite a rover… wherever I’m needed.”

Jeff Mann was interviewed by news reporters at the Akron Canton Airport before his deployment to Guam in response to Typhoon Mawar 2023

Laura, on the other hand, is on her first deployment. She’s been on the board of the Heartland, Stark, Muskingum Lakes chapter of the Red Cross for years and taken lots of disaster response training. But this is the first time her work as a CPA has allowed her to take off for two weeks.

She’s excited to be helping bring relief to a region devastated by hurricane winds and unprecedented flooding. It’s a plus that she’s working with her husband.

“Laura and I are bonding,” Jeff offered. “It’s our 39th anniversary this week,” Laura explained. “This is a good marriage test.” They both laughed comfortably.

The couple, who call Louisville, Ohio, in Stark County home, are finding conditions in mountainous North Carolina challenging. Many roads, even if passable, are one lane where downed trees have been hacked back just enough so Jeff can squeeze his box truck through. Cell phone service and GPS are spotty.

“We were headed for the hospital in Asheville the first time and GPS died at the edge of town,” Laura recalled. “There were no streetlights and we didn’t have a clue. We just had to figure it out.”

Laura Mann at a Red Cross warehouse

A typical day has them at a Red Cross warehouse in Greenville, S.C., at 7 in the morning to load up, with a list of special orders to be picked up at local big-box stores. Then they head north to Asheville and on to shelters as far as Boone, another two hours away.

“We go up one side of the (Blue Ridge) mountains and back down the other,” Laura said. They were still in the truck, on the way back to Greenville, when we chatted at 9 o’clock in the evening last week.   

The Manns are among the more than 2,000 trained Red Cross disaster responders providing shelter, food, emotional support, replacement medical devices and prescriptions, and other urgent needs to storm victims across five states. At the same time, some 200 Red Cross reunification staff have fielded thousands of requests for help locating loved ones.

Red Crossers and our partners have given out nearly 480,000 meals and snacks in shelters and from mobile feeding trucks. With partner organizations, they’ve provided more than 35,000 overnight stays.

None of this disaster response, which will go on for months as the Red Cross helps individuals and families plan the next steps in their recovery, would be possible without the generosity of the American people. Please consider making a financial donation by going to redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.

If you’d like to get trained and become part of the hands-on relief effort, as Jeff and Laura Mann are doing, visit NEOvolunteer@redcross.org or call 216-431-3328 to learn about all the different roles that might interest you.

Back in good ol’ 1955

Posted on by
Reply

By Mary Falconer-Williams, American Red Cross volunteer

Volunteer Bill Dreyer first spotted the poster announcing that the American Red Cross would be hosting a blood drive on the Kent State University campus in 1955. Bill attended the drive, donated a pint, and from that point on was a firm believer in the power of donating blood, and gave every chance he could.

Bill Dreyer, Red Cross volunteer

“I know that my donations mean so much to those individuals who are fighting an illness or have been in an accident,” Bill states. Individuals like his mother, who received several pints in 1999.

A humanitarian at heart, Bill joined the Stow-Munroe Falls Lions Club in the fall of 2000 and shortly afterward began volunteering with the Red Cross helping in the refreshment area (canteen), at registration, and as a bag labeler. And in 2010 his passions combined when the Lions Club and Holy Family Catholic Church in Stow hosted a blood drive. And Bill has been instrumental in growing the impact of that first drive. The co-sponsored event has hosted drives six times a year, ever since!

65 pints of lifesaving blood were collected at the drive held on September 3, 2024.

Though he is now unable to donate blood due to medical reasons, Bill proudly notes that he has donated 278 pints of blood throughout his life.

“It’s really not hard, and the staff are gentle. Come in and see us, we’ll show you around,” Bill invites those individuals who haven’t ever donated or haven’t in a while. To find a drive near you, go to redcrossblood.org and tap “find a drive.”

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Non-stop disasters – non-stop responses

Posted on by
Reply

Regional Red Cross executive reflects on most recent deployment

By Todd James, Executive Director, American Red Cross of North Central Ohio

Todd James in Iowa, June, 2024

I recently returned from a disaster relief operation in southwest Iowa, an area devastated by massive flooding in June. You’re probably trying to remember if you had heard about flooding in Iowa. You probably did, it was big news for a few days. But as is always the case, something else happened and the news moved on to cover the story of the day. Well, the cameras and reporters may have moved on, but for the people of Siouxland, as they call the region, moving on will be a long, hard process. I am so proud of the American Red Cross responders who left their own homes, jobs and families to rush into the devastation to offer shelter, comfort and hope, and I am honored that I had the opportunity to serve with them.

A month after the flood waters receded, with the help of the Red Cross, the community was able to focus on long-term recovery. What does that look like? It’s different for every family but all will need the help of many partners, non-profits, governmental agencies and the business community, working together. Our Red Cross long-term recovery team will continue to collaborate with these partners, helping and guiding them on how to come together to best serve those on the road to recovery.

The Red Cross is responding to nearly twice as many large disasters as we did a decade ago to help families and communities struggling with more frequent and intense disasters. In 2023 alone, the U.S. experienced an all-time high of 28 billion-dollar plus disasters that ravaged communities and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee from severe storms, floods and wildfires.

This was my 41st disaster deployment and I have seen first-hand how disasters are happening more frequently and causing more damage. There is no more down time between big disasters, time when our responders can catch their breath, come home and focus on the great work the Red Cross is doing in their community. Now we are constantly responding to these large-scale disasters, as well as the thousands of home fires, storms and other disasters that happen every day but don’t make the headlines.

To equitably meet the growing and unique needs of disaster-affected families and communities, the Red Cross is enhancing our large-scale disaster response and recovery services, expanding financial assistance, strengthening local partner networks, and growing our disaster workforce. This effort includes fortifying the critical infrastructure and technology that enables 24/7 response to disasters across the country.

The need to help during disasters has never been greater. Please, join us to provide
relief and hope when it matters most. Help people affected by disasters big and small,
including climate-driven crises, by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief at
redcross.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). Our volunteers are at the heart of our mission and represent 90% of our workforce. Click here to sign up for opportunities to help. To help make sure your family and community are ready for a disaster before it happens, click here.

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

One year after Maui wildfires, remembering the importance of help and hope

Posted on by
Reply

By Tim Poe, American Red Cross volunteer

Today, August 8th marks the one-year anniversary of the Maui wildfires, the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century. Most of the town of Lahaina was devastated. 3,710 homes were destroyed or made unlivable, and the confirmed death toll is now 102. As always, the American Red Cross quickly responded to the disaster and worked with partner organizations to bring much needed assistance.

Several workers from the Northern Ohio Region joined the disaster relief operation on Maui, including Regional CEO Mike Parks, Regional Disaster Officer Emily Probst, Disaster Program Manager Tim Reichel, and Regional Communications Director Jim McIntyre. Several regional volunteers deployed as well, including IT specialist Randy Liang and Medina-based volunteer Monica Bunner.

Photos, from top left: Ohio Representative Dave Joyce and Mike Parks, Emily Probst, Tim Reichel, Jim McIntyre and Monica Bunner

For the anniversary, I spoke with Monica, who deployed to Maui for three weeks in late August and early September 2023, serving in the Disaster Recovery Operation headquarters as a Community Engagement and Partnership Manager.

Since she began volunteering with the Red Cross in 2017, Monica has deployed to several national disasters and serves as a disaster responder among other roles here in Ohio. Even with such experience, she had seen nothing quite like the Maui wildfires’ aftermath.

Randy Liang and Monica Bunner

Seeing the area following the disaster was a bittersweet experience for Monica. She had been to Maui several times before, mostly for relaxation, and knew the community. “I felt I really needed to be there to help,” she said.

And help was desperately needed. Monica said that the level of devastation was so widespread, and that the disaster unfolded with such speed that many of those affected were dazed, shocked, confused, and did not know how to proceed.

There was an immediate need for Monica to put her experience and organizational skills to work. Hawaii-based Red Cross personnel worked closely with those deployed from across the U.S., and the Red Cross coordinated with partner relief organizations and community representatives.

Monica said engaging and working with community leaders was critical, as Maui’s population is exceptionally diverse. (Maui County states its cultural heritages include Hawaiian, Japanese, Caucasian, Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Tongan, Samoan, and others.) As some groups were unfamiliar with Red Cross services and the commitment to help everyone following a disaster, Monica said ensuring all those impacted knew they had somewhere to turn for help was important, and she made sure to take time for everyone.

Each day, Monica had a stark reminder of the devastation. The shelter and headquarters were on opposite sides of Lahaina, and with each commute she saw the fire’s remnants and the growing memorials to the many lost lives.

And each day, Monica also saw the importance of Red Cross services. She and other Red Cross personnel took part in helping people find food, shelter, and supplies, locate loved ones, get critical information, receive financial assistance, connect with partner organizations, and find friendly, helpful faces and smiles. And most importantly, through all this, they helped people find hope. Monica said there is, “Definitely hope. Always hope.”

Watch this video on the one-year anniversary of the Red Cross response to the Maui Wildfires:

Finally, disasters occur each day, including Tropical Storm Debby, the current Park Fire, and home fires. Please consider volunteering or supporting the Red Cross.

Editor’s note: Hurricane Debby’s torrential rains are exacerbating the national blood shortage announced by the Red Cross on Monday.

Debby’s devastating flooding, power outages and travel hazards have forced the cancellation of blood drives in the Southeast, causing hundreds of lifesaving blood products to go uncollected when more donations are so desperately needed.

Tuesday’s tornadoes in Northeast Ohio also resulted in cancelled blood drives on Wednesday, resulting in about 130 donations going uncollected.

Even as we work to overcome this blood shortage, the Red Cross is providing food, shelter and comfort to communities affected by the hurricane in the Southeast and wildfires in the West. And disaster workers in Northeast Ohio continue responding to requests for assistance from residents whose homes suffered structural damage.

People urgently need aid now. You can help by making an appointment to give blood or platelets or financial donation by visiting redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800- 733-2767).

Posted by Ryan Lang, American Red Cross volunteer

As extreme weather events increase, so does the need for Red Cross services and volunteers

Posted on by
Reply

2024 is predicted to be an extremely active year

By Tim Poe, American Red Cross Volunteer

Polyrhythms of raindrops drum at the window, accented by rolling bellows of thunder, a severe late May storm approaches. Lights flicker. I am relieved the roof, damaged weeks ago, has finally been repaired. Yet as a Northern Ohio resident I am fortunate, as the region is less prone to natural disasters. Earlier, I watched reports from the latest of this spring’s tornado outbreaks. Amidst the catastrophic scenes, as always, American Red Cross volunteers and staff members are there, ensuring those impacted have food, shelter, care, comfort, and resources to begin recovering.

March 30, 2023. Amory, Mississippi. Red Crosser Eric Besson examines damage to a home on Thursday in Amory, Miss. As many as 2,000 structures across Mississippi received major damage or were destroyed by tornadoes on March 24. More than 380 trained Red Cross disaster workers are on the ground in Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama, as the nonprofit organization works with partners to make sure everyone has a safe place to stay, meals, emotional support and comfort in the aftermath of deadly tornadoes on March 24. Photo by Scott Dalton/American Red Cross

As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe–and 2024 is predicted to be an exceptionally active year–the need for Red Cross services is increasing. Already, the Red Cross responds to almost twice as many large disasters than it did a decade ago, and in just the last 10 months, 125 volunteers from Northern Ohio have assisted residents affected by hurricanes and wildfires across the U.S. Four Northern Ohio volunteers are currently deployed to Texas and Iowa.

As eventful as 2023 was, with weather-related disasters forcing an estimated 2.5 million people from their homes, one-third of them for longer than a month, according to the New York Times, 2024 may be even more severe.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that, as of May 8, 2024, the US has had seven confirmed weather/climate disaster events, each with losses over $1 billion, resulting in the deaths of 70 people. The NOAA also states there were 384 preliminary tornado reports in April, more than double the 1991-2020 average and the second highest April count on record.

March 31, 2023. Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Red Crosser Yolanda Gainwell visits with Karebya Christmas on Friday outside Christmas’ heavily damaged home in Rolling Fork, Miss. Christmas was home with her three children – ranging in age from 2 to 11 years old – when the tornado arrived. Just like Christmas’ grandmother taught her, she brought the family into the bathtub and put a pillow on top of them. No one was injured, but her home suffered major damages, disrupting their lives, as well as the self-owned business she ran from the home. On Friday, Christmas received help at a drive-through distribution center, where the Red Cross and partners distributed rakes, shovels, totes, clean-up kits, flashlights, batteries and more. Displaced, Christmas is staying at a hotel in Ridgeland, Miss. until at least Monday. As she finished talking with Gainwell, Christmas thanked her for coming to talk with her at her home, but with the damage rendering it uninhabitable, she hesitated to call it a home. “I don’t know what to call it – my blessing in disguise, maybe,” she said. Photo by Scott Dalton/American Red Cross

As summer approaches, the likelihood of an extremely active hurricane season and above-average wildfire season looms. Jim McIntyre, Regional Communications Director for the American Red Cross, Northern Ohio Region, recently conducted an interview with meteorologist Trent Magill of WEWS News 5. Jim and Trent discussed recent events, the need for planning and Red Cross services, and the outlook for the hurricane and severe storm season. Trent states, “everything we’re seeing shows above average intensity,” and that “it’s going to be a rough season.” Continuing, Trent says “Everyone should have a plan.”

Hopefully, you are wondering what you can do. For one, make sure you are prepared and have a plan. For another, please consider volunteering with the Red Cross. Volunteers account for 90% of the Red Cross workforce and represent a wide array of cultures, backgrounds, ages, gender identities, lifestyles, and beliefs, just like those we serve. Everyone is welcome, and free online training is provided.

April 9, 2023. Little Rock, Arkansas. William Burkey, a member of the Red Cross disaster mental health team, and Jamie Harms, a member of the disaster health services team, work together to bring comfort and hope to Paula Rocha, whose home was damaged by a tornado that struck Little Rock, Arkansas, and several nearby towns. Photo by Kevin Suttlehan/American Red Cross

Three key positions are especially needed: Disaster Action Team volunteers, who help families in need following a disaster; Shelter Services volunteers, who support day-to-day activities in an emergency shelter; and Disaster Health or Mental Health Services volunteers, who use their professional skills as licensed healthcare providers to assist those impacted by a disaster. Please consider joining, as I can personally attest you will work alongside outstanding people and the see difference Red Cross services provide.

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

    Four generations dedicated to serving our country and community

    Posted on by
    Reply

    Sons follow in mom’s footsteps

    By Samantha Pudelski, American Red Cross volunteer

    Did you know that May is National Military Appreciation Month and that the American Red Cross has been serving the military for more than 140 years? The Red Cross works with military and veteran families through its Service to the Armed Forces program, including supporting military families during deployments and emergencies, providing home comforts and critical services on military bases and assisting veterans after their service ends.

    Alaina Foster, US Air Force

    At the head of the Northern Ohio Region’s Service to the Armed Forces and International Services is Regional Program Director Dr. Alaina Foster. An Air Force veteran who is part of a four-generation family of U.S. service members, she understands the importance of serving those who serve our country. Her grandfather, father and husband all served in the Army, and two of her sons followed in her footsteps to serve in the Air Force. She decided to join the Air Force after high school, serving one tour as an air traffic controller and a munitions maintenance scheduler.

    Richard West, US Army Veteran and Alaina’s father

    Following her service, she returned back to her home in Northeast Ohio and studied to be a state-tested nursing assistant (STNA). It was during her studies as an STNA when she had her first interaction with the Red Cross, which held some of the trainings as part of the program. After completing her STNA program she went on to earn multiple degrees, the most recent being a doctorate in education from Kansas State University.

    Through her schooling, she discovered a love for higher education and paired that with her military experience to serve veterans who were using higher education to transition back to civilian life. She remembers the feeling of being unsure of where her career would take her when she completed her duty and transitioned back to civilian life, and said it was an honor for her to be able to give back to her community and fellow veterans. Last year, Alaina, was presented the opportunity to join the Red Cross of Northern Ohio as the Regional Program Director for the Service to the Armed Forces and International Services.

    Jacob Blade, center, with siblings Jade and Jaz

    Alaina said one of her favorite aspects is working with the volunteers who are passionate about helping service members.

    “They work for hours on end…the reward for them is to assist the client,” she said. “They aren’t getting any financial award or benefits other than to help another human being. That’s what the Red Cross mission is all about.”

    Joshua Blade, US Air Force

    There are a lot of exciting initiatives coming up that Alaina also shared. One that is near
    and dear to her is the development of a workshop where she is combining her experience in higher education and what the Red Cross has to offer to support our veterans. The Service to the Armed Forces Virtual Resiliency Workshops are live, interactive virtual sessions that seek to bring together veterans to connect and learn the tools to build upon their natural resilience. Additionally, she is working with the Tiffany Circle, a community of women leaders who advance the American Red Cross mission, to host a baby shower for women veterans.

    Alaina’s joy and passion for the Red Cross and serving those in the Armed Forces
    shines brightly. She encourages everyone to connect with the Red Cross. “The
    American Red Cross is a phenomenal organization and is here to serve anyone who
    needs us.”

    Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

    Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

    Recognizing National Nurses Week

    Posted on by
    Reply

    By Kathryn Dean, RN, American Red Cross volunteer

    During National Nurses Week, May 6-12, the Red Cross wants to recognize the important value that volunteer nurses bring to the mission of the Red Cross. 

    Since the inception of the American Red Cross in 1881, nurses have been at the heart of the organization. Initially assisting mainly in disaster relief and war support efforts, their role today has greatly expanded to include veteran support, educational services and training, academic support, children’s programs, blood drives and so much more.

    I spoke with Patricia Horvath, RN, MSN, who works as the Volunteer Regional Nurse Lead for Northern Ohio. She is responsible for a team of 90 volunteer nurses in Northern Ohio and for the recruitment, retention and recognition of nurse volunteers. 

    American Red Cross of Northern Ohio Volunteer Regional Nurse Lead Patricia Horvath (right) presents volunteer nurse Rosanne Radziewicz with her Red Cross nurse’s pin.

    Her contributions to the role have successfully brought the nurse volunteer numbers back up after a period of loss following COVID-19. However, nurse volunteers are always needed and she wants to encourage any nurse considering volunteering with the Red Cross to do so.

    “For National Nurse Week, one of the best opportunities that we can put forward to nurses is to find a way to become a Red Cross nurse volunteer,” she said. “Not only does it give you your own joy to contribute to others — nurses are basically humanitarians, that’s who’s drawn to the profession. Our purpose is to make the community healthy, and the best way to do that is to volunteer through the Red Cross.”

    To recognize the service of nurse volunteers, the Red Cross has a tradition of awarding nursing pins to those nurses who have completed at least 20 hours of service. 

    “We are very keen on making sure that our nurses receive the Red Cross nurse pin,” Patricia explained. “It has a long history in the Red Cross and was originally called ‘The Badge.’ Being awarded the pin is a formal process that we do during volunteer recognition month.” 

    Each pin is uniquely numbered, registered with that person for life, and logged nationally.

    There are other benefits to volunteering. Patricia explained that the Red Cross offers many free continuing education units (CEUs) for nurses, which helps to maintain their requirements for licensure. In addition, Ohio nurses who obtain multi-state nurse licensure have the opportunity to travel outside of the state to respond to domestic disasters.

    Nurses bring their unique education, experience and desire to help others to the forefront every day when they volunteer with the Red Cross. 

    “All lines of business the Red Cross has … everything that we do, there’s a role for a nurse.”

    Explore the volunteer opportunities available at the Red Cross here and get started in your volunteer journey. To learn more about the history of nursing at the Red Cross, tap here.

    National Volunteer Week Profile: Mark Auburn

    Posted on by
    Reply

    By Ryan Lang, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

    Volunteer work for the American Red Cross was never really something Mark Auburn considered. Now, 30 years into his service, he says the Red Cross has become a part of who he is.

    Mark Auburn, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

    “I don’t have a dramatic story, like many volunteers,” Mark said. “For me, it was swimming lessons when I was a kid – that’s where it started.” It was the personal connection that stood out to him. The time volunteers took with the members of his own community really made a
    difference to Mark.

    Then, when he found out that the majority of the entire organization was volunteers, Mark said he bought-in even more.

    “Ninety percent of the people who work for the Red Cross are volunteers. That’s incredible!” And over the course of his 30 years with the Red Cross, Mark has seen those volunteers help people in his own community and around the world. To witness first-hand the reach of the Red Cross has been nothing short of remarkable for Mark.

    “One of the huge changes in the Red Cross over my 30 years of volunteering is the sense of relationship between the Red Cross and the community. When I started, we were very locally focused.” Mark has since seen the reach of the Red Cross extend around the world.

    Sharing his story with his fellow volunteers is a key part of the Red Cross experience for Mark. “I think it’s important that volunteers talk with other volunteers to learn their individual Red Cross stories.” That’s part of why Mark is looking forward to the upcoming Volunteer Recognition and Appreciation event in Akron.

    Mark is not only a volunteer, he’s also a longtime member of the Greater Akron and the Mahoning Valley Chapter Board of Directors. And at 79-years-old, Mark is still going to meetings, face-to-face, to meet and work with fellow board members and other volunteers, all in the name of the Red Cross mission.

    The biggest part of that mission is to “alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.” Recently, Mark experienced his own health emergency when he was hospitalized with COVID- 19. “I had complications that resulted in an internal bleed,” Mark said.

    During his hospital stay Mark suffered a stroke. As a result, he needed six units of blood. “Because of the blood donated by strangers I am able to tell my Red Cross story today. Someone I will never know gave blood because they believe in the mission of the Red Cross, and it saved my life.”

    Mark has seen the impact the Red Cross has made in his own life and around the world, and he encourages everyone to find out more about it for themselves. To do so, visit redcross.org.

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