Why the Red Cross? A view from an East Georgia Chapter Intern

Travis Barnes, Senior at the University of Georgia 

and Intern at the Red Cross East Georgia Chapter

My experience volunteering at the Red Cross has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done while at the University of Georgia. After only three months with the Red Cross, I have learned more things about the Athens-Clarke county community than my previous five years living in Athens. I, like most students at UGA, spent the majority of my free time downtown or at Sanford Stadium before I started volunteering. Surprisingly, there’s much more to Athens than just parties and football. The things I have done while with the Red Cross have exposed me to places and people around the area I never would have met before. While volunteering, I actually was able to meet one of, if not the, best all time quarterbacks at UGA, David Green. It was amazing to meet him and have a conversation about the rewards of helping others and giving back to the community.

            Volunteering here actually makes me realize all of the things the Red Cross does to make this community a better place. Whether its delivering school supplies to underprivileged children or sending volunteers to help out with the devastation caused by natural disasters, the Red Cross is always there to lend a hand. It’s amazing how much more fulfilling I feel when I volunteer for a couple hours of my free time to help out rather than sit on the couch and watch TV or play video games.

            Whether you feel like giving back to the community, need something to boost your resume, or are just bored and looking for something to do, I strongly suggest volunteering at the Red Cross. The atmosphere is extremely friendly and I actually enjoy coming in to the office because of the laid back atmosphere and smiling faces. If you knew me personally, you would know that this would be one of the last things I would choose to do with my free time, but the feeling of satisfaction I get is overwhelming and has completely changed my outlook on things.  

Recap: East Georgia Chapter's Show and Inspire Open House Tour

On Tuesday, September 20, 2011, the local East Georgia Chapter of The American Red Cross held its first Show and Inspire Open House Tour. Tour participants were able to get a first-hand perspective of what life looks like serving as an American Red Cross volunteer. Participants were also able to tour the chapter office and speak with veteran volunteers including Red Cross staff.  In addition, Mr. Jeff Taylor, Executive Director of the chapter, shared his first-hand experiences he has witnessed over the years serving not only as Executive Director but also as an ordinary citizen trying to make a difference in the lives of others confronted with unfortunate situations.

Mr. Jeff Taylor, Executive Director of The American Red Cross East Georgia Chapter

One of the tour’s key speakers was Ms. Dana Jenkins, a volunteer for the American Red Cross who selflessly donates her time to help the local chapter. Dana volunteers at the University of Georgia home football games. She is prepared to help out the Red Cross in any way she can--whether that’s giving CPR to another individual, taking care of someone who has become dehydrated or even assisting someone who has been bitten by mosquitoes!  Dana says she has had many different and unique roles on football Saturdays, but she would not change her experience for the world. “If you think you’re going to be able to watch the game, then you’ve been mislead,” says Dana. “We’re all here to work.”

Ms. Dana Jenkins, a Red Cross Football volunteer

Another highlight of the Show and Inspire Tour was Executive Director Jeff Taylor’s presentation about the Students for The American Red Cross (SARC). For the academic year of 2011-2012, SARC had an ambition of growing from a group of just 10 members to over 150 members. Within just one month, SARC has grown to over 60 active student volunteers! On behalf of the entire Red Cross staff, we are very excited about this upcoming year and anticipate nothing but the best from our university students. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to the chapter. (For more information, or if you are a student interested in becoming involved with SARC, please visit http://eastgeorgia.redcross.org/SARC.htm or e-mail sarc@uga.edu with any questions.)

At the end of the tour, guests were able to ask any questions they may have had as well as find out more ways in how to become involved with the Red Cross. Each tour participant learned exactly what it takes to volunteer some of their time to the organization. If you are interested in becoming more involved with the Red Cross East Georgia Chapter, please visit our website at http://eastgeorgiaredcoss.org or call (706)-353-1645.  

Were you unable to attend the open house? Here are some informative key facts from the afternoon:

• In the United States, there are over 500,000 volunteers who are trained to work with the American Red Cross.
• At the East Georgia Chapter alone, 8,500 citizens and residents of the local area were trained in life-saving skills in the year 2010.
• There are 650 Red Cross Community Chapters across the United States.
• Just this past month (September), 1,600 American Red Cross volunteers assisted and helped New York residents after Hurricane Irene.
• Did you know that the American Red Cross does not receive government assistance?
• The Red Cross is called upon for some of the most unique things. For example, Executive Director Jeff Taylor informed guests that Red Cross volunteers had to milk dairy cows in upper New York state!

Thank you to everyone who came to our open house tour. A BIG thank-you goes out to our chapter staff!

Guests enjoying refreshments and conversation in the Public Affairs Office

By: Helen Farmakis, Public Affairs Intern

It Takes a Village | Update from the field: East Georgia Red Cross on the front line

Hurricane Irene’s furry and flooding were more than enough for New Yorkers, but when Tropical Storm Lee blew through the Southern Tier of New York only nine days after Irene, dumping more than eight inches of rain, you have a recipe for disaster.

Binghamton, New York suffered the effects of the double-dip storm waters in unprecedented ways.  With the torrent came the immediate evacuation of 20,000 residents and the need for a very fast response by the American Red Cross.  Binghamton University stepped up immediately and made their Event Center available to the Red Cross, along with local and state agencies, to make ready for a flood of residents seeking safe haven. 

When 1,800 area citizens sought shelter, literally from the storm, critical partnerships with the American Red Cross, bonded together to create not only a “mass shelter” on the grounds of Binghamton University, but a temporary residence that provided safe, secure and substantial refuge for the citizens of Binghamton and the surrounding region.  The American Red Cross works hard throughout the year, throughout every state, to make sure that we have partnership agreements and relationships in place. When all of our partners work together for the humanitarian and compassionate care for all citizens, the results are a marvel and inspiration to behold.

Upon arrival to the nerve center of the mass shelter operation within the Event Center, I discovered the fruits of collaboration to be remarkable and effective.  I walked into the gigantic even center and saw scores of Red Cross volunteers busy caring for the residents with excellent care, offering hope, health services, and mental health services, hot meals, and snacks, activities for children, cots and blankets. Soon I was led into command center where the Red Cross Shelter Managers joined ranks with the University Law Enforcement Officers, local and state Law Enforcement Officials, Incident Commanders, Public Information Officers, County Health Officers, volunteer medical professionals, and members from the New York Fire Department.  The professionalism of the collaborative efforts between all agencies worked seamlessly;

I now realize first hand why the Red Cross Community Chapter Disaster Service Directors all across the country work so hard to develop lasting and growing relationships with key stakeholders in every community. It really does take a village to offer the best in care and protection of our neighbors, and the American Red Cross volunteers understand and appreciate this at every level.  The Red Cross appreciates the support and the privilege of partnership, particularly observed in Binghamton, NY, but known across the country.

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Jeff Taylor, Executive Director of East Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross is currently on the front lines of the Hurricane Irene aftermath in upstate New York. For daily updates from the field, follow Jeff on Facebook at Red Cross East Georgia and on Twitter @RedCrossEastGA or @taylorjeff7.

Thank you to our volunteers and donors--you are the lifeline of our organization.

Hurricane Irene Update

An American Red Cross shelter at Nassau Community College in Long Island, New York

on August 27, 2011

Thousands of people from North Carolina to New England have turned to the American Red Cross for help in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, as flooding, widespread power outages, and wind damage have devastated communities. Since the night before the storm, the Red Cross has operated or supported nearly 500 shelters and provided more than 52,000 overnight stays.

A Red Cross volunteer comforts a Lost Valley, Maryland resident who has survived five floods, with Hurricane Irene being one of the worst, on August 30, 2011.

More than a thousand trained disaster workers, including 76 from Georgia, are engaged in relief operations in a dozen coastal states. Every Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) east of the Rocky Mountains – more than 260 vehicles – has been mobilized to support recovery efforts. Georgia’s entire fleet of ERVs has been deployed, and the Atlanta-based Emergency Communications Response Vehicle, capable of powering essential equipment for a relief operation under disaster conditions, is being utilized in North Carolina.

Ten kitchens, capable of serving about 140,000 hot meals each day, are operating or being set up in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and New York. Arrangements have also been made to have approximately 1.3 million meals available in North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, and New York through Red Cross partners, and thousands of relief items such as clean-up kits, rakes, ice chests, and tarps have been shipped affected areas.

While many states are still assessing the damage, the Red Cross expects to be helping people in hard-hit areas for the next several weeks.

You can help provide Red Cross relief for the families impacted by Hurricane Irene by making a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief today. Your gift enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling, and other emergency assistance. The Red Cross is not a government agency, yet we are guided by a Congressional Charter to respond without hesitation to disasters across the country and around the world. To carry our mission, the Red Cross relies on public generosity.

Each year, the Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 disasters nationwide each year and spends on average $450 million on disaster readiness and relief. The costs of our comprehensive response to Hurricane Irene have not been fully realized but are anticipated to be in the tens of millions.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Call To Donate: the local chapter at 706-353-1645 and talk to Jeff Taylor, Executive Director
Text A Donation: Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 by phone
Mail A Check: Mail a check to
                          American Red Cross East Georgia Chapter
                          490 Pulaski Street
                          Athens, GA 30601
Donate Online: American Red Cross East Georgia Chapter Website

Letter from the New Regional CEO of American Red Cross of Georgia

Dear Red Cross Volunteer,

As I begin my first days on the job as the new Chief Executive for Georgia’s Red Cross, sharing my appreciation for you as a Red Cross volunteer is one of my top priorities. 

Since joining the Metro Atlanta Chapter as an employee in 1986, I have always worked alongside and valued the contributions of our dedicated volunteers. While I came to this new position from my role as the chapter’s Chief Development Officer and have raised tens of millions of dollars for our organization, I know that what we all do together every day is not really just about the money, it’s about people – those we serve and those who serve. Volunteers like you, committed to changing lives and saving lives in our communities across Georgia, are the true heart and soul of the American Red Cross. 

I, too, share your passion for serving the community with my time and talents. Through the years I have been active with the Junior League of Atlanta, provided hands-on service in homeless shelters, and have served on numerous community non-profit boards.

I know that the insights of volunteers are especially valuable, and I welcome yours. Please share them with me and let’s work together to strengthen and grow the American Red Cross for families and neighbors across our state. Now, more than ever, Georgia needs a strong Red Cross led by a cadre of passionate volunteers.

You have my true gratitude for all you have done and continue to do for your community through the American Red Cross. I look forward to working with you in the months and years to come.

With deep appreciation,

Terri Badour Duckett

Regional Chief Executive Officer

American Red Cross of Georgia

2011 Annual Meeting & Volunteer Recognition Banquet

Janis Martinez, this year's guest speaker from the Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter of the Red Cross, and Jeff Taylor, the executive director of the East Georgia Chapter, pose following the 2011 Meeting and Volunteer Recognition Banquet.  

The Red Cross East Georgia Chapter celebrated its many wonderful volunteers at the Annual Meeting and Volunteer Recognition Banquet on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 with a video and picture slide show, a guest speaker and an awards ceremony.  Janis Martinez, a board member from the Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter of the Red Cross, attended the banquet as this year's guest speaker and shared her story of survival.  She endured extensive burns as a young girl and attributes her survival to the many donations of blood, plasma, and skin grafts from the American Red Cross.  Her story reminded many volunteers at the banquet of why they do what they do: for the benefit of others. To date, Martinez has donated over 100 pints of blood, and she urges others to donate blood once every 56 days!

This year's award recipients: (right to left) Kathy Coker, Bob Coker, Kathy Wisenbaker, B.J. Brown, Rosemarie Goodrum, Hilary Daniels, Gina Taylor, and Angela Rouse.  Not pictured are Jo Vaughn, David Vaughn and Keener Edison.

As pictured above, this year's awards went to: 

Administrative Office Volunteers of the Year: Rosemarie Goodrum & Kathy Wisenbaker

Biomedical Services Volunteer of the Year: Gina Taylor

Biomedical Services Volunteer Recognition: Keener Edison

Disaster Response Services New Volunteer of the Year: B.J. Brown

Disaster Response Volunteer of the Year: Mary Jane Phillips

Disaster Response Services Mauldin Award: Bob & Kathy Coker

Health & Safety Services Instructor of the Year: Hilary Daniels

Health & Safety Volunteer of the Year: Angela Rouse

Maxine Harper Award: David & Jo Vaughn 

A big thank you goes out to Carrabba's Italian Grill, which supplied a great meal during the Red Cross East Georgia Chapter's 2011 Annual Meeting and Volunteer Recognition Banquet.

National Volunteer Week 2011

National Volunteer Week was April 10-16, 2011, and the American Red Cross East Georgia Chapter celebrated at its monthly volunteer meeting! Chapter volunteers were surprised by a 10-foot long banner featuring each of their names (we have more than 70 superstar volunteers!), a cake, and tabletop decorations--all in a superstar theme.

This great group of volunteers gives generously to their own communities throughout the 14 counties the East Georgia Chapter serves, as well as other communities around the state and Southeast, that are affected by disasters.

To find out more about how these awesome people are serving the East Georgia Chapter, check out our new Twitter account or visit us on Facebook!

Volunteers Laura Gutsmann and BJ Brown were deployed to the Disaster Relief Operation in North Carolina with Red Cross an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV). The ERV is used to conduct mobile feeding throughout the areas affected by the tornado and to distribute bulk items like shovels, tarps, rakes, etc.

Have you visited Red Cross?

One of our volunteers came across a town by the name of Red Cross.

A town named Red Cross exists in North Carolina located to the east of Charlotte in Stanly County. Ruth and I went through it a couple of weeks ago, and luckily I had a camera. Now I have the proof of its existence. The town has existed for only seven years and the reason for its naming I do not know. Nevertheless, this water tank is very visible from the highway, and it caught me by surprise having been reared about 50 miles away.

Here's the latest video from the National Headquarters of the Red Cross. Thank you to all of our volunteers and contributors!

Welcome To Our New Blog!

Welcome friends, family, and volunteers to our new East Georgia Chapter Blog. Here you can read about all the classes, events, and inside stuff happening at the chapter and pick up some good Red Cross advice along the way.

We hope to keep the site updated regularly once we get situated, so check in with us and subscribe through e-mail or RSS feed using the links on the top-right side of the page.

Thank you so much for all of your support from the Red Cross East Georgia Chapter!