Why I Volunteer - KrisTina Berry

KrisTina Berry. Photo by Staci Marie Photography.

In November of 2011, KrisTina Berry found herself performing the same activity many other Americans are spending their time on today—job searching. Not one to wait around for a call back, KrisTina decided her newfound free time would be better spent volunteering for a cause she believes in.

The Make a Wish Foundation, American Heart Association and American Cancer Society are just a few non-profit organizations that were on KrisTina’s list, but she wanted to find a place that offered a chance to be hands-on.  In January, she attended her first Crossing Generations meeting at the Louisville Area Chapter.

She jumped in head first volunteering at blood drives, helping with plans for the 2012 Wrapped in Red Gala and signing up for disaster training. Less than two months into her service with the Red Cross, KrisTina got her first opportunity to volunteer on a disaster relief operation when tornadoes came through Southern Indiana and Eastern Kentucky.

During the March 2 storms, KrisTina sought shelter in her basement with her two cats. The worst was expected to hit Louisville, but instead veered north of the city.

“I’m still in awe,” said KrisTina. “It could have easily been Louisville that was destroyed.”

Knowing that she couldn’t sit by as her neighbors tried to rebuild, KrisTina immediately called the Red Cross to see how she could help. She spent the following weeks preparing food that Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) then delivered to affected areas in Southern Indiana. She worked long days arriving at the chapter at 7 a.m. and leaving at 10 p.m.

“I was in that kitchen making turkey after turkey after ham sandwich,” KrisTina said recalling that the ERVs would leave full of food and return completely empty. “I had my hands on those sandwiches that went to helping people out. They don’t even know who I am, but you know they’re grateful.”

KrisTina had only completed basic volunteer orientation and training prior to the March tornadoes, so she signed up for every disaster relief course she could as soon as she got the chance. Even with two jobs, she continues to be an active member of Crossing Generations and volunteer as much as possible. Just this past weekend, she helped coordinate Red Cross volunteers for a sag stop at the Old Kentucky Home Bicycle Tour.

“When I walk out of Crossing Generations meetings, I feel like we’ve done something,” KrisTina said. “That drives and keeps me motivated. I will volunteer as long as I can.”

For more information on Crossing Generations, visit www.redcross.org/Louisville.

Disaster Preparedness Kit: Bobble Barton

Bobble Barton is Red Cross Ready.
We love the color coordination.

This September marks my fourth Preparedness Month with the Red Cross. (Eeeek!) One year we focused on the three basic steps to being prepared:  Build a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed. Last year, we introduced 21 Weeks to Prepare, offering suggestions on building a fully stocked disaster kit. Something that 21 Weeks to Prepare strongly encouraged was customizing your disaster kit to fit your needs.

Some families have babies or small children; others have multiple pets that must be taken care of. Some take medication essential to their health or have a family member with special needs.  These are all things to consider when planning for a disaster. To have a little fun, we’ve decided to take a look at how some people might customize their disaster kits, starting with our very own American Red Cross founder, Clara Barton.

Bobble Barton is a practical gal. She keeps things basic and light that way she doesn’t have to tote around a heavy bag while out in the field helping affected residents.

Her must-haves:

• water
• beef jerky
• extra set of clothing
• First Aid Kit (just in case someone is injured)
• closed-toe work boots
• hair pins (because you can’t have your hair in your face while dressing wounds)
• pen and notebook (to take down names of people that have been separated from their families. We need to get her trained in Safe and Well.)

Just in case:

• rain boots
• wool socks

What else do you think Clara would have in her disaster kit? Post your suggestions in the comments below. Anyone who offers a suggestion will be entered to win a prize :)

Visit www.redcross.org/prepare for a complete list of tips on how to prepare your family today!

First Deployment, First Pin

AmeriCorps members Jeremiah Bush from the South Central Kentucky Chapter in Bowling Green, KY and Lauren Eargle from the Franklin County Chapter in Frankfort, KY, wait for their orders at an evacuation shelter in Orange, TX.

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind for AmeriCorps member Lauren Eargle. Only nine days after beginning her year of service, she has been trained in several disaster response courses, deployed to help with Hurricane Isaac relief, and received her first disaster pin.

“It’s been very fast paced,” Lauren said of training and deployment. “If this is what happens in two weeks, then I’m excited for two years.”

She is currently helping out at a shelter in Louisiana. Earlier this week, she was placed on a shelter team with Marty and Cindy Jones of Savannah, GA. The two experienced volunteers immediately took Lauren under their wing and presented her with her first disaster pin. Pins are kind of a big deal at the Red Cross. It’s a Red Cross tradition to exchange pins with workers from other areas while on deployment. Some volunteers have collected hundreds from across the country.

Lauren's first Red Cross disaster pin.

Training for her year of service as an AmeriCorps at the American Red Cross Franklin County Chapter began August 20. During six days in Louisville, she and seven others attended courses on shelter operations, client casework and disaster assessment among several others. She hopes that the experience she gains while deployed will help her excel when she returns to her regular responsibilities in Frankfort.

So far, the Kentuckiana Region has deployed 24 Red Cross workers to the Gulf Coast. For more information on what the Red Cross is doing to help areas affected by Hurricane Irene, visit www.redcross.org.

Welcome Home Bobble Barton!

Bobble Barton outside her new home, the American Red Cross Louisville Area Chapter.

Back in June, we came across a story about collectible bobble heads handed out by the Hagerstown Suns, a minor league baseball team in Hagerstown, Maryland. We all love a good bobble head, but this one is particularly special—it is modeled in the likeness of our very own American Red Cross founder, Clara Barton.

It just so happens that our Manager of Volunteer Services, Paul Beede, has family in the D.C. area. Upon hearing about the existence of “Bobble Barton,” Paul’s grandmother Phyllis went on a quest to find one. Her search led her to the Washington County Maryland Red Cross where executive director, Julie Barr-Strasburg, graciously presented Phyllis with her very own Clara Barton bobble head.

Thanks to both Phyllis and Julie, Bobble Barton has a new home here in Louisville. It’s not in Clara’s nature to sit around on a shelf all day, so she will be pitching in at various chapter activities. Clara has a love for historical trivia and charitable actions, so we’ve given her a few goodies to give away as she makes new friends. Follow her excursions on our Facebook and Twitter pages (#bobblebarton) and keep an eye out for opportunities to win.

Why I Volunteer - Brianna Rodgers

The following was written by Brianna Rodgers, a youth volunteer administrative assistant at the Louisville Area Chapter who loves art and creative writing. She is a junior at J. Graham Brown School in Louisville.

I guess you can say that I have a desire to give and help out in any way I can. From a little girl on up I would always do something that was related to volunteering, no matter if it was lending a hand at a food drive from Dare to Care or becoming a C.I.T (Counselor in Training) at the YMCA I would always help out. The Red Cross and I share similar traits, which are the need to create change and the determination to follow through with our goals and mission.

The fact that I can save at least one person’s life is a blessing in itself, therefore, I'm grateful for this wonderful opportunity to help out with others who share the same goal as me. It is also a goal of mine to strive for change and peace among all nations. Because of this I stay updated on international current events and read about humanitarian law. It's a comfort to know that there are others like me, working together and living up to the Red Cross Mission.

We are living in a world where our technological advances bring us together and amplify our voices across the globe. Youth have historically played a very important role in the Red Cross and we are continuing that tradition. I am really excited to continue the legacy of Youth Volunteers at the Red Cross.

If you are interested in becoming a youth volunteer please e-mail our Youth Coordinator Kristen Lawrence at Kristen.Lawrence@redcross.org.