My Lifesaving Red Cross Blood Donor Story: Virginia Hamilton

Written by: Rose Ellen O’Connor, volunteer

Virginia Hamilton is still moved by a letter she received some three decades ago from the American Red Cross. It thanked her for saving a life. Virginia, 73, had been donating blood since her 20’s and platelets since her 30’s, but this was a special case.

A little boy who had a bone marrow transplant was in the hospital and not doing well. The Red Cross asked if she would be willing to donate platelets continuously over a period of months and she said yes. For the first several weeks, Virginia went in three days a week to donate at the Red Cross office in Merrifield, VA. The next several weeks, she came in twice a week, then once a week, then once every other week and then once a month. The Red Cross was so concerned she would be dangerously low in proteins because of all the blood she was donating that they recommended she consume extra nutrients. She drank a glass of milk with a peanut butter sandwich for lunch every day and had a daily bowl of rice and beans. By the time she finished donating it was Christmas and the little boy was better.

“They sent me a note saying he got to home for Christmas,” Virginia says. “He wasn’t doing very well and then he got my blood and he got better. I really was walking around on a cloud for a very long time.”

Sometimes it was hard to get the blood from Virginia because she has one arm where the veins “roll” when the needle is inserted. “They brought in a special nurse and she was really good at getting the needle in so they could get the platelets out,” Virginia says.

Virginia has AB positive blood, which is rare, and there is not a lot of demand for it, so she started donating platelets instead. She estimates that she gave five gallons of platelets to the Red Cross from her 20’s to her 50’s. For the next 10 years she donated to Inova Fairfax Hospital because it had blood donation centers that were closer to her job or her home. She has no estimate of how much blood she gave to Inova. Virginia stopped giving blood a couple of years ago after a couple of failed attempts to draw her blood.

“After 50 years of giving blood, its time for someone else to take over,” Virginia says.

Virginia’s family’s commitment to donating blood spans three generations. She was inspired by her aunts who started giving blood during World War II and then just kept it up afterwards. Virginia’s daughter started giving blood as soon as she was old enough. For years she had accompanied her mother on her treks to give blood, first to the Red Cross downtown and later, when it opened up, to the office in Merrifield, which was much closer to home.

Virginia lives in Sterling, VA with her cockatoo, Charlie. She has a daughter Mary Ann. She’s retired from a job in construction where she reviewed blueprints and estimated building costs.

The need is constant. The gratification is instant. Give blood. 

Clara Barton: Our Real-Life Superhero

Written by: Michelle Karch

1861-1865 Civil War. Clara Barton was there. Risking her life in the battlefields, she provided food, medical and clothing supplies, and emotional support to soldiers both in the field and in temporary facilities. She helped locate 13,000 graves and create a national cemetery for the prison war’s dead in Andersonville, GA.

1882 & 1883 Mississippi River Floods. Clara Barton was there. From aboard the ship Mattie Belle, she directed relief efforts.

1888 Yellow Fever Epidemic, Jacksonville, FL. Clara Barton was there too. She coordinated relief efforts with the Howard Association.

1892 Famine, Russia. Clara Barton organized the first international assistance by sending flour and cornmeal to Russia that fed over 7,000 people.


Vanguard. Maverick. Pioneer. Superhero.

Clara Barton worked across America and Europe. She soared beyond her own and others’ limitations; boundlessly courageous, she did what could be seen as impossible. These events represent just a small sampling of Clara’s seemingly omnipresent and heroic assistance in the name of service to American military members and relief during and following natural disasters.

“No” was not in her vocabulary. Clara pursued three US Presidents before she was able to establish authorization for an American Red Cross. When one US President, Rutherford B. Hayes uttered no, she doggedly pursued his successor, President James Garfield. Unfortunately, Garfield was assassinated before support could be authorized. Undeterred and relentless, Clara again sought support from a third President, Chester Arthur. This time Clara received her yes. She struggled with exhaustion and depression, even losing her eyesight temporarily. Yet her unflinching devotion to helping others is what kept her going and led her to bring the Red Cross from Europe to establish the American Red Cross.

Be inspired. Be Determined. Be Courageous. Do what others deem impossible and celebrate Clara Barton. Explore your inner superhero through the American Red Cross. Volunteer. Donate. Support. Continue to inspire.

Learn more about Clara’s heroic, lifelong efforts at: http://www.redcross.org/about-us/who-we-are/history/clara-barton 

Volunteer Profile - Bahman Naraghi

Written by: Kelly Norman, volunteer

One of the great things about the American Red Cross is that it is an organization whose mission touches every state and there are volunteers all across the country. One of the local Red Cross volunteers, Bahman Naraghi, originally began volunteering with the Red Cross in Columbus, Ohio in 2012.  He was interested in humanitarian efforts and disaster relief and knew the Red Cross would be a great way to get involved.

When he moved to DC to pursue a new job, he did not let that interrupt his volunteering. Now as a volunteer in the National Capital region in Montgomery County, Bahman does a variety of things: provides disaster relief services as a member of the Disaster Action Team (DAT), helps at the warehouse, and assists with large-scale DC events like the Fourth of July.

“Working with the Red Cross has given me the ability to do many interesting things, like driving a forklift. It’s exciting to try out new things,” explained Bahman.  He also shared how much he values the friendships he has made with other volunteers.

Bahman shared a recent story of how he responded to a fire with the Red Cross DAT on one of the coldest days of winter. The residents’ furnace had malfunctioned and the fire was thankfully put quickly out. Bahman made sure the displaced residents had blankets, food, and a temporary shelter.

Bahman works full time as a Program Officer at FHI 360, an international development agency, and volunteers on the weekend. I think it speaks volumes of Bahman’s character that he spends his free weekends giving back to his community.  Thank you Bahman for all that you do!

Everyday Heroes – March is Red Cross Month

Written by: Susan Kumah, volunteer

To many, the term ‘volunteer' means performing a service voluntarily. Contrary to the popular consensus, a Red Cross volunteer is not – and cannot be – defined according to his or her mainstream counterpart: Red Cross volunteers are especially distinct. Here, volunteering is not a singular service but instead numerous selfless acts that multiply tenfold. These acts of charitable commitments have inspired what we have come to know as Red Cross Month.

Officially proclaimed 'Red Cross Month' in 1943 by Franklin D. Roosevelt, March is a month that formally celebrates volunteers and their service, and rightfully so. With volunteers making up more than 95% of the American Red Cross work force, the organization by its very structural makeup is a network of givers. Few know the contributions of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. This month, the American Red Cross celebrates each emergency worker, praises all blood donors, salutes every financial supporter and more. Whether it is on a one-to-one basis or in a group, physical and financial needs are being met everyday by a diverse group of volunteers or – as we like to call them- everyday heroes.

Everyday heroes appropriately deserve everyday praise. Describing volunteer contributions almost attracts a library of clichés: volunteers are 'changing futures' and 'saving lives'. The temptation of heaping cliché upon cliché should often be resisted, let's face it, clichés are thoughtlessly overused. But if ten minutes of a student's lunch break can add decades unto a cancer patients life through a blood donation- call it what you may: clichés, truisms or trite phrases – it really doesn't matter; these acts are quite simply, life-changing. Even though many volunteers will never know the entirety of their self-sacrifice, Red Cross will spotlight their many tremendous efforts this month.

“During the darkness of storm, we see what is brightest in America -- the drive to shield our neighbors from danger, to roll up our sleeves in times of crisis, to respond as one Nation and leave no one behind.” In his 2015 proclamation of Red Cross Month, President Barack Obama notes the essence of Red Cross volunteerism: simplicity. The simple gesture of rolling up ones sleeves and shielding ones neighbor declares the simplicity of heroic action unique to Red Cross volunteers. In addition to this simplicity, Obama's statement rightfully addresses the ethos that the American Red Cross is founded upon: solidarity and a commitment to the national community.

To put it simply, everyday heroes abandon their needs and seek out the needs of others. They often contribute in the background while attention is given to the nature of disasters, its survivors, and wreckage. Well this month, we all return our gratitude to Red Cross volunteers. This month we ask you to remember our heroes' place within the action. More so, let us respect their namesake; remembering their efforts not only this month but also everyday.

Endless Opportunities

March is Red Cross Month

Written by: Grace Ly, volunteer

Grace Ly serving the Red Cross in Iraq

It was July 2007 and I was in Pamplona, Spain. We hadn’t planned on running with the bulls; in fact I had purchased a very expensive spot on a balcony where we could watch the running of the bulls at a safe elevation. However, this was our last day, so we easily convinced ourselves by asking "When will we ever get another chance to run with the bulls?” Well, the answer to that question was quite obviously ‘never,’ and with that we took our places amongst a crowd of others who had also decided to partake in the infamous running of the bulls. I had to take a minute and think back on how exactly I ended up on a cobblestone street in Pamplona, spurred on by the threat of a 1,700 pound bull.

I always knew I wanted to see the world; I just had no idea how to make that happen. After graduating from college my best friend called me excitedly, “Hey Grace, I decided to do some volunteer work with the American Red Cross and guess what I found? They have a division called ‘Services to the Armed Forces’ where you get to work with the military. You need to check it out.” So I did. I couldn’t believe it, it literally was my dream job. I had been that little girl in 5th grade sending care packages to service members in Iraq. I was the one rallying all my classmates to send letters to our soldiers. Now, here was my chance to actually serve our military. I sent in my application immediately. I was rejected. I didn’t have any relevant work experience. Of course I wasn’t going to let a little thing like that stop me. I began volunteering at my local Red Cross chapter and I applied for an administrative assistant job at the Red Cross to get my foot in the door. I was hired. Six months later I applied to switch divisions and was finally accepted into the Services to the Armed Forces.

This job with the Red Cross was going to let me accomplish my goal of seeing the world. I would be stationed on military bases around the globe providing Red Cross services to our military. I was so excited to get the acceptance call that I could barely contain myself. I remember my parents driving home and me blasting out the front door, exploding across the yard to tell them the good news. My first assignment? Camp Lejeune, NC. I had to laugh at the irony. I thought I was going to see the world; turns out I wasn’t even leaving my home state. I was just driving 5 hours up the road. But I loved Camp Lejeune. It is one of the nicest military bases I have ever been to, and I started gaining experience very quickly. Each week I briefed 400 Marines, organizing fundraisers and directing volunteer events. I was at Camp Lejeune for 7 months before being told I was transferring to South Korea.

I didn’t even know where South Korea was on a map. The plane that took me to South Korea was the biggest plane I had ever seen in my entire life. Fifteen hours later I was on the other side of the world. I spent the entire year of 2005 in South Korea, and it was the best year of my life. I had so much fun I didn’t want to leave. In fact I asked if I could extend. Professionally I was growing; personally I was having the time of my life. I took advantage of my home base in South Korea and traveled to Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. I even took a weekend trip into North Korea and hiked the Diamond Mountains.

I was told I couldn’t extend in Korea, they needed me in Iraq where I would receive care packages to distribute to the soldiers. Working in Iraq was a very gratifying experience. It was hard work with little rest, but being there, being on the ground gave me a real sense of purpose, real meaning. These service members needed the American Red Cross and we were there for them.

After my deployment to Iraq I was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany for over a year. Germany was amazing and of course I took advantage of living in Europe. I traveled all over; England, Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, Czech Republic to name a few. I went dogsledding in Finland for a week. I partied at Carnival in Italy. I grew professionally and personally.

I spent almost 5 years working for the American Red Cross before I decided to return to the United States. I moved to Washington, DC and decided the only place I wanted to work was at The White House. I sent in an application. Thanks to the volunteer management work I had done at the Red Cross I was hired. My position was to travel around the United States and present individuals with the “President’s Volunteer Service Award.” All of those briefings I had done throughout my career at the Red Cross prepared me for this position.

The Bush administration ended and we were required to find our next opportunity. I found mine at the Central Intelligence Agency. I guess all of my travels abroad made me an appealing candidate. I know that my experience working for the American Red Cross is what led me to where I am today. Working for the Red Cross was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It allowed me to fulfill a dream. I traveled the world. I explored 30 countries. I lived abroad for 3 years. I hiked mountains in North Korea, rode a camel in the Gobi Desert, crawled through the Chu Chi tunnels in Vietnam, experienced Oktoberfest, rode elephants in Thailand, and explored castles in Germany. I did all of this while gaining professional experience and saving financially. The Red Cross really allowed me to create a solid foundation on which to build a successful and unique career and a wonderful life.

I urge you to explore the opportunities at the American Red Cross and to get involved. You never know what doors will open, what opportunities lay ahead, where your involvement will lead you. The Red Cross allowed me to fulfill a dream. It may allow you to fulfill one of yours. Maybe one day you will find yourself delivering a Red Cross message to a soldier, or wrapping a blanket around a flood victim, or donating blood or teaching a first aid class. And maybe one day, you too will find yourself on the cobblestone streets of Pamplona Spain running with the bulls.


RedCross.org/Volunteer 

Happy Birthday, Mr. Washington!

By Kelly Norton, Volunteer Contributor

February 22nd marks George Washington's 282nd birthday, which our country celebrates as a federal holiday on the third Monday in February. Although it's technically Mr. Washington's big day, many people commonly refer to this holiday as President's Day and celebrate all 42 men who have led the United States of America.

Did you know that President Barack Obama has an important position in the Red Cross? In fact, all U.S. presidents since 1913 have. President Obama is the organization's Honorary Chairmen with duties including appointing the Chairman of the Board of Governors and designating members of his Administration to serve on the Red Cross Cabinet Council. This tradition began in 1913 with Woodrow Wilson who served as Honorary President of the American Red Cross and has continued since. The title was changed to Honorary Chairman in 1947.

In addition, President Obama's signature is on the American Red Cross Certificate of Merit National Lifesaving Award, the organization's highest award for those who have used the skills they learned in Red Cross courses to help save or sustain a life.

U.S. presidents have contributed to the Red Cross mission in many ways. In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson called on youth across the country to join the newly formed Junior Red Cross. Wilson stated in a September 1917 letter to children in the United States, "... more perfectly than through any of your other school lessons, you will learn by doing those kind things under your teacher's direction to be future good citizens of this great country."

In 1943, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt began a Red Cross tradition by declaring March as Red Cross Month to help raise money during World War II. Every March since then, the President has issued a proclamation calling upon our country to support the Red Cross by giving blood, volunteering time, or donation blood.

In addition, I thought this would be a good time to point out (in case you're getting tired of this snow and cold) that the Major League Baseball season starts at the end of March. No matter who you route for, it's pretty fun to watch the Presidents race at the Washington Nationals home games!