My Red Cross Volunteer Story: Jerry McGraw

Interviewed by Denise Miller, Executive Director of Fairfax County, on their drive to provide disaster relief  following Hurricane Harvey.

Name: Jerry McGraw
Hometown: Oceana, WV; moved to Northern VA in 1965
Volunteer Since: June 2014
Volunteer Role: Logistics Supervisor
Profession: Computer Programmer (Retired)



What inspired you to volunteer for the American Red Cross? Why is it important to volunteer?
When Jerry was 12 years old, he was with his family out for a drive when they came upon a disaster scene on a highway. Many cars were pulled over alongside the road, as was a Red Cross emergency vehicle. A boy had fallen into a creek at flood level, and the Red Cross was there to help. Jerry's father jumped into the water to help rescue the boy. This memory stuck with Jerry his whole life and left him with a very fond impression of the Red Cross. 

Jerry now volunteers to help people, but he also finds it personally gratifying. As tears fill up in Jerry’s eyes, he shares the story of a memorial service he attended as a Red Cross volunteer, supporting the grieving community of Silver Spring, MD following the explosion last summer. The majority of the service was spoken in Spanish, and an elderly woman approached him to ensure that he knew that the Red Cross was thanked numerous times throughout the service, in case he did not speak Spanish. 

I asked Jerry about his tears and wanted him to describe his emotions. 

"It comes from a place of sadness - knowing people lost their lives in the Silver Spring fire, but also a sense of pride knowing that I contributed to support the recovery efforts after this terrible tragedy," he says.

What are your special skills that you use to support the Red Cross?
- Driving
- Supervisory skills
- Quick to learn
- Project management
- Organized
- Attention to detail

What is it like volunteering?  
"Very rewarding," Jerry says.

Jerry has had many Red Cross moments that fill him up with pride. 

"In logistics, usually you are behind the scenes, but it’s "on-site" that gives me the best experiences," he says. 

He described his volunteer time at last year’s Marine Corps Marathon. 

"Side by side with first responders, watching wounded veterans begin the race and cheers and patriotism from the crowd, was a great memory. Being a part of a team, not only with the Red Cross, but all the different organizations we partner with that each play an important role was eye opening and fulfilling."

What are you most proud of regarding your volunteer work?
"Getting to know the other great volunteers and life-long relationships that have formed. This is very different than the business world, everyone is so friendly and willing to do anything. We are all here for the same reason - to help people," Jerry says.

Message from Denise:
Throughout this entire interview, Jerry held back his tears as he talked about the work of the Red Cross and the people we help, but most importantly, the people we do it with. I am honored to be side-by-side with this wonderful man and volunteer as we drive across country to carry out the mission of the Red Cross to provide relief after Hurricane Harvey. I can only imagine the things we will see, the people we will help and the teams we will work with that will give us the memories of a lifetime - stories that both of us will not be able to tell without shedding a tear.