Local Loudoun Business Makes Big Impact Through American Red Cross

By Erwin Stierle, Executive Director, Loudoun and Prince William Counties, VA

The Fall of 2017 was a big, destructive season for hurricanes. In fact, three of the five costliest hurricanes in U.S. history – Harvey, Irma, and Maria – hit the U.S. within weeks of each other. Bob Reiver, owner of Dulles Golf and Sports Park in Dulles, VA, was astonished at the level of destruction these hurricanes levied on so many, leaving thousands homeless across Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Unfortunately, many didn’t survive.

Bob knew, like most, that the Red Cross responds during times of major disaster, by reconnecting families, serving millions of meals and snacks, distributing millions of relief items, delivering mental health services, and providing shelter to thousands. However, in order for us to respond in these ways and times of need, we need resources like vehicles, supplies, food, water, people and transportation of people. This can only be achieved through the generosity of donors. Bob and his Managing Partner, Andy Stromberg, agreed to donate 20% of the gross sales during September and October of 2017 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief from their miniature golf course, driving range, batting cages, and gemstone panning to benefit the hurricane victims. This resulted in a donation of $21,814.

From Left: Bob Reiver, Erwin Stierle, 
and Andy Stromberg.

Dulles Golf Center & Sports Park then provided the American Red Cross with a fundraising opportunity in April 2018, during which they sold ticket packages to families to enjoy their complex’s facilities at a discounted rate and money raised going to the Red Cross. This resulted in another $2,000 being raised. This provided us the opportunity to educate the community about our local services.

Bob himself was unaware of the significant role the American Red Cross plays in local disaster response, like helping those displaced by home fires.

“So many people know that the Red Cross responds during the big disasters and is a big player in the blood business. What I have found is that most people do not know the impact the Red Cross has locally – responding to home fires, helping make homes safer, serving military members and their families and providing lifesaving training classes. They need funding to carry out all of those activities,” said Bob.

Later, in 2018, Dulles Golf Center made another $5,000 donation.

The American Red Cross needs that funding ahead of large disasters and to be prepared to deliver our mission across all those services at the local level. Knowing this now, Dulles Golf Center & Sports Park once again chose to donate a percentage of sales, this time taking 10% of their activity fees and pavilion rentals from their company picnics and team building events in May, June, and July of 2019. That effort resulted in a donation of $14,743!

From Left: Bob Reiver, Erwin Stierle, and Andy Stromberg.

Disasters, big and small, will continue to happen. Bob and Andy have committed to supporting those in need by sharing in the success of their business and funding the mission of the American Red Cross when they can. It’s local support like this, one business at a time and one individual at a time, that makes a tremendous difference in helping those in need.

Thank you to Dulles Golf Center & Sports Park for your generosity to support those in need!

My Red Cross Story: Manny Zuniga

By Ian Levine, Volunteer

Over a decade ago, on the eighteenth hole of a lush golf course, a friend asked retired Manny Zuniga if he'd ever volunteer with the American Red Cross. “No, thank you,” Manny said, "I don’t like needles and I don’t like blood."

Little did Manny know, he'd soon discover everything he thought he knew about the American Red Cross was wrong. And, he was about to give his life a horse kick to the chest.

It’s not that Manny’s life before the American Red Cross was boring. He grew up in the chaos of a low-income family plagued by drug addiction and violence. His cousins were some of the founding members of La Eme; a deadly collaboration between thirteen Hispanic street gangs, which formed the Mexican-American mafia. His other cousins sold and used drugs. When Manny watched the family around him look for only immediate relief instead of toward their future, he decided to choose a different path. That’s when Manny sought giving (rather than taking) as a way to save his life. Then he rose from the blunt ashes like a Phoenix.

Manny started volunteering with the United States Junior Chamber, also called the Jaycees. Jaycees is a “not-for-profit organization of young active citizens…ages 18-40, [who] develop themselves personally and professionally by bringing energy and insight to solving problems locally and around the world.”

That led him to volunteer at some of the country’s most momentous sports occasions; such as the 1984 Olympics, the 80th Rose Bowl Game, and Superbowl XXXVII. In fact, Manny’s cousins valued sports so much that when they saw him volunteering, it motivated them to better themselves, as well. One cousin earned a soccer scholarship. Another cousin became a baseball coach. Witnessing the impact volunteering can have on the “mind, soul, and body,” Manny considered the American Red Cross.

That’s when he found out that the American Red Cross isn’t just needles and blood. Manny deploys all over the country on a moment’s notice during natural disasters. He sets up the communication devices first responders need to save lives. Manny’s always moving. One time, he deployed to Puerto Rico for Hurricanes Irma and Maria. He returned home for a week. Then, deployed again to California for its wildfires. Much like avant-garde engineer and American Red Cross volunteer Ken Jones, it’s Manny’s responsibility to stay on top of changes in technology. But technology changes so often, he crams between emergency deployments. Manny tells me he wouldn’t have it any other way. He often thinks about his family, and strongly believes that if he were to become a couch potato, he “wouldn’t be around for much longer.”

Honoring Manny Zuniga and his family at the Red Cross Night
with the Nationals game for his volunteer service in July 2018.

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