My Red Cross Volunteer Story: Patty Baisden

Written by: Emily Goff, volunteer

I became involved with the American Red Cross because of a personal experience I had when I was a child. The Red Cross responded to a fire at my home when I was in the 6th grade. Giving to the Red Cross, both my time and treasure, was a natural fit for me. Only after talking to others did I realize the depth and breadth of the services the American Red Cross provides.

Currently, I am the Prince William Council chairperson for the Red Cross and I serve on the Board of Directors for the National Capital Region. I am also a Tiffany Circle member and assist with the Tiffany Circle leadership, helping to welcome and develop new members. My daughter is also a Tiffany Circle member. The Tiffany Circle was formed in 2006 to “unite and engage a group of generous and highly-involved women to continue to ensure that the Red Cross has the ability to help people prevent, prepare for and respond to life's emergencies.” Members from across the country each donate $10,000 or more annually to support the American Red Cross. For more information on the Tiffany Circle, click here.

The American Red Cross is one of those groups that aids virtually every person in the world.  Blood services, first aid/CPR classes, swimming lessons, disaster response, and service to the armed forces help millions of people. Virtually no other charitable cause touches so many people in such a variety of ways. The Red Cross has a massive group of volunteers across the entire United States carrying out 90% of humanitarian work for the organization.

When choosing a place to volunteer, it must be known that the Red Cross truly is about neighbors helping neighbors. For over 150 years the Red Cross has been a backbone of security. We take for granted that the Red Cross will help those in need during an emergency and will be present in our community in the face of hurricanes, floods and more.  However, it takes many volunteers and resources to make it all happen. Life without the Red Cross would not be as safe and secure. Through the years of consistently reaching out to help communities, we are confident in knowing that there is “someone” out there who will help in an emergency.

Ultimately, anyone seeking a wonderful organization to volunteer with should consider the Red Cross! www.redcross.org/volunteer

My Red Cross Volunteer Story: Donna Flory

Written by: Emily Goff, volunteer

I first became involved with the American Red Cross as a blood donor over 30 years ago, and later a platelet donor when a friend of mine developed leukemia. Giving blood and platelets was my way of supporting my friend, his family and others at the same time.

Disasters also played a big role in my initial experiences with the American Red Cross. In the 1960’s, a big earthquake in Alaska affected my grandmother and I remember hearing how if not for the Red Cross, we wouldn’t have known that she was okay and cared for during and after the disaster. Additionally, when 9/11 occurred, like everyone else, I wanted to help make a difference. My time was spent organizing blood drives and coordinating the overwhelming response at blood donation sites.

Currently, I am part of the leadership council for Prince William County. I organize fundraisers, obtain sponsors for events, participate in outreach events, and when appropriate, I attend events dressed as “Clara B. Ready” to add some additional fun. I have also canvassed neighborhoods and installed smoke alarms for the Home Fire Campaign. Its experiences like this that motivate me give back. I’m part of a team of volunteers that goes door-to-door in vulnerable neighborhoods to check if people have working detectors and help to install new ones – FREE of charge.

In addition, I speak on a regular basis at hospitals, clubs and organizations on the importance of knowing CPR. I was originally trained in CPR and First Aid as mandated by the management position I held in the hospitality industry. I have utilized my first air training many times at traffic accidents, restaurants etc. That’s why when I speak, I offer to help pay for CPR courses for attendees wishing to become certified.

A very profound moment for me was when my husband, following a life threatening injury, had a full cardiac arrest in our living room. This happened on July 27, 2013 at 1:00 am in the morning. Without my training and the confidence that comes with such knowledge, Don would not be alive today. Only because he received CPR immediately, could he continue to be treated once arriving at the hospital. As a result, the doctors and staff at Prince William Novant Hospital and George Washington University could provide the necessary treatment that allows Don to lead a normal life of full-time work, driving, photography and vacationing, without physical or mental impairments. (I was awarded the ARC Lifesaving Merit Award for my actions) Get trained in CPR, you may save the life of a total stranger or someone near and dear to you!

During the very difficult and scary time of Don’s incident and recovery, not only were my family and friends there for me in the most amazing way, so was my American Red Cross family. At that moment my giving to the organization came back to me a hundred fold! We are family for life!

In order to become involved with the Red Cross, look at the ARC website, think about yourself, your family and find the area with America Red Cross that will allow you to make a difference. Look for an area of service that has impacted you. Use your story and life experiences to become involved and make a difference.

www.redcross.org/volunteer

Corporate Giving in Your Nation's Capital: An Inside Look at the American Red Cross Ready 365 Giving Program

Written by: Reed Mszar, volunteer

The American Red Cross Ready 365 Giving Program is targeted to local corporations seeking to provide financial support to the Red Cross in the $25,000 - $75,000 (mid-level) giving range. Ready 365, not only standardizes the rights and benefits for corporate donors of the Red Cross, but it also highlights two valuable principles. The first is that in order to make a significant difference in the community, a certain level of give-and-take is necessary. The giving program helps bring in financial support from local businesses for the Red Cross to use when responding to local disasters like floods and home fires and also provides the same corporations and foundations an opportunity to gain a valued relationship with the Red Cross brand and thus, enhance their reputation in the community. Depending on the company’s giving level, ranging from Bronze all the way to Platinum, they will also be recognized in front of other Red Cross supporters.

The second ideal that Ready 365 embodies is that no matter who you are or where you live, you can help your community and those in need. Prior to Ready 365, there was no consistent framework for annual corporate giving at the mid-level giving range specified above. This inevitably led to a great deal of variation in mid-level giving programs among different Red Cross chapters across the country. It is expected that not all businesses who wish to support the efforts of the American Red Cross can give to the same degree as others. Ready 365 takes this fact into consideration as the benefits of joining the program are flexible based on the market size of the region in which the company is located and the capacity at which they can give. Regardless of how big or small a corporation is, there are now clear guidelines on how they can best maximize their gifts to their local American Red Cross.

The most recent company to join Ready 365 in the National Capital Region is Host Hotels and Resorts in Bethesda, Maryland. Without companies like Host Hotels and Resorts, we at the Red Cross would not have been able to respond to over 477 local disasters and teach 54,728 people lifesaving skills in an array of classes in the past year. Ready 365 provides the American Red Cross the flexibility to apply the gifts where the need is greatest.

Companies and foundations who choose to join Ready 365 and develop a valuable relationship with the Red Cross will have the opportunity to enhance their existing reputation, deepen relationships within their community, generate donations to give back to vital markets, and have their gifts highlighted through high-traffic communication channels. A variety of specific benefits are also outlined in the local benefits matrix depending on a company’s particular giving level.

Ready 365 certainly has the potential to build stable and lasting relationships between the American Red Cross and regional business looking to make a difference in the lives of many every day.

Preparedness - Get to know us before you need us

Part 1 of a multi-part series

Written by: Erwin Stierle, Executive Director for Loudoun County

For sure, we are blessed to be in an area like ours where natural disasters aren't as prevalent as in other parts of the country.  But, it doesn't mean being prepared shouldn't be a priority for us all.  To help reduce the risk of home fires, households need to be vigilant with their preparedness.  Home fires are our nation’s largest national and local (Loudoun and Prince William) disaster threat that we face right now – more than any natural disaster.

Home fires devastate families and communities.  When a home fire hits, our local first responders ensure that the families are safe and that the threat of fire to a family's safety is removed.  The Red Cross responds to those fires to ensure the family has a resource for shelter, food, clothing and comfort.  When the fire is put out, what happens then?  It makes no difference if the family is insured or not.  When there is a home fire, there is an immediate family need that only the Red Cross can fulfill.  Whether it's medication needs; food, shelter, clothing needs; psychological needs; etc., the Red Cross stands ready to help during these times of disaster.

The preparedness effort devoted to reducing home fires includes our Home Fire Campaign, which takes Red Cross volunteers into community neighborhoods to canvass with preparedness information and to even install smoke alarms in homes where they are needed.  The nationwide goal is to reduce home fire related deaths and injuries by 25% in the next 5 years.

For our youth, preparedness education comes in the form of our Pillowcase Project, a Disney-sponsored initiative to teach students in grades 3-5 how to prepare for local disasters like home fires and to utilize their personally decorated pillowcases as their disaster bag, which is stuffed with their preparedness items as well as their favorite blanket, toy or stuffed animal.

To further prepare our community, the Red Cross offers our residents, local companies, nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations and community organizations the opportunity to prepare their constituents and employees with First Aid, CPR and AED training - lifesaving skills that can be used at any time in the case of emergency.  Locally, one of our Prince William Leadership Council members needed to use CPR immediately after her husband’s massive heart attack while in their home.  In the end, she saved her husband's life using the lifesaving skills training she learned from the American Red Cross.  Over the course of the last year, we trained nearly 15,000 people across Loudoun and Prince William Counties in lifesaving skills training like CPR, First Aid, Babysitter Training, Lifeguarding and Water Safety.

This is all part of your Red Cross community preparedness effort throughout Loudoun and Prince William Counties.  We’re active, we’re preparing our community, and we’re here for you to get to know us before you need us.

Erwin Stierle – Executive Director for Loudoun County – talks about the National Capital Region’s impact…

American Red Cross in Loudoun and Prince William Counties - what exactly do we do?  

Part 1 of a multi-part series

Written by: Erwin Stierle, Executive Director for Loudoun County

It's not surprising that so many people I talk with aren't familiar with everything we do locally.  As a national organization, we are known primarily for two things:  large scale disaster response and blood drives.  At least that's the preponderance of opinion I hear when out in the community.  It's likely because of how visible the big disasters are.  As I write this, Texas is dealing with massive flooding that turned fatal and injured dozens this Memorial Day weekend.  The emotional trauma for those who've lost their homes will touch thousands.  This is what's visible through news outlets and social media, at the national level.  But, did you know we're a very hyper-local nonprofit as well?





I ask that because the devastation isn't any less when just one family loses their home in a local house fire or local flooding.  And home fires happen in Loudoun and Prince William neighborhoods more than once a week.  Over our last full 12-month reporting period for these counties, we responded to just under 100 incidents and supported over 250 families consisting of over 650 people and giving them nearly 1,000 relief supplies for their immediate needs.

The volunteers handing out the relief supplies and comfort kits are also providing comfort and reassurance during a time of great need and stress for the families involved.  Our team has specially trained volunteers to handle a variety of specific needs.  For example, we have specialists who can handle situations when children with special needs are involved.  We ensure any lost medication is replaced immediately by coordinating with doctors’ offices and pharmacies.  We provide longer term care in terms of psychological needs that develop because of the trauma that is suffered.

None of this gets covered on the local news.  It won't make national news.  But the disaster suffered by that local family, their neighbors, their friends and their extended families will result in the same type of loss and emotional trauma that is prevalent in "the big" disasters.

I hope this gives you a glimpse of just one aspect of what we do in the National Capital Region every day.  Next week, I’ll focus on our Preparedness efforts within our schools and our community in general.  Please send me any questions or if you or your company want to get involved somehow with helping the Red Cross deliver on its mission in your community.