Author Archives: Jill Feldon LaNouette

A 70th Birthday Request for Blood Donations Inspires Lifelong Commitments

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Naomi Stamper (left) inspired her friend Linda Wulf (right) to become a regular blood donor. They said that one of the highest of levels of Jewish charity is when the donor doesn’t know the identity of the person who receives and the one who receives doesn’t know the identity of the donor. So, for these long-time friends, donating blood is pure, uncomplicated satisfaction. 
Photo courtesy of Naomi Stamper

When Naomi Stamper was about to turn 70 years young, her friends asked her what she wanted to do to celebrate. “I didn’t want to just go out to lunch with my lady friends,” she said. “I wanted to do something important.” 

So, she asked her friends to give blood, with the goal of getting 70 donations. She arranged for her synagogue to do a 70th birthday blood drive for her friends, and the word spread to friends and family across the country. “We got over 70 donations at that time, and the donations kept on growing,” Naomi, who is now 83, said. “People kept going and donating blood for years, like my friend Linda.” 

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Bill Sinn Knows Blood

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Photo courtesy of Bill Sinn

Bill Sinn spent 35 years working for Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, 20 of which as the hospital’s blood bank manager or, officially, the blood bank’s lead technologist. Highly respected for his expertise in testing, matching, and preparing blood for transfusion to meet a variety of the hospital’s patients’ needs, Sinn is now a quiet, humble, and extremely skilled volunteer serving with the American Red Cross Biomedical Services department as a Transportation Specialist.

“He’s the blood bankers’ blood banker,” said Michael Gregory, a Red Cross board member and former staff member. “If I were having surgery, I would want the best person in charge of identifying the right match for my blood transfusion. That would have been Bill Sinn.”

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The Bridge to Hope and Help: Meet Kane Wong, Bay Area Chapter’s Clara Barton Award Recipient

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By Jill Feldon and Martin Gagliano

Photo courtesy of Kane Wong

A fire broke out in a multi-family, 38-unit apartment complex in Oakland, leaving the building uninhabitable and its residents displaced. Most didn’t speak English and desperately needed assistance. While a temporary shelter was available for a couple of nights, the fire caused such extensive damage that it would take months of repairs before the families could move back in.

Kane Wong and his American Red Cross team called many potential shelters and arranged for a church in the neighborhood to provide shelter for the affected individuals for an extended period of time. “We also arranged for a translator, feeding and other assistance from our partners,” he said. “It’s great to make things happen, lessening client anxiety and misery.” Kane also commented that the church thanked the Red Cross for allowing them to participate in the relief efforts. This collaboration furthers the church’s goals to support the community.

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Greedy Good Work 

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In 2022, Jesse Kilgore was serving in the U.S. Army in Germany when he got an unexpected call. Thanks to the smart thinking of his sister – who is also a veteran – and the American Red Cross’ emergency communication service, Jesse learned that his father was dying.  He needed to get to Los Angeles right away so he could say goodbye.  

But Jesse didn’t have the money to fly halfway across the world. So once again the American Red Cross came through. Jesse was gifted with the cost to fly to LA just before his father passed away. 

That experience inspired Jesse to pay back the Red Cross “not with money, but with my own labor,” Jesse said. He signed up to help the Red Cross with disaster services. Communities and families depend on the Red Cross and its volunteers to provide comfort and support following a disaster such as wildfires, floods, and hurricanes by opening shelters, providing warm meals, offering critical financial help and supporting them through the recovery phase among other services.  

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