Tag Archives: Volunteers

In the shadow of a volcano

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By Barbara Wood

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Red Cross volunteer Barbara Wood of Woodside works in Hilo, Hawaii, with Eric Mondero of San Diego in the Red Cross headquarters where the work of other volunteers helping the island respond to ongoing volcanic activity is coordinated. (Photo: Karl Matzke, American Red Cross volunteer)

Kilauea has long been a tourist attraction on the “big island” of Hawaii, a volcano within a national park that has been erupting with generally benign regularity since 2008.

In Hawaiian mythology Kilauea’s Halema’uma’u crater is the home, and the embodiment, of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes. As part of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, tourists regularly hike Pele’s flanks.

On May 3, however, everything changed. Soon after volcanic fissures began opening up under homes and farmland in the Leilani Estates neighborhood of the district of Puna, and earthquakes began coming almost too fast for the U.S. Geological Survey to register them, residents were evacuated, structures destroyed, roads closed and the Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) a geothermal energy plant that supplied a quarter of the island’s power was shut down, perhaps forever. Read more

In retirement with no signs of slowing down

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george-on-deployment_391x260When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, George Dresnek explored ways to help and found himself in an American Red Cross call center in Oakland. He now regularly deploys for the Red Cross as a facilities expert to 6 to 7 disaster responses a year, volunteer work that can take him away for up to 28 days at a time. Acknowledging the incredible sacrifices he makes on behalf of those in need, George readily credits his wife for this generosity. “I retired in 2012,” he smirks, describing his ongoing availability for service. “But she was the one who told me to ‘get a hobby.’” Read more

Red Cross Celebrates Volunteers in Humboldt and Del Norte counties

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SANTA ROSA (July 10, 2018) —  The American Red Cross of the California Northwest honored six volunteers from Humboldt and Del Norte counties at its annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner on June 23, 2018, at the Lost Coast Brewery. Volunteers honored at the dinner include:

  • Disaster Master Award: Doug Ronjoin of Crescent City
  • Gumby Award: Allen Puderbaugh of Crescent City
  • Community Engagement Award: Mary Dorman of Crescent City
  • Volunteer Supervisor Award: Maritza Guzman of McKinleyville
  • New Volunteer of the Year Award: Sandy Haux of Trinidad
  • Volunteer of the Year Award: Tyge Bellinger of Arcata

In addition, a number of people were honored at the event for the number of hours they volunteered to the Red Cross in 2017. While the annual event spotlights a number of key volunteers, dinner emcee Julie Mucilli said the event is designed to acknowledge all of the Red Cross’s local volunteers. “Our volunteers take on a variety of important roles in serving our communities,” says Mucilli, Volunteer Services Manager for Humboldt & Del Norte counties. “All of our volunteers give selflessly of their time, and the Red Cross would not be able to provide the help and support we do without them.”

Photos from the event can be found on the California Northwest Chapter’s Flickr site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/redcrosscalnw/albums/72157692601131180.

Become a Red Cross Volunteer
You can make a difference in the California Northwest by becoming a volunteer with the American Red Cross. Volunteers constitute about 94 percent of the total Red Cross workforce to carry out our humanitarian work. Red Cross volunteers are trained to meet the needs of those affected by disasters, providing food, shelter and comfort for families affected by major disasters such as fires, floods, and earthquakes as well as helping local residents prepare for and recover from emergencies of all kinds. We’ll find the position that appeals to you and allows you to use your skills and talents. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org.
 

About American Red Cross of the California Northwest
With office locations in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma counties, the American Red Cross is a non-profit, humanitarian organization that depends on the generous contributions of time and money from residents and companies to provide services and programs that help our community to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. For more information, visit our website at redcross.org/calnw or call us at 1-707-577-7600. You may also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Red Cross celebrates volunteers in Silicon Valley

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41615968374_65a4b64507_z_391x260The American Red Cross of the Silicon Valley honored 12 individual volunteers, a regional volunteer team, and a local fire department at its recent Volunteer Recognition Dinner for Santa Clara County. The annual event was held at Testarossa Winery in Los Gatos.

At the dinner, Chris Carlton of Menlo Park received the American Red Cross’s top honor, the Clara Barton Award. The award, named after the founder of the Red Cross, recognizes a volunteer for service in a series of leadership positions held over a number of years. Read more

Celebrating volunteers in Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties

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Michele Averill, left, CEO of the Central Coast Chapter, is pictured with Janet Packer, recipient of the Clara Barton Award. (Photo: Jim Hobbs)

CARMEL, CA (June 21, 2018) — The American Red Cross of the Central Coast honored 15 individual volunteers, a volunteer team, three other organizations, and one business at its recent Volunteer Recognition Dinner for Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties. The annual event was held at Seascape Golf Club in Aptos. Read more

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