Why I help: Bay Area volunteer Daren Olson
By Sharon J. Alfred
Red Cross HFC Volunteer Daren Olson poses with “Sparky,” who is the fire prevention mascot for the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
Daren Olson is a firefighter with 30 years’ experience, so when he retired it was natural for him to become a volunteer with the American Red Cross’ Home Fire Campaign (HFC). During his many years as a firefighter, he saw smoke alarms in all sorts of conditions. Olson recalled, “Once, I saw a melted smoke alarm sitting on the counter!” He never wants to see that again.
Preventing home fire is a subject near and dear to his heart. That’s one of the main reasons he volunteers on the HFC campaign with the Red Cross. He is the Contra Costa County HFP administrator/coordinator. Read more
For retired nurse Colleen Sasso, becoming a volunteer for the American Red Cross in 2009 was a perfect opportunity to do something other than nursing. It was a good plan, or so it seemed at the time.
When Los Altos Hills resident Florence Buatois was asked in 2012 to join the Silicon Valley Chapter’s Board of Directors, she accepted the Red Cross leadership position without hesitation. After all, Florence had attended college in Switzerland, the country where the international Red Cross was founded more than 150 years ago.
Your Red Cross Update 