RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS -     The Halifax/Charlotte County Chapter of the Red Cross recently recognized its volunteers for their service.  Front row L to R, Kara Floan, Volunteer Disaster Services, 2004 Hurricane Season; Libby Hazelwood, Bloodmobile Volunteer; Carolyn Chandler, Bloodmobile Volunteer; Vivian Clark, Bloodmobile Volunteer; Donna Lacks, Office Volunteer; Cyd Lindley, Volunteer Board Member; Ginger Weaver, Executive Director.   Second Row L to R,  Barbara Hamlette, Volunteer Disaster Services, 2005 Hurricane Season; Jessica Hughes, Volunteer Red Cross Swim Instructor; Chuck Humphries, Volunteer CPR/First Aid Instructor and Disaster Services, 2005 Hurricane Season

Red Cross Volunteers: Always On Call

What do you call people who consider themselves on-call 24 hours a day, who get out of bed in the middle of the night to find shelter for a family whose house has just been destroyed by fire? 
What do you call the 1,340 people who have taken the time to give away one of the world’s most precious gifts: blood? 
What do you call those who have taught 932 people how to save a life and helped 46 service members separated from their families by military duty stay connected – with no monetary compensation?
You call them American Red Cross volunteers.
“We have a lot of very pleasant, hardworking volunteers,” said Halifax/Charlotte County Red Cross Executive Director Ginger Weaver.  “That’s makes my job a lot easier.  They put in a lot of hours and they’re very dedicated to the Red Cross.”
This year, volunteers in Halifax County have devoted several thousands of hours of service to our community, according to Weaver.  
They worked more than 2,000 hours helping receipt and acknowledge the more than $110,000 collected for Hurricane Katrina victims in the gulf, she said.
More than 20 Red Cross disaster trained volunteers gave two or three weeks each (several gave nine weeks each) of their lives to travel south to help Katrina victims deal with life struggles in the aftermath of one of the nation’s most devastating natural disasters. 
Since the lengthy 2005 Hurricane season, many of these volunteers have spent the winter months training to be better prepared for the 2006 Hurricane season.  During the local Chapter’s 89 years of existence in Halifax County, volunteers have performed the work of the chapter with direction of a single paid staff. 
This is how 91 cents of the donated dollar goes directly to chapter services, and why the Red Cross is a good steward of its donors’ contributions.
At its annual membership meeting in November, 2005, the Halifax-Charlotte County Chapter recognized volunteer Pat Strange for her excellent service as volunteer kitchen co-manager at a local disaster shelter. 
Volunteers Polly Ratcliff and Delores Schleigh were honored with Exceptional Volunteer awards, citing their many years (both have volunteered over 35 years each) with the local chapter’s bloodmobile program.  The theme of National Volunteer Week is “Inspire by Example” – these women truly are an inspiration and clearly exemplify volunteerism in the humanitarian work of the American Red Cross.
The Red Cross also takes steps to make sure volunteers have a positive experience, Weaver said.
“We do a mandatory four-page survey each year,” she said.  “We get a lot of feedback from them and most of that has been very positive. 
“We could never do this without volunteers,” she added.  “We have about 125 registered volunteers in the local chapter.”
Weaver also said she is proud that the Red Cross volunteers come from across society’s spectrum.
“We’ve very inclusive across age and demographic groups,” Weaver said.  “There are young people helping with the bloodmobile at the high school. 
“This teaches them about giving blood,” she said.  Also young people are getting certified as Red Cross lifeguards.  The Red Cross reaps the good and so do the volunteers. 
“We’ve seen very positive growth in our volunteer force,” she added.
The founding of the American Red Cross in 1881 was due to the devotion and dedication of Clara Barton. 
Today, 125 years later, the organization’s actions, guided by its commitment to humanity and a desire to promote mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation, and lasting peace among all people, follow these fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.  Red Cross Volunteers are trained to adhere to these principles while performing chapter services.  
As a member of the Chapter’s diverse cadre’ of volunteers, residents can make a difference in someone’s life, Weaver said. 
The Halifax-Charlotte County Chapter of the American Red Cross needs people who will financially support the chapter’s mission, volunteers who are willing to be trained to help with disasters, both locally and during national disasters. 
Volunteers who will serve as board members, and volunteers who will help the chapter raise needed funds to support bloodmobiles, CPR/First Aid training, Armed Forces Emergency Services, and the chapter’s disaster services program. 
A phone call to 434-476-5148 can get the ball rolling for your contribution of time, your unique skill, your donation of blood, or the beginning of your volunteer experience, Weaver said.