by Nikta Jaberzadeh, Chair, West L.A. Youth District Board

Nearly 90 members from Red Cross youth clubs from throughout Southern California participated in Global Youth Service Day on April 25.

Southern California Youth Consortium volunteers and advisors met at the Santa Monica chapter in the morning and were inspired by two guest speakers: Pat West, a UCLA student and volunteer chair of the Red Cross National Youth Council and Cary Van Ausdall, a long-time Greater Los Angeles chapter volunteer. Each spoke about their experiences as youth volunteers.

The youth then split up into groups to demonstrate and inform the public about the five Red Cross areas of service. Focusing on Disaster Services, volunteers distributed fire safety information to over 800 homes in Santa Monica and also performed a disaster safety puppet show during a children’s festival at Santa Monica College. The Health and Safety group educated children at the festival about basic safety skills, such as water and bike safety, while the Blood Services group canvassed the college encouraging residents to donate blood. The International Services group distributed information and raised funds for the international Red Cross Measles Initiative. The Service to Armed Forces group went to the West L.A. Fisher House and delivered over 200 food and other items they had collected for family members of veterans who are currently staying at the Fisher House.

For more information about Youth Services, please contact Bee Kong, volunteer manager, Office of Volunteer Programs, at (310) 477-5174 or at KongK@arcla.org.

Photo: Southern California Red Cross youth members May Nakagome (l), Culver City High School, and Kiyoko Nakano, Palisades Charter High School, participate in Global Youth Services Day.