July 2, 2008
The following message is from Kate Forbes, National Chair of Volunteers:
I am pleased to announce that Patrick West will serve as the next Chair of the National Youth Council. He began his new position on July 1.
An unofficial volunteer since the age of nine, Pat began his Red Cross career by tagging along with his two older brothers to car washes and gift wrap fundraisers. A few years later, Pat attended the Bay Area chapter’s Leadership Development Center (LDC), an experience that jumpstarted his association with the Red Cross and led to a position on the American Red Cross Bay Area Board of Directors.
Pat continued his Red Cross involvement as a student at UCLA, where he is now a senior. He recently served as president of the Red Cross Club at UCLA and he is an active volunteer with the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles and the Southern California Blood Services region. Pat is an experienced young leader and a great asset to the American Red Cross.
As Chair of the National Youth Council, Pat will manage a dynamic group of young volunteers and adult supporters who advocate for the interests of youth and young adults in the organization. The council focuses primarily on building the capacity of the American Red Cross by helping Red Cross units engage youth and young adults and providing training and leadership opportunities to retain these young volunteers and blood donors.
It has been a privilege to work with the National Youth Council and see all we have accomplished together. As Chair for the past three years, Sandy Tesch has taken the influence of the National Youth Council to new heights. The National Youth Institute is now a premier training event for youth and young adults and their advisors, providing essential leadership skills for our newest generation of volunteers. And thanks to your financial contributions, the American Red Cross will continue to honor its young volunteers with the Navin Narayan College Scholarship.
Please join me in thanking Sandy and welcoming Pat as the new Chair of the National Youth Council.
