written and edited by Danielle Bryan
After 45 years of volunteering with the American Red Cross, I would say it is the rewards that keep me coming back. There is a real sense of fulfillment when you hear the words “thank you” from a family displaced by disaster. In addition, I have built friendships and a sense of camaraderie with a group of people who I would not have met otherwise.
I first volunteered with the Red Cross in 1963 as a water safety instructor teaching swimming in Long Island, NY, and later taught First Aid and CPR classes at military bases while serving as a major with the United States Air Force.
After retiring from 21 years of military service and a 26-year career in corporate management, I realized I was entering a new chapter of my life. I did not want to sit around and waste the best years of my life. More importantly, I did not want my brain to turn into bubble gum!
Now I spend an average of 40 hours a month volunteering with the Red Cross. I provide assistance to disaster clients by setting up and operating shelters, and I provide snacks and beverages to clients and first responders as a canteen worker. Every week, I make sure the disaster vehicles are serviced and ready to go to the next disaster.
The most eye-opening experience I’ve had as a volunteer was in 2001 when I went to a condominium fire in Hollywood. The displaced couple had just pulled up with their moving van six hours prior to the disaster. An electrical fire was their welcome gift, causing them to lose virtually everything. That day, it really hit home that a catastrophe knows no boundaries – not geographical, economical, nor social.
That event reminds me why I volunteer. I care about restoring normalcy among families because I have my own family. I care about comforting children who have been pulled put of their beds as a result of disaster because I have two daughters. I care if people are in need of food and shelter because it could be me someday.
