written and edited by Danielle Bryan
With the holiday season winding down, we pack away ornaments, decorations, and such, but one thing many among us will never pack away is the spirit of giving. Such people carry the traditions of the holidays around all year; giving their time, their money, their love, and themselves, while gaining in return the gift known only to those who give freely. Such people are many, but Paula Pruner is a volunteer that leaves a lasting impression on everyone she meets.
Paula gives the gift of herself during times of elections, disasters, and everyday in between. Paula volunteers simply because she loves to help people. She has found that opportunities to give back to the community continue year round, as do the rewards.
When Paula Pruner was laid off from Adelphia Cable in 2004, after nine years of service, her son encouraged her to volunteer at the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles. “The layoff was very difficult on me, but the Red Cross helped me through it”, Paula said.
As a volunteer for the East San Fernando Valley District of the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles, Paula volunteers 20 hours a week answering phones, processing course records, taking payment for course records, conducting credit card transactions over the phone, answering questions pertaining to course records, and helping customers when they come in to purchase items. In addition, Paula works at local outreach events and blood drives, and recently started taking courses in order to become a member of the Disaster Action Team (DAT). “I enjoy doing all of this because of the people that I meet. I love volunteering because I love helping people. It is just nice to meet nice people”. On a more personal note, Paula’s mother had fallen ill eight years ago and required a blood transfusion. It was the American Red Cross that made this possible, and for that Paula is eternally grateful.
While Paula understands that the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles does not have as many volunteers as they would like, the ones that they do have are very knowledgeable. “They know what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. It gives me a sense of satisfaction in the event that something happens. They are trying to help the community and I think that is great”.
Photo: Paula volunteering at the East Valley (Burbank) District
