United Way # 8019
CFC # 99248
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Volunteer Spotlight Archives
Fall 2009
Ruth Gibbons
Ruth Gibbons is a volunteer with the Arlington County Chapter’s Emergency Services Department. She has been volunteering with the American Red Cross for the past 35 years. Regarding her volunteer work with the Red Cross, Ruth recently explained, “In the early 1970’s as a high school student I wanted to do something to help others so I volunteered for the American Red Cross as a Candy Striper at the Northern Virginia Doctors Hospital through the Arlington Chapter.” She has also volunteered for years at local blood drives. After September 11, 2001, her focus turned to Emergency Services. Ruth’s most recent volunteer work includes serving on a Disaster Action Team (DAT), providing mass care at special events, exercises and drills, and replenishing the DAT supplies. When asked why Ruth feels compelled to volunteer, she stated, “I enjoy helping out with an organization that I feel does very important work. I like volunteering with such dedicated employees and volunteers. I continue because I think it is important to help out my local community and I enjoy what I do. After I retire I hope to be able to respond if there is a need to a national disaster.”
The staff of the Arlington County Chapter sincerely appreciates all of Ruth’s work. Tom Oostdyk, Emergency Services Manager recently stated, “Ruth is a wonderfully reliable, thorough and competent volunteer. She often chooses to work behind the scenes which makes this gratitude past due. I have really appreciated her sincere impact at our chapter.” Chris Luhring, Emergency Services Specialist, added, “We are very fortunate to have Ruth on our disaster response team. Because we have amazing volunteers, like Ruth, the Red Cross team will always be there for the Arlington community.” Thank you, Ruth, for your many years of voluntary service to the American Red Cross!
January 2009
Ken Briggs
Ken Briggs has been a volunteer with the American Red Cross since 1993. Ken was stationed at an Air Force Base in Crete and began volunteering as a First Aid and CPR instructor. In March of 2006, Ken moved to Arlington, Virginia and immediately became involved with the Arlington County Chapter by deploying to Massachusetts as a Client Casework Manager.
Currently, Ken serves many volunteer functions at the Arlington County Chapter. He has deployed five times as a Client Service Administrator, and also serves as a disaster instructor, Disaster Committee member, and as a Lay Responder First Aid/CPR/AED instructor. Additionally, Ken volunteered a significant amount of time to planning and organizing our recent regional Disaster Training Conference.
When asked about his experience volunteering for the Red Cross, Ken stated, “I enjoy my association with the Arlington Chapter staff because they are open to suggestions from volunteers. I am still motivated to give back to society by assisting clients and by being an advocate for volunteers. The Arlington staff allows me to accomplish these goals. The Red Cross is a unique organization that allows its volunteers to make a difference.”
The Arlington County Chapter is thankful to have dedicated and motivated volunteers like Ken on our team. Tom Oostdyk, Coordinator of Emergency Services, said, “Ken truly believes in the mission of the Red Cross and is guided by our fundamental principles in both his work with our chapter and all other aspects of his life.” Dawn Kuras, Director of Emergency Services, stated, “With fifteen years of service, Ken has proven himself as a steadfast member of our Red Cross. His holistic approach to volunteering– with contributions to our Services to the Armed Forces, Health & Safety and Disaster Services programs – is unique and truly inspiring! We are proud to serve with Ken and are grateful for all that he has done for our organization, community and nation.”
The Arlington County Chapter is proud to spotlight a volunteer every several months. The volunteer, chosen by the staff, is someone who demonstrates a great enthusiasm for our mission and a drive for giving back to the community. By spotlighting these volunteers in our newsletter, Volunteer Word e-newsletter, and website, other volunteers will get a sense of what their peers are doing for the Red Cross in the field or in the office. Our goal for the spotlights is to build a sense of community amongst the volunteers and raise awareness of the hard work of others.
September 2008
Kristen Lloyd
Kristen Lloyd began her volunteer experience with the Arlington County Chapter of the American Red Cross in June of 2007 after moving to Arlington from Los Angeles. When asked why Kristen decided to get involved with the Red Cross, she said, “To meet people in the community, make new friends, help the community that I moved into, and learn more about the people in the area.”
Kristen’s volunteer work has spanned multiple departments at the Chapter and her involvement has grown extensively in the past year. In November of 2007, when the Chapter’s young professional group Club Red was first launched, Kristen stepped up to become a member of the Leadership Committee. Regarding Kristen’s work with Club Red, Volunteer Coordinator Heather Pritchett said, “Kristen has proved instrumental in the development and success of Club Red. She has been involved with the group since the beginning and has helped to organize some of our most successful events. She single-handedly orchestrated Club Red’s recent fundraiser at Rock Bottom Brewery in Ballston Common Mall, which raised over $1,600 for the Chapter.”
She also volunteered for the daunting task of serving as Co-Chair of the March Mania Silent Auction in March of 2008. She, along with Co-Chair Jessica Craven, organized Club Red members to solicit auction items from local businesses. The group went door-to-door in different neighborhoods of Arlington every weekend for several months prior to the March Mania event collecting items to be auctioned off. Their hard work paid off; the Silent Auction raised over $6,000 for the Chapter.
Additionally, Kristen occasionally volunteers as a “Mentor” with the Chapter’s Youth Team by supervising the teens’ weekend projects. She took a group of Youth Team volunteers to Hemlock Overlook for a day of teambuilding and leadership development and also worked with the Youth Team at the 2008 Cherry Blossom Run, where the volunteers staffed a water stop.
When asked what she enjoys most about volunteering for the Red Cross, Kristen replied, “I have enjoyed meeting a variety of new people, making valuable friendships, giving back to Arlington County, and helping to start what has become a successful young professionals group.” The Arlington County Chapter is grateful for Kristen’s dedication and leadership and looks forward to many more great successes in her volunteerism.
April 2008
Helen White
Helen White began volunteering with the Arlington County Chapter of the American Red Cross in 2006. Her involvement began while working with Julie Wright, the Chapter’s Chief Public Support Officer, to plan the 2007 March Mania basketball tournament fundraiser. Helen is co-founder of the NOVA United Senior Women’s Basketball Association and was able to use this experience to help plan the event and recruit experienced volunteers. Since becoming involved with our Chapter, Helen has significantly contributed to making March Mania a successful event two years in a row, including serving as Co-Chair for March Mania 2008. She is an outstanding volunteer and is to be commended for her dedication to our Chapter.
In 2007, Helen White served on the March Mania planning committee. When asked about her involvement in the event, Helen stated, “My friend and I are co-founders of the NOVA United Senior Women's Basketball Association. Knowing that a basketball tournament requires a lot of volunteer support, my friend thought our association might be able to provide volunteers for March Mania. Before long, Julie asked us to join the planning committee for the 2007 Arlington Red Cross Community March Mania Basketball tournament. As coordinator of NOVA United, I was able to mobilize approximately twenty volunteers for the tournament and was also able to use my experience as a former Director of Intramural Sports to help plan the event.”
Helen’s involvement with the 2007 tournament was so critical to the event’s success that she was then asked to serve as the 2008 March Mania Co-Chair. Thanks to Helen and the entire planning committee, our 2008 event was our most successful to date. We raised approximately $12,000 for the Chapter, and Helen’s work significantly contributed to this accomplishment. Regarding her connection with NOVA United, Helen remarked, “I think it is great to have senior women (between 50-72) serving as volunteer scorekeepers and timers for the mostly young adult male participants in the March Mania tournament. We also get an opportunity to show that senior women can still play the game of basketball. The senior women are an inspiration for all and serve as great role models for demonstrating a positive image of aging.”
When asked what motivates her to volunteer, Helen said, “I am impressed with the commitment level of Red Cross volunteers. They are interested in being engaged in their community and are trying to make a difference in the lives of others. I am inspired by them.” Julie Wright believes Helen is an inspiration in her own right. Julie stated, “Helen, like most of our volunteers, brings skill sets that we need and perspectives that we can’t have without them. We were so fortunate to have Helen helping us with the March Mania Basketball Tournament because she KNOWS basketball. This level of leadership from our volunteers is what makes us a terrific Chapter.”
Volunteers like Helen White are what make our Chapter so successful. For fiscal year 2007, our Chapter was honored by our national organization by being recognized as a Highly Performing Chapter. Only 10% of Red Cross Chapters in the country received this ranking. The Arlington County Chapter could not have reached this goal without hardworking, dedicated volunteers such as Helen White.
December 2007
Sara Wolfe
Sara Wolfe has been a volunteer with the Arlington County Chapter of the American Red Cross since September 2006. In her professional life, she works for Red Cross National Headquarters in Washington, DC. Passionate about the organization’s mission, she wanted to get more involved at the Chapter level as a volunteer. Since her start as a volunteer, Sara has significantly contributed to our Chapter in several leadership roles through serving on the March Mania planning committee and as the Leadership Committee Chair for a new young professionals group called Club Red.
In 2007, our annual basketball tournament fundraiser, March Mania, was taken to a much larger level thanks to a very dedicated volunteer team. Sara plays basketball recreationally and was able to contribute her expertise on the sport to the Chapter. She helped organize the tournament’s schedule and brackets and recruited several teams. “I recruited a team from Red Cross headquarters to play in the March Mania tournament and we are all still good friends today,” Sara recalls. The Chapter is currently gearing up for March Mania 2008, to be held on March 8, and Sara has already begun helping to plan and organize the event.
Sara has also lent her leadership skills to the Chapter’s new young professionals group, Club Red. Club Red is a way for volunteers in their 20s and 30s to contribute to the Chapter through fundraisers, special events, and volunteer projects in a fun and social setting. “When I was first toying with the idea of starting a group like this for the Chapter, I knew I would need several strong volunteer leaders to get it off the ground. Sara Wolfe was the first to come to mind. When I approached her with the idea, she was immediately excited and ready to get started! Thanks to her hard work over the past several months, we’ve been able to get Club Red off to a successful start. Her enthusiasm for our mission is contagious!” states Heather Pritchett, Volunteer Coordinator.
When asked why she enjoys volunteering for the Red Cross, Sara stated, “I think it is a great cause. The Red Cross has done so many great things for people and I like feeling as though I’m a part that , even if it’s a very small part.” We are ecstatic to have Sara on our team of volunteers. Her leadership abilities, motivation, and determination have helped to make our Chapter and the entire Arlington community a better place.
September 2007
Krista Jeremiah
rista Jeremiah has been a volunteer with the Arlington County Chapter of the American Red Cross since January of 2006. Her experience with our organization began long before she came to Arlington, however. Krista began volunteering with the American Red Cross when she was just 14 years old as a candy striper in the physical therapy department in Florida’s Mayport Naval Base clinic. She later assisted in the disaster relief efforts in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina with the United Methodist Corps on Relief (UMCOR). Her appreciation for the American Red Cross was solidified while working with UMCOR. Krista stated, “Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles came by morning, noon, and night with hot meals. The people on those ERVs were wonderful. They brought news about what other groups were doing and when they found out that I was a vegetarian they made a point of bringing me a separate vegetarian meal every day. I didn’t have to eat the MREs I’d brought!” After her interaction with the Red Cross during Hurricane Katrina relief, Krista returned to Arlington and signed up to volunteer with the Arlington County Chapter.
Disaster Services Coordinator, Dawn Kuras, said, “Krista’s dedication, flexibility, and willingness to serve on a variety of projects has been a great asset to our Chapter! Over the past year, she’s provided great support to our Disaster Services program, assisting with administrative tasks as well as serving as a dedicated member of our Disaster Action Team. Krista has also contributed her personal talents as a photographer throughout our week-long summer Youth Disaster College, at our National Airport Drill, and for the 2008 Chapter Calendar.”
When asked what motivates her to stay involved with the Red Cross, Krista stated, “The people. I’ve met so many interesting people through the Red Cross with such a broad spectrum of backgrounds, interests and skills. It has the interesting effect of humbling me at the same time that I’m empowered and inspired to help more.” Krista said that one of her most rewarding moments as a volunteer occurred during her time photographing the Youth Disaster College. “Watching some of the kids move from a ‘my-mom-made-me-come’ attitude to excitement and interest as they realized the practical applications and responsibility inherent in what they were learning was part of what the Red Cross is all about,” said Krista. She also recalled the first moment that she realized what an adrenaline rush volunteering can be. “It was pouring outside and I’d gotten used to not being called while on DAT duty, when the phone rang. It was a DAT call! I changed into my ARC clothes, grabbed my bag, ran through the rain and didn’t take my first full breath when I shut the door of the car to head to the chapter. I had a legitimate reason to get out, look around and help a few people. Pretty neat!” Krista added.
The Arlington County Chapter is very grateful to have Krista on our team of volunteers. Her dedication and enthusiasm are contagious and her work benefits our entire organization. Dawn Kuras adds, “We’re glad to have her as a part of our team, and look forward to working with her in the future!”
August 2007
Bisher Mufti
isher Mufti has been chosen for our very first Volunteer Spotlight! Bisher, who began volunteering with the Arlington County Chapter in January of 2007, is currently a Disaster Action Team (DAT) member. Bisher said, “Starting with the Red Cross was a pretty easy decision after some searching on www.volunteermatch.com.” After attending a New Volunteer Orientation, as required of all our volunteers, he signed up for the DAT Semester. The DAT Semester is comprised of two consecutive, intensive weekends of training to prepare volunteers to respond to local disasters. Since then, he’s been on call off and on for the past few months. In April alone, Bisher signed up to be on call a total of 16 days, 6 of which he carried the pager. At the beginning of April he was able to go out on his first call. Regarding his first response on the scene at an apartment fire, Bisher stated, “It’s always a tragedy for the clients, but knowing that I was there to help them get their lives together is truly a remarkable experience.”
Along with his experience in Disaster Services, Bisher plans to become an instructor for both Health and Safety and Disaster Services. When asked what drives him to pursue such Red Cross courses, Bisher said, “My main focus has been to continue to take classes so that I am best prepared to help out as often as I can. . .I also enjoy meeting all the different people in the classes. As I’m sure everyone does, I’ve taken classes all over the NCA as well as at the local Arlington Chapter. I think taking classes at different Chapters is really a great way to mix experiences and develop a greater understanding about the Red Cross culture.” Dawn Kuras, Disaster Services Coordinator, added, “[Bisher] also recently joined our Material Support Services committee in an effort to help strengthen our Chapter’s preparedness and response capacities.”
In his professional career, Bisher is currently on active duty with the Navy and serves at the Pentagon on the Chief of Naval Operations staff as a Strategic Analyst for plans and policy. He joined the Navy immediately after graduating from Bradley University in Illinois. He went directly to flight school in Pensacola, Florida and was designated a Naval Flight Officer. Traveling with his job is one of the reasons Bisher chose to volunteer with the Red Cross. “No matter where I move in my Navy career, there will almost always be a Red Cross Chapter that I can be a part of,” Bisher said.
And as though a career in the Navy and volunteering with the Red Cross isn’t enough, Bisher also tutors several days a week with Horton’s kids, a nonprofit that provides comprehensive services to the children of D.C.’s Ward 8. Speaking of his volunteer work, Bisher says, “I think stepping outside yourself to be a part of something greater is a vital part of life. Not being married or having kids myself to focus on, it’s really important for me to remember that sometimes there are more important things going on besides the trivialities of daily life. Being a part of the Red Cross helps me remember the bigger picture.”
The Arlington County Chapter is very grateful to have Bisher on our team of volunteers. When asked about Bisher’s volunteer service, Dawn Kuras stated, “Bisher’s leadership, flexibility, and dedication to the Red Cross mission make him an asset to our organization, and we’re excited to continue working with him in the future!”
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Volunteer Spotlight
Volunteer Spotlight
Volunteer Spotlight
