Snow Day Activity: Create a Disaster Plan

The Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia has declared a state of emergency due to the forecast of ominous wintry weather.  People are scurrying home, after making a mad dash to the grocery store for milk and the video store for a movie or two before the snowflakes begin to fall.  The goal is to get inside and stay there. 

That is the goal for people who are not Red Cross paid or volunteer staff.   As it became more clear that a winter storm would be inevitable, we began reviewing our plans about what to do and how to do it.  We, as Red Cross staff and volunteers, cannot plan to stay inside or prepare to remain within the comfort of our own homes during times of emergency.  This is when agencies in the business of disaster relief, such as the Red Cross,  must step forward to meet the needs that may arise as a result of a disruption in the normal flow of life for everyone else.  The need for the basic necessities does not take a hiatus during a winter storm.  Our neighbors still need a safe, warm place to sleep, transportation to their critical medical appointments, and food. 

At times like these, when many families have more time in the house together than is usually the case, I hope some family member will take the initiative to convene the family members and review (or create) the family disaster plan. 

Our goal is to have a region filled with families who are Red Cross Ready for natural disasters and other emergencies. 

If you need further information about how to make a disaster plan, please review the steps on our website or in our newsletter.

Helping to wipe away tears

I saw a lot of tears this week . . . tears of sorrow and of joy. 

We had a huge fire at an apartment complex in Richmond.  All of the residents of the apartment complex were either older than 62 or had some kind of disability.  In the wake of the fire, 178 people were left without housing.  Moreover, many of the victims found themselves in a precarious health situation because they lost essential items like eye glasses, walkers or prescription medications in the blaze.  Sorrowful tears flowed because the sense of loss for some of these medically fragile senior adults was overwhelming.   I witnessed one elderly woman sobbing  and she apologized to me saying, “I am sorry you have to see me having a meltdown.”  I told her she did not have to apologize.   I let her know that it is our job to be there to help wipe away tears and restore hope. 

The staff, both paid and volunteer, effectively and tirelessly went about completing the myriad duties and tasks which are necessary to navigate people through a traumatic life-altering emergency.  As usual, many people seemed to be amazed that the assistance from the Red Cross was so quick and responsive.  It was good to know that our donors and friends have given us the ability to demonstrate to people that someone is prepared to help them in their hour of greatest need.  The compassionate response from the Red Cross generated many tears of relief and joy.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

I am grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of the Red Cross.   I am grateful to work with people who share a belief that it is our responsiblity to  ease or prevent the suffering of our neighbors during times of personal disasters and emergencies.  I am grateful that hundreds of people in this region feel compelled to volunteer their time to help the Red Cross serve others in need.  I am pleased that we have dynamic, compassionate volunteer leadership at the local, regional and national levels of the organization.   I am grateful that there are individuals, foundations, congregations, local governments and corporations that are willing to share their resources with us, so that we can be prepared and ready to serve when the moment arises.  I am in awe of the fact that the Red Cross spreads hope all over the world.

We need our Red Cross Youth

I was first introduced to the American Red Cross when I was a student at Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond, Virginia.  I have fond memories of the service projects, leadership development camps and the adults who helped introduce me to the role of the Red Cross in our local and global community.  Well, fast forward thirty years and now I am the CEO at the very chapter where I got my start as a youth volunteer.   I am definitely the poster child for volunteer service paving the way for a long term career path.

November is National Youth Involvement Month for the Red Cross.   Youth  involvement is a big deal to me.  We really need our Red Cross youth.   We need to hear what they have to say about our work and our future.  Therefore, it is my honor to defer this blog entry to a guest blogger:  Rajbir Chaggar.  Rajbir is a senior at  Cosby High School in Midlothian, Virginia.   He is the current president of the Youth Council and he serves on our board of directors.    Thanks for your service, Rajbir.

                                              * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

   I began volunteering with the American Red Cross, Greater Richmond Chapter in 2008. Since then, I have witnessed the strength of people who unite behind a common goal: to assist the unassisted, to protect the unprotected, and to unite the divided. Whether it be a horrendous house fire or civil unrest, or even cultural misunderstandings, the Red Cross has reached out to better our communities.

    One observation I noted from the beginning of my time of service was the astonishing role youth played in the organization. Youth volunteers organize fundraisers, go out on diaster cases, take client calls, teach CPR classes, and assist all other departments of the Red Cross. In no other organization is the involvement of youth so great, and in no other organization is the involvement of youth so critical to the success of the nonprofit. Youth are a pillar on which the Red Cross sits upon, and would tumble over without.

    That being said, let us take a moment to thank youth volunteers for their service to our organization. But then the question arises: why do young people volunteer with the American Red Cross? Why does our organization draw so many loyal supporters from the younger age spectrum than other nonprofits? The answer is respect. Because the Red Cross has touched the lives of so many folks, it has inevitably gathered admiration from youth. Youth know that, in the future, if they ever have a house fire or get caught in a hurricane, that the Red Cross will be their to help. This, combined with the respect youth volunteers receive when working with older, experienced staff encourages more and more youth to volunteer. And we, the youth, will continue to aid and respect the American Red Cross, because we know that we will receive the same aid and respect in our times of need.

Answering the Call to Care

I am fortunate to work at the local chapter of an organization that has two great people as part of its past and an amazing local philanthropist as a part of its present.

Henri Dunant is recognized as the father of the international Red Cross organization.  In 1859, he was on a business trip, making his way through Italy, when he came upon the aftermath of a battle in Solferino, Italy.  Thousands of men lay wounded and dying.  Henri Dunant decided at that moment that something should be done.  He felt called to care for the wounded and dying on the battlefield.  He organized the townspeople and coordinated medical care for the soldiers, regardless of military affiliation.  He saved lives.  His spontaneous action on that battlefield in Solferino changed the world.  He birthed a new way for us to care for one another during times of armed conflict.  His life would never be the same.  He dedicated his life, and all of his worldly goods, to creating an approach to alleviate human suffering based upon the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, unity, universality, voluntary service and independence.  Before he died in 1910, he was awarded the first Nobel Peace Prize.  Today, his legacy lives on through the Geneva Conventions.   

 Meanwhile, Clara Barton became the Angel of the Battlefield during the Civil War.  She volunteered as a nurse in response to the call to care for assistance to help those soldiers who were suffering on the battlefields.  She was successful at securing medical supplies for the wounded.  Although she had no official capacity, she was able to obtain permission to transport supplies across lines.  She tended to the needs of wounded soldiers regardless of whether they were fighting for the North or the South.  Four years after the war ended, she was in charge of the search for missing men.  After that, she went to Europe.  During her visit to Europe, she heard about the Red Cross.  She started the American Red Cross in 1881.  

Frank Barksdale, III became a part of the Red Cross family as a donor to the Richmond Chapter in 2007.   Although he was 10 years old and a student at Mary Munford Elementary School in Richmond, Va, the mission of the Red Cross and the work of the chapter resonated with him.  He decided to answer the call to care.  He walked into the chapter with an unsolicited donation at Christmas time.  He had done his research on various nonprofits in Richmond and felt the Red Cross was a good match with his philanthropic objective  Of course, we were all shocked to see the diminutive philanthropist in our lobby handing us a check for $300.  This was money he had earned on his own, and, on his own volition, he opted not to use it to buy toys for himself, but rather to give it to us.   When asked, “Why the Red Cross?”  Frank replied, “I wanted to help people and Red Cross was my first thought . . . Red Cross helps everyone”.   

Henri Dunant, Clara Barton and Frank Barksdale, III give us inspiring examples of how we can each answer the call to care.  The impact of your response does not have to be global or national.  It could be local.  Based upon the common theme in the stories of how Henri, Clara and Frank answered the call to care, your response just needs to be from the heart.

A lost boy who found his way to us

We were honored to have Peter Malual as a special guest at our board meeting last week.   Peter accepted our invitation to come to the board meeting and explain how the Red Cross helped him when he was one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. 

Since the board meeting, I have continued to think about Peter.  He has an endearing dignified presence, coupled with a humble spirit.   Having never lived in a war torn country or been subjected to brutal physical and emotional abuse, I cannot honestly state that I can relate to his life story.  His childhood story is so unlike mine.  Would I have had the same internal drive to survive as a young boy, when everything around me, including my parents, had been ripped from me?  Is that kind of will to survive innate?    He had to traverse a desolate place, both literally and figuratively.  And now, years later, he has grown into a highly functional adult who is able to calmly relay details about his traumatic past to a room full of strangers in a board room on a Tuesday morning in September.   

Peter did say that his hope had been buoyed during those years by the fact that the Red Cross provided a lifeline to him and the other lost boys.  He remembered seeing the Red Cross emblem on a vehicle and knowing that it represented good people who wanted to provide safety and help.  He has never forgotten how the Red Cross saved his life.  He told us all at the board meeting that he was grateful to be able to have the opportunity to say “thank you” to the Red Cross. 

Yes, technically, he received assistance from one of our sister societies half way around the world years ago, but I think that is what makes his story and the Red Cross so unique.  He did not think of the Red Cross board members and staff sitting in the board room in Cary Street in Richmond, Virginia as strangers.  He saw us as the same people who provided life saving food and medical attention to him and countless other boys during the perilous trek through the desert. 

Peter is now an American citizen and a resident of Richmond.  He said he wants to give back to help others in this community.  He has become a Red Cross volunteer with the Greater Richmond chapter.  From my perspective as the CEO of the chapter, it doesn’t get any better than this.  Thank you, Peter.

The volunteer spirit

I just finished reading a report done by a volunteer resources management expert regarding Red Cross volunteers in the our region.   After interviewing and shadowing some of our volunteers for the past two months, the expert reached the conclusion that we have an amazing cadre of dedicated volunteers.  

It would be absolutely impossible for this chapter to serve the Greater Richmond community without the assistance of our volunteers.  The same dependence on volunteers is a part of the culture in the other chapters in this region as well.  (The other chapters in the regiona are  Southside, Hopewell/Prince George, Rappahannock and Halifax.)   Whether serving as a receptionist, a vehicle driver, a disaster responder, a visitor at McGuire Veterans Medical Center, an instructor, an office assistant or a board or committee member, our chapters depend on the generous gift of time from hundreds of people who believe in our mission and who want to make a difference in this community.  

We refer to our founder, Clara Barton, as the “angel of the battlefield.”  Well, that volunteer spirit of Clara definitely lives on in the hearts of our present day volunteers.   We have “angels” who show up everyday, assisting the paid staff with the tasks that we either do not have the time, expertise or resources to get done by ourselves.   It is not uncommon to see these angels arriving early, staying late and working hard.  They do this without expecting anything in return.    

Thank you, volunteers.  You are a true inspiration.

National Day of Service and Remembrance

I had the honor of speaking at the National Day of  Service and Remembrance Service for the City of Richmond today.  The event was held on the steps of the Carillon World War I Memorial at Byrd Park.   As I looked out at the audience of police officers, firefighters and other emergency services workers,  I felt a sense of gratitude to the men and women who risk their lives on our behalf each day.  In their honor and in remembrance of those who perished in the line of duty on 9/11,  let us all make a concerted effort to embody a spirit of unity and service.  Please join me in recommitting to living our lives in the manner we did right after 9/11.  Do you remember how we said “thank you” to all of the first responders we saw on the street in the days and weeks after the event?  Do you remember how we tried to lift each others spirits?  Do you remember how we willingly volunteered our time to help those in need?  We seemed to genuinely care about each other.   Let this special day be the day when we pledge to live as if we really need each other in order to survive.

International Humanitarian Law Seminar Being Taught

Greater Richmond Chapter CEO and Certified Humanitarian Law instructor, Reggie Gordon, will lead a seminar on International Law on Saturday, September 12th at the Gellman Room of the Main Library, 101 East Franklin Street, Richmond, 23219.  The 1-2:30 PM seminar will examine people’s rights and the role of the Red Cross around the world. For more information, call 780- 2260.

Humanitarian Organization: For 60 Years—People Helping People

Sixty years ago this month, following the atrocities of World War II, nations of the world convened in Switzerland to revise and expand upon wartime protections granted in earlier treaties. The Geneva Conventions resulted, which articulated safeguards for those who were not actively engaged in fighting: the wounded, civilians, and prisoners of war.

It was also at that moment that the Red Cross was acknowledged as the humanitarian organization that made it possible for people to help people and neighbor to help neighbor, without regard to any of the racial, religious, ethnic, or political barriers that often lead to disparate treatment.

Since its inception, the Red Cross has been there for people at their time of greatest need — be it a house fire, flood, or international conflict. While we inform the public of our local mission, very rarely do we have the opportunity to remind the public of the global scope of our activities.

IN MY conversations with volunteers, donors, and corporate partners it has become clear that many members of our local community have familial and business ties all around the world. In addition to our brave men and women who currently serve in the armed forces outside of the United States, we also have Virginian students, missionaries, business people, government employees, contractors, and others who are studying or working abroad. I am proud that our local Red Cross chapters are a conduit for news, information, and assistance for our community members and their loved ones far away from home, particularly during times of natural emergencies or political unrest.

The widely recognized symbol of the American Red Cross is one of safety and hope. It is the same symbol that arrives on the scene of a local fire or appears on a horrific battlefield. We are very connected to our international services and though we may not be as vocal about it, we usually have a neutral, discrete, humanitarian role in helping people caught in the middle of the international conflicts that make the front page of the local press.

The Red Cross provides a vehicle for us to demonstrate that the citizens of this region are caring partners in the global community. Whether we are sending clothing, money, first aid kits, or instructors/volunteers, we are connected to a humanitarian movement that is powerful and endearing to the human spirit.

For example, a Richmond woman who often travels as a church volunteer nurse to Haiti to work in an orphanage recently came by our offices to see if we could support a health clinic she was instrumental in establishing. She had connected with the Red Cross of Haiti that was supplying instructors to teach first aid to the children who lived in the orphanage. We donated 20 first aid kits that will be given to the children who complete the course.

We also introduced her to our Web of Hope volunteers who knit, crochet, and sew clothing for underserved populations worldwide. The Web volunteers now plan to send sundresses to that Haitian orphanage in October. (In November, the Web will celebrate their 100,000th item shipped abroad. These are local women who have had a global impact!)

ANOTHER example of Virginia Red Crossers reaching their arms around the globe was when we recently connected a young man from Sudan with his uncle in Africa. The grateful young man from Sudan is now an American citizen and has since become a volunteer with our local chapter. Every year our tracing programs connect many local people with family members living abroad, most of whom have been previously unsuccessful in their attempts to reunite their families. Our Red Cross network of chapters and sister societies allows us to have a unique global reach.

I am proud to be associated with an organization that has as its mission to alleviate human suffering, no matter where it occurs. Our community is involved in the lives of others who live far away — whose names we’ll never know and whose situations are inconceivable to us. However, it is our providing those services anyway that sets us apart as a community and nation.

Sixty years ago, the nations of the world set aside all their differences to agree on basic human principles during times of conflict. Your local American Red Cross stands ready to uphold those principles both locally and abroad, and we could not do it without the support of a caring community. I invite anyone interested in learning more about this aspect of our Red Cross to contact us.