Volunteer Spotlight

September 2009

Susan Johnson decided to volunteer her time with the Red Cross when she was notified her job was ending. She wanted to volunteer to keep herself busy while she considered her plans for the future. She brought a number of skills with her, which were easily transferrable for the volunteer role to which she was assigned.

Susan volunteers three times a week in Disaster Services in the office and also on a Disaster Action Team. During her time with us, she has taken on the roles of maintaining the Disaster Services training program and volunteer coordination and has been instrumental in improving and streamlining the entire process. 

She is adept at using technology to consolidate files. Her ideas have resulted in a user-friendly system in which staff and volunteers can maintain open lines of communication and collaboration.She provides great customer support to all our volunteers and staff and replies to requests and other communications in an accurate and timely fashion.

If it weren’t for the current dismal economic situation our country is facing, we may not have had the good fortune of meeting this outstanding volunteer.

Thank you Susan!

August 2009

Jim Hunter joined the American Red Cross in April of 2008.

As a recent retiree, he had time on his hands and sought a way to give back to the community and keep busy at the same time. Jim volunteers in our Huntersville blood center on Saturday mornings and always willing to hold the fort down by if no other volunteers schedules for the shift.

Jim is dedicated to the Red Cross and our mission and exemplifies this through his superior volunteer work. In the true spirit of volunteerism, he works when we need him, not when it’s convenient for him. 

We are pleased to have a dedicated volunteer like Jim Hunter.

July 2009

Bob Quick has been a volunteer with the Transportation Services Program since November 2008.
He drives our clients three to five days a week. He is extremely proud to be an American Red Cross volunteer and has great respect for the work we do and the clients we serve.

Not only is Bob a driver, but he also is willing to assist with ensuring the vehicles housed in the Lake Norman office are maintained. He has agreed to become a Volunteer Driver Trainer, making sure new drivers are trained and have accurate information to be successful in their position.

This driver is one who does not like to be on down time – he wants to drive all day and wants to have clients in his vehicle transporting them at all times. 

He is an asset to our department, and we are lucky to have him.

Thanks, Bob, for being part of the Greater Carolinas Chapter.

June 2009

Oscar White volunteers with our Transportation Program on Mondays and Thursdays every week.

White, who just turned 80 last month, used to be a paid driver with the chapter. When the paid positions were cut, he stayed on as a volunteer. He has been transporting clients for about eight years on a voluntary basis.

Because of his service with the Charlotte Fire Department, White is one of the drivers who needs no directions to any of his pick-ups and is always willing to assist other drivers with finding a location anywhere in Mecklenburg County.

Thanks, Oscar, for all your years of service!

Volunteer Appreciation Week

Monday - John Binnie
John Binnie has been a Transportation Services Volunteer since September 2001. He drives clients to and from their medical appointments every Wednesday and any other time that we need him if he is available.

John demonstrates a true since of leadership serving on the Transportation Services Committee, where he is instrumental in planning special events for the department as necessary. He is also a driver trainer, making sure that new volunteer drivers have all of the necessary training to be successful in the department.

When John is out on the streets of the county, he is like all of our drivers in that he is always willing to assist others with directions or picking up clients who are ready before their scheduled trip time.

John has been married to the lovely Claudine Binnie for 15 years, they have four children. John and Claudine are also the owners of a horse farm in Huntersville.
His hobbies include driving for the Red Cross, horse riding and reading.
John brings a breath of fresh air to the department and to the clients we serve. Thanks, John, for being a part of our Red Cross chapter.

Tuesdsay - Remedios Grier
Remedios Grier has been actively involved for more than two years with the Greater Carolinas Chapter working as a Health Education Services Lay Responder First Aid/CPR/AED and Babysitting Instructor. She teaches at least two classes per month and is also a Disaster Action Team member. She learned of volunteer opportunities while browsing our Web site and has remained a very dedicated, knowledgeable and dependable volunteer instructor.

Remedios states that she enjoys volunteering with the American Red Cross because the organization, through each service program, provides an opportunity to give back to the community.

Volunteering has greatly enhanced her teaching, researching and communication skills as she prepares to further her education by applying to medical school. 

We appreciate Remedios for her hard work and dedicated services to the Greater Carolinas Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Wednesday - Marion Martin
Marion Martin has served the Greater Carolinas Chapter of the American Red Cross for 29 years. He has demonstrated his commitment to the Red Cross by serving in several lines of service and leadership positions. For the past 14 years, he has focused his talents in Blood Services. 

Marion works as a donor assistant in Blood Services by serving as a volunteer greeter or canteen worker at blood drives two to three times per month, often filling in on short notice for cancelled or hard-to-fill positions. He has also taken on the advanced position of volunteer scheduler and is responsible for filling between 50-70 volunteer positions. Marion has also taken on the extra responsibility of coordinating and mailing the blood drive information to the volunteers scheduled to work.

He has served as the Volunteer Scheduler for the large public “event” blood drives, manned call-in phone lines at the local television station in preparation for the event drives, and thrown out the first pitch at the local minor league baseball game on Red Cross night. 

Marion is always on the look out for opportunities to get new people involved in Blood Services or other chapter volunteer areas. In the past year, his efforts have resulted in five additional blood volunteers joining Blood Services. 

Marion is well-known and liked amongst the staff, volunteers and blood donors.  His warm demeanor and positive attitude make him a joy to be around. He is an advocate for both the donors and volunteers and works to make their experiences with the Red Cross more meaningful and positive.  He is an invaluable asset to the Chapter and the Carolinas Blood Services Region.

Thursdsay - Susan Johnson
As the saying goes, “Every cloud has a silver lining.” If it weren’t for the current dismal economic situation, we may not have had the good fortune of meeting Susan Johnson.

When she found out that she was losing her job, Susan decided to volunteer to keep herself busy while she considered her plans for the future. She began volunteering in mid-February and has been putting in 20 hours or more per week since then in disaster services.

Her quick grasp of the tasks involved in maintaining the Disaster Services training program and volunteer coordinating activities has been instumental in improving and streamling the whole process. Susan has been great with registering volunteers for courses, sending out communications to volunteers and streamlining and improving old systems.

She is exceptionally capable and has incredible computer skills and can run circles around the rest of us. Her ideas have resulted in a user-friendly system in which staff and volunteers can maintain open lines of communication and collaboration. It is great having Susan around the Sadie Fowler Disaster Center every day, and we very much appreciate her help.

Friday - Myra White
Myra White has been volunteering in our finance department since 2008.

Myra volunteers on Tuesdays assisting with Accounts Payable and helping to invoice the Health Education Department. She is married to John White, who is a Disaster Volunteer.

They enjoy traveling and can be found outside most weekends, hiking or cycling. Myra joined the American Red Cross after retiring from Edwards Church and Muse, Inc., in December 2007.  Her smiling face brightens the department every Tuesday.

April 2009

Whenever Emergency Services volunteer Linda “Lin” Garvey’s pager beeps, she knows there is someone in need in the Charlotte area. However, last June, the Captain of the Alpha Disaster Action Team in Zone C and lead volunteer for disaster volunteer coordination found herself deployed to Iowa for a flood response mission.

The Iowa flood of 2008 was an event involving most of the rivers in eastern Iowa beginning around June 8, 2008. Flooding continued on the Upper Mississippi River in the southeastern portion of the state for several days. Working there for three weeks was a significant event in her life.

“I was sent into the field to organize disaster relief in Dubuque, Iowa,” said Garvey, who has been a Red Cross volunteer for almost two and a half years. “I was in an emergency response vehicle (ERV) handing out meals to flood victims. It was intense. I saw a lot of devastation. It was pretty bad.”

Back home in Charlotte, Garvey said it is just as emotional to tend to local residents who need Red Cross Emergency Services to get themselves settled after a fire has claimed their home or apartment.

“Our team responds to local fire victims and also to large fires where we assist the local fire department with canteen services,” said Garvey, who became a Red Cross volunteer after a conversation with her brother, Paul, who volunteers in Colorado. It was an easy decision, she said.

“I just picked up the phone and called and asked the Red Cross here if they needed more volunteers,” said Garvey, a stay-at home-mom who is retired from a career in pathology and toxicology. “Volunteering gives you a sense of providing leadership. I like to coordinate things and get things done.”

The Emergency Management Services and the Disaster Services divisions of the Red Cross that Garvey and others volunteer for are responsible for national, state and local disasters.  In addition, to her disaster relief duties, Garvey supervises the follow-up and closing of all client casework done out of the Charlotte office.

“I make sure that individuals and families get the services they need after a fire,” she said. “There is always a lot to do, but it is fulfilling work. Red Cross volunteers have a good experience.”

March 2009

Imagine one individual touching almost 700 other lives just by donating blood. 

Ron Sullivan, one of our dedicated Blood Services volunteers and life-long blood donors, has done that. Ron donated for the first time Feb. 2, 1951, while he was a student at UNC-Chapel Hill. He has been donating blood ever since then for a grand total just shy of 29 gallons of life-saving blood.

Shortly after graduation from college, he moved to Charlotte and became involved with the Greater Carolinas Chapter as a Health Education Safety (HES) instructor.  Ron went on to become an instructor-trainer and served for five years on the HES Committee.

In the early 1990s, Ron became involved with his church’s blood drive and served for years as the sponsor for Myers Park Presbyterian Church’s blood program. 

Ron officially became a Greater Carolinas Chapter blood volunteer in 2004 and volunteers every Thursday at the Park Road Blood Donation Center in addition to volunteering at several blood drives every month. 

Still a “true blue” Tarheel fan, Ron is well-loved by the staff and donors alike.  He enjoys meeting and interacting with our blood donors and his fellow volunteers.

Thank you, Ron, for your service to the Red Cross and for helping to save lives in our community.

February 2009

Marge Gray started volunteering with the Greater Carolinas Chapter of the American Red Cross in August 2008. 

A few months ago, Marge took the introductory courses for Disaster Services and was assigned to Disaster Action Team One in Statesville. 
After responding to a few disaster response calls, Marge accepted the role of Disaster Action Team Captain for Team One. The Disaster Action Teams in Marge’s zone responded to 13 incidents between September and December 2008; Marge responded to nine of these calls. 

Marge has exemplified a strong commitment to serving disaster clients locally and leading local volunteers in disaster response.

In addition to being a leader in Disaster Services, Marge also helps take veterans to doctor’s appointments at the VA Hospital in Salisbury. She was an American Red Cross representative at the Veterans’ Dinner in November and at the Candlelight Vigil in December. 

Marge is a veteran herself, having served in the U.S. Navy for 12 years as an Aircrew Survival Equipment Technician, Petty Officer 2nd Class.

Marge is a member of the Ebenezer Volunteer Fire Department in Statesville and serves on the Iredell County Search and Rescue Team. 
In her spare time, she enjoys playing and following all sports, especially softball. 

She also finds time in her busy schedule to assist a family in Troutman and play with her two dogs.

Thanks, Marge, for volunteering with the American Red Cross.

January 2009

Ellen Bacon volunteers with the Health and Safety Department of the American Red Cross, Greater Carolinas Chapter. Her duties include teaching the following classes: CPR, AED (automated external defibrillator) and First Aid.

She has volunteered with the Red Cross for 25 years. Outside the Red Cross, Ellen also volunteers with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters, where she is a mentor to a “Little.”

Ellen works as a legal nurse consultant and enjoys reading and traveling with her son, Matthew.

What motivated you to get involved at the American Red Cross?
I became an instructor in college. I feel CPR is a very worthwhile skill everyone should know.

What made you want to volunteer at the American Red Cross versus other organizations?
When I first started volunteering, it wasn’t about the Red Cross, but the more I volunteered, the more I liked the organization and its philosophies, so I stayed with them.

What is the most rewarding aspect of volunteering?
It is knowing that I am teaching potential life-saving skills. Now that AED is part of the curriculum for CPR, I feel even more passionate about educating people. An AED could save the life of someone very close to me, so I want everyone to know about them and feel comfortable using them.

What is your most memorable experience volunteering with the Red Cross?
After teaching a CPR class, some students went out to lunch and helped a restaurant patron who was choking.

How has volunteering made a difference in your life?
I’ve been doing it so long now it’s just a natural part of my life.

View our 2008 Spotlighted Volunteers.