Great Things Every Day... - American Red Cross of the Quad Cities ...

When someone asks, “Can you help?”, Red Cross volunteers answer,
“Yes we can.” The American Red Cross of the Quad Cities Area relies on
volunteers to help people plan and prepare for emergencies, provide training in
lifesaving skills, assist victims of disasters, connect families, or simply lend a
helping hand to members of the community. The work of the Red Cross is
done locally by 802 adult and youth volunteers.
Although the tornado hit his hometown, Red Cross disaster
volunteer Mike Phillips said it wouldn’t have mattered where the disaster
was - he knew he needed to be there. “It’s so important to be there as soon
as you can to talk to these folks.”
After a tornado hit southeastern Iowa on June 1 st , Mike spent two
weeks in Muscatine, Grandview and Fruitland, working with the
disaster assessment team and then conducting client casework
interviews. “It’s always a good thing to volunteer and to give back to the
community. It seems like no matter what you do [in life], there is
always something you can do to help someone else.”
Mike started giving back to the community as a Red Cross
volunteer after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast and has since
been an active disaster volunteer. “The most rewarding part of working
as a disaster volunteer is being able to sit and comfort them (the
clients) and make them feel safe. I tear up sometimes when I talk to
them. You need to reach into your heart and understand what they are
going through. It’s important to be there and give them a hug or
whatever it takes.”
In the past year, 13,199 youth were trained with vital skills to care
responsibly for children, stay safe at home alone, be safe near the water, handle
basic emergencies, and use proper handwashing techniques. Red Cross Clubs are
active at Jordan Catholic School, Sherrard High School, United Township High
School, Logan Elementary School,
Bettendorf Middle School, Assumption
High School, and a peer educator group
at Bettendorf High School.
In addition, the Red Cross hosted
three Kid’s K.A.M.P.’s (Kids Are More
Prepared) for children between the ages
of five and 12. Kid’s K.A.M.P.
participants benefited from a variety of
health and safety activities, ranging from
how to respond to approaches from
strangers to how to make healthy snack
choices.
Saturday:
Saturday:
Volunteer Volunteer Services
Services
Mike Mike Mike Mike Mike Phillips Phillips Phillips Phillips Phillips
Sunday:
Sunday:
Youth Youth Services
Services
“I have always enjoyed helping others and by
being involved in the Red Cross club, I have
seen that there are so many ways for me to
do this. I think that the best way I will
benefit from being involved with the Red
Cross is that it has instilled in me
selflessness. I love helping others and this
is a feeling we could all benefit from.”
Shaterika Perkins, United Township Red Cross Club
Shaterika Shaterika Shaterika Shaterika Shaterika Perkins Perkins Perkins Perkins Perkins