My Journal of Volunteering with the Red Cross
3-18-02
����������� Today was my first day of volunteering with the Red Cross that is located on Mercury Blvd in Hampton, Virginia.� Today was mainly an orientation course.� When I first got there, I met with the volunteer coordinator, who is the lady I'm going to be helping. She gave me a summary of what the Red Cross is all about. After finding out about the mission of the Red Cross, I interviewed her.� I asked her questions about the organization and about the written communication within the Red Cross.� After getting quite a bit of information on the Red Cross, she took me on a tour of the building.� I had a chance to meet a lot of the people who work or volunteer at the Hampton Roads Chapter of the American Red Cross.� She showed me the unit where all the blood drives at this building take place.� I was only there for an hour, and I learned so much about the Red Cross and all they do for the community.�
3-22-02
����������� On my second day of volunteering at the Red Cross, I worked two and a half hours.� My twenty hours of volunteering with the Red Cross will be spent helping the volunteer coordinator, Eileen Kolbeck, around her office.� She tells me that she is far behind with a lot of the office work.� I am happy that I get to help her out and I hope to help her get caught up.� Today I helped her by putting together packets for their group volunteer orientation.� Each volunteer must go through orientation.� When an instructor has an orientation class, the instructor goes through a packet of brochures teaching the volunteers about the Red Cross and all its functions.� I completely organized the box with all the information for orientation.� I sorted all the brochures and made up many packets that will help them far into the future.� Although I am not totally hands on with all the community volunteering, like blood drives or disaster help, I still feel as if I am greatly helping out this organization.� A lot of the activities can't go on if the office work isn't done.� It makes me feel good about myself to know that I am helping out an organization that is always willing to help out citizens of their community.�
3-27-02
����������� Today was my third day of volunteering with the American Red Cross.� I spent two hours today with the people that work there.� I've only spent a few days with the people who work there, and I already feel a bond with these people.� They are some of the most caring people I have ever met.� I admire how they spend their whole lives helping other people when they get into trouble.� Today, I went in and helped Eileen make some copies.� Since she is the volunteer coordinator, she is the one responsible for all the volunteer folders.� Every volunteer that works with the Red Cross Hampton Roads Chapter has a folder that says what they are interested in helping volunteer with, when they are available, and other information about them.� It's Eileen's job to keep these folders up to date and to keep them organized with all the information.� Today I helped her make copies of some of the information that needs to be in these folders.� I also made some copies of information already in the folders that needed to go to specific department heads in which they want to volunteer with.� After I made those copies, I made sure I delivered this information to all the correct mailboxes so that they could have the information about each one of their volunteers.� This step was important so that they could call the volunteers and get them helping out as soon as possible.� These tasks quickly filled up my two hours that I spent there today.� I'm looking forward to going back soon and helping out with whatever else she needs me to do.�
4-3-02
����������� Today I went in and spent two hours volunteering with the Red Cross.� Since I can only put in a few hours at a time, I started a two-day job that I will finish the next time I go back.� The first thing I did was pull all of the volunteer folders and find the cards in which it has their birthday listed.� The next thing I did was to find the date in the calendar and write their names down on that date.� This is important because the Red Cross likes to keep up with their volunteer's birthdays.� It's important to the coordinators to treat voulnteers as though they were family members. �You don't want to forget and have them think you forgot about them.� They like to do something special for each person's birthday, even if it's just sending that person a card.� But with so many volunteers that they have helping them out, I couldn't do this job all in one day.� So I'm looking forward to finishing up this job next time I get to go in and help again.
4-8-02
����������� Today I went in and spent another two hours with the ladies that work at the Red Cross.� I helped them finish up the project that I started the last time I volunteered.� I got all of the rest of the files out of the filing cabinet that I had not already entered their birthdays onto the calendar.� I then entered all their birthdays onto the calendar.� I didn't get a chance to refile all the volunteer packets that I had used on this day so I told her I'd be back before the week was over to straighten up my mess and refile them for her.� This was a big task to complete considering as many volunteers that they have, but I was definitely up for the task because I knew it'd be a big help for them.� Some people might think that my volunteering didn't have an impact or one that was not significant, but I disagree.�� It might not have directly helped out families in need or people in distress, but without the work of the volunteers a lot of their help wouldn't be able to happen.� In the few times I've visited the building, I have heard a lot about the blood drives.� They are always looking for help and it's something that really interest me.� And although I can't start right now helping them with the blood part of the blood drives, I've told them that I am willing to help out in the other areas.� In order to deal with the blood, you have to go through special training and take a test but they always need help with the refreshments that they have and with making sure everyone is okay after they give blood.� This is something that I have an interest in and so I hope that I can help them out in the future because I know they always need help.� Doing things like volunteering really helps boost my self-esteem to know that I selflessly helped people in need.� Many people would die if they didn't get the blood that the Red Cross provides.�
4-12-02
����������� Today I went in and volunteered for two hours at the Red Cross.� At the start of my day, I finished up my previous project which was to finish filing the rest of the volunteer folders.� After I was done with that project, I went over to their classroom and helped out over there.� They had recently had a CPR class and one of the other workers had sanitized all of the "faces" that you put on the CPR dummies.� After she thoroughly washed the faces she spread them out on some paper towels to let them dry.� After they were dry, wearing gloves, I put each one into a Ziplock bag and sorted them in a box.� Then I helped out the class coordinator go through and sort all the dummies.� I helped her put away all the boxes of information that they had used for the class.� She had a lot of paperwork that needed to be sorted out because she had passed a lot of papers around for everyone to read.� Then at the end of the class she let anybody have any of the papers that had information that they wanted.� This way they could take information to other places and help educate other people.� I liked being able to help out all sections of the Red Cross with any of their needs.� There are many different sections at this building that all are important in keeping the Red Cross able to function with all its services.�
4-15-02
����������� I went in today and volunteered again for two hours.� Today, Eileen, asked if any of the other department heads needed any help with anything that I could help them with.� One of the ladies needed help with some mailing.� To begin, I helped her gather all the pamphlets that needed to be included with the letters.� Then I stuffed the envelopes with the letters and the brochures and labeled each one.� I then weighed each one and put the correct postage on them.� Then I put them where the mailman could pick them up.� These letters where to try to make sure that the workers at places like golf resorts and parks and so on knew how to do CPR and other emergency services.� Since the Red Cross offers all these service training classes they feel it's important to get the word out that if anyone needs to be certified or just wants to be updated that these services are available.
4-19-02
����������� Today I spent another two hours helping out the ladies at the Red Cross.� I am really glad I get to spend so many hours helping them out.� I really have begun to form a bond with them and hope that I can continue working with them and helping them out.� I know that this summer after this assignment is over, I want to continue working with the Red Cross and encourage anyone else to start doing community service work with any not for profit agency that interests them.� It gives me a sense of helpfulness to know that I am helping out people in need.� Today I helped make some phone calls to try to get some volunteers for a blood drive that they are going to be having soon.� They need a few volunteers to help with all of the aspects of the blood drive.� I was able to find them someone who would be able to help with the blood part since you have to be certified.� Then I was trying to find a greeter.� These people help out at the door and greet people who come in and help get them ready to actually give blood.� They also needed someone to help them with the refreshments.� This involved making sure everyone got a reasonable amount of refreshments and that no one was having problems after they gave blood.�
4-22-02
����������� Today was my last day of required volunteering and I was able to spend another two hours with them.� I helped out with some more filing today.� I was glad that I could help out as much as I did.� It meant a lot to me.� I was glad that I got to spend so much time with these wonderful ladies.� They already mean a lot to me and I am looking forward to continue volunteering after this assignment is over.� I encourage everyone to help out at any agency that might need help.� It made me feel good about myself and I hope that I have encouraged others to do the same.
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