Local Red Cross Chapter Values Its Volunteers

Most people know the Red Cross is a place to donate blood, learn CPR and prepare you and your family for the unexpected. But the organization does more than that.

The Red Cross is there after disasters such as fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and other major weather events to help people with their immediate needs, such as food, clothing and shelter.

In the St. Peters community, a major part of what makes the Red Cross successful is the help of area volunteers.

“Volunteers make up over 95 percent of our team,” said Brad Farber, the St. Charles County Red Cross Service Center Manager.

Farber said with volunteers making up such a large base of the organization, his team tries to match each volunteer with work in their area of interest.

“It just makes sense to train people where their heart is," Farber said of the volunteer process. "They’ll use their gifts and love what they do.” 

Still, there will be times a volunteer will start in one area and end up moving into other areas of the organization.

“Our volunteers will often cross over into many different functions,” said Cheryl Bettlach, who provides administrative support for the St. Charles Service Center.

Farber also said part of what makes the volunteering process so victorious at the St. Charles County chapter is that he and his team try to create a servant-leader environment. Farber said he and his team solicit feedback from volunteers and some of the best ideas have come from volunteers.

“We revere, appreciate and value our volunteers, we don’t try to be bosses, we’re more like support personnel,” said TJ Runge, associate and part of the disaster action team with the Red Cross. Runge said she started out as a volunteer with the organization and was hired on full-time in 2001.

As essential as volunteers are, a prepared public is just as vital to the Red Cross. One of the key functions of the organization is going into the community and educating citizens on the importance of preparedness.

The Red Cross helps people in the community prepare for, prevent and respond to disasters of any kind, as well as helping people recover from disasters. Farber said those who are better prepared before a disaster strikes have an easier recovery time.

“We try to get people to be proactive, not reactive, it makes recovery much easier,” he said.

Farber said he looks at what the Red Cross does for those who have been affected by major disasters not as someone receiving charity, but someone receiving a gift from the American people, because a disaster can happen to anybody.

“I don’t look at these folks as victims, they’re really survivors,” he said of people who have been through a major disaster.

“I get to work with volunteers that are working with people who can’t pay them back,” said Farber. “That’s what real giving is about, the true spirit of giving is giving to someone who can’t pay you back,” he added.

Farber said although he and his team routinely respond to disasters throughout St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren counties from fires, floods and the recent snow storms in our area, his philosophy is to continually pursue success in the face of disaster.

“We don’t want to rest on our laurels, we want to keep our victories fresh,” Farber said.

The St. Charles County Red Cross is planning two upcoming events the public is encouraged to participate in. There is an upcoming annual volunteer’s luncheon on Friday, March 25, 2011 and a heroes day event on Saturday, April 9, 2011.

The luncheon honors volunteers and community partners, and is held at the Stegton Banquet Center in St. Charles. Area businesses interested in buying a sponsorship for the luncheon will receive a spot at an information table at the luncheon with information about their business as well as an appreciation certificate and two free lunch tickets, for a sponsorship donation of $96.

The heroes day event will teach volunteers a life-saving technique and there will be an opportunity to donate blood at the event as well. Farber said thanks to a grant the St. Charles County branch received, they’re able to offer 100 volunteers an enrollment fee of just $10 to enroll in heroes day, instead of the normal price of $50. Upon completing the heroes day course, volunteers will learn how to perform CPR with a defibrillator, receive a T-shirt and a certificate of completion.

If you would like to know more about the Red Cross call their office at 636-397-1074 or visit their website.