24 Dec 2011
by girlnigel
in Random Ramblings
Tags: blood, community, donate, giving, Holiday, Red Cross, Santa, time, Volunteer
Over the years there have been many tales told of Santa Claus. Stories about the magic and wonder that surround the holiday season. The Santa in the stories gives toys and spreads good cheer. He is full of laughter and all things magical.
As a mother of 5 I have answered the question ” Is Santa real?” several times. As my children grow into young ladies, they have all gone through the transition of a childish belief in magic and fairy tales to an understanding of adult-like reality. The reality that magic only happens when we make it happen. So my answer to the question has always been “Yes. Santa is real. YOU are Santa.”
We keep the spirit and magic of Santa a reality by sharing and giving to others. As each year passes and holidays come and go I always look for ways that I can be Santa in my community. By coming up with ways to include our children we teach them to keep the magic alive as well. Just this past week my littlest angel volunteered her time to sort Holiday Cards for Heroes at our local Red Cross. It was such a wonderful thing to watch as she and 12 other volunteers made a difference in the lives of 2000 soldiers as they got the cards ready to send to soldiers who may not be in the most festive of situations this year.
Being a part of a volunteer organization is a great way to be Santa in your community. If there is one thing that I would wish for all my fellow humans it is that each and every one of you find that warm fuzzy, magical feeling, that comes from sharing kindness with others. Try it…you will see it’s as addicting as the spiked egg nog.
Happy Santa Season to you all…may the new year bring you peace and courage to make positive changes in your lives and those lives that surround you.
25 May 2011
by girlnigel
in Random Ramblings
Tags: FEMA, Joplin, Red Cross, Social Media, Volunteer
I am a Red Cross Volunteer. I have been working with the Greater Ozarks Chapter for the last 5 years as a trained office assistant. I volunteer a few hours here and there to answer phones or add info to the database for the Disaster Services office in Springfield, MO. Very recently I found myself promoted into the social media world of Twitter as a part time voice behind @OzarksRedCross. I really dig social media, I understand the concept and I work from home so I can run it in the background and keep an eye on things from time to time.
During the last few days we have found ourselves smack dab in the middle of a really nasty disaster with the tornado that hit our neighbors in Joplin and I have found myself volunteering more full time than just a side-thing. Though it might seem small to me, I’m glad it’s something I can do to help; passing information along on the social media highway has become one of the fastest ways to communicate. It can make things happen…quickly.
I want to share with you something that is hitting me pretty hard. I am seeing so many people who want to physically help or who want to give items and the compassion for our neighbors makes me proud to be part of this community. It’s amazing to see! It’s also very hard to tell people that they need to contact the correct agencies before they just make that donation or jump in a car and drive the few miles over to help. I would never for a minute want to sound ungrateful for the outpouring of help that is incoming during a time of need. So here is my answer to the question I have seen at least once a day. Why can’t I help?
You can. The need is not going to end this week, next week, or even next month. The need won’t even end this year. I speak not only to this disaster, but to others as well. You can help and all it takes is being prepared and being patient. I have a badge with an ID number that says I have been through the classes and systems to become a Red Cross Volunteer. I am only trained in the administration areas, but they will train you in other areas. There are classes that happen on a regular basis so that when a disaster occurs, there is a Disaster Action Team ready to deploy. These people are trained to be first on scene and set up shelters. There is a very specific set of needs that are met by The Red Cross, as you can see on the American Red Cross website. If you are ready, you will be called based on your area of training and the needs to be met. I encourage you all to contact your local chapter and find out how you can become Red Cross ready!
So if you are not affiliated with an agency currently and you want to help, here is where the patience comes in. Speaking specifically to the need in Joplin, this is going to be a long term recovery project. The community will still need you next week or the week after. The agencies that organize the help can be found all over the internet, and those agencies are asking that you contact them and wait to be called. One of the best resources I have found is from FEMA, as it is really clear cut and easy to understand.
Do not be discouraged if you don’t get a call right away. There will be plenty to do. In the meantime if you are willing and able to do one thing, make a donation. Find a legitimate source to give even $10.00 and know that you helped make a difference. Click here to donate to disaster relief with Ozarks Red Cross.
Over the years there have been many tales told of Santa Claus. Stories about the magic and wonder that surround the holiday season. The Santa in the stories gives toys and spreads good cheer. He is full of laughter and all things magical.
