Few businesses run on the power of volunteers. People with professional skills, big hearts and warm smiles. People who give up their personal time with friends and families to do work that sometimes no one else wants to do. In the American Red Cross, volunteers constitute 90 percent of the total workforce. National Volunteer Week is April 12-18 and the American Red Cross honors all of its dedicated volunteers who give their time to help people in need. The American Red Cross Cascades Region, which serves Oregon and Southwest Washington, is currently supported by about 1,700 amazing volunteers. Across the United States, hundreds of thousands of volunteers are part of the Red Cross. They help people get back on their feet after a home fire, teach lifesaving first aid and CPR skills, visit veterans hospitals, staff blood drives, install smoke alarms, reunite family members after a disaster and fill a variety of other crucial roles. There are even volunteers in the volunteer office, helping to find new volunteers and orient them to the organization. “Our volunteers take time away from their families and friends to help people they don’t even know,” said Laurie Conroy, director of volunteer services for the American Red Cross Cascades Region, “We are taking time during Volunteer Week to thank our volunteers for their dedication and service. We are truly grateful for these people, who come from all age groups, and all walks of life and who bring a wide range of skills to the Red Cross.” The Red Cross invites members of the community to sign up today and become a Red Cross volunteer. There is a position for everyone, there is no minimum number of hours required to be a volunteer, and the only requirement is a heart for helping others. To read Red Cross volunteer profiles in Oregon and Southwest Washington, go to http://redcrosscascade.blogspot.com/. To learn more about Red Cross volunteer opportunities, visit www.redcross.org.
