American Red Cross of Wyoming Volunteer Recognition 2021
Volunteer Positions: Disaster Action Team Trainee, Disaster Health Services Ancillary Care, Disaster Health Services Member
The Rookie of the Year award is given to any new member of the Red Cross team who has demonstrated commitment and exceptional service to the Red Cross mission and chapter or military installation within the first year of service.
Alyssa has been with the Red Cross for a short time, but her contribution to our mission has been immense. She joined the Red Cross in April 2021 and immediately threw herself into the organization by participating in our COVID-19 meme contest the same day she became a full volunteer. Since then, she has helped people affected by disasters as the lead of our VSP program, which helps replace eyeglasses.
Volunteer Positions: Client Casework Disaster Cycle Services Lead, Disaster Action Team Supervisor, Mass Care Reunification Service Association
The Unsung Hero is the volunteer who quietly and caringly completes their tasks to support the Red Cross mission.
Since 2017, Mel has worked to make sure clients have the best experience possible with the Red Cross. Countless households who have experienced the stress and trauma of disaster were cared for by Mel as they made their way towards recovery. Our casework team has significantly benefited from Mel’s leadership as she is always available to help with complex cases. In addition to recovery work, Mel helps to make her community prepared for disasters and has spent hours helping with health fair booths and working with community partners to increase resiliency.
One of the essential aspects of Red Cross volunteer work is our ability to work in teams to get things done.
The RC Cares team is a group of dedicated volunteers who took the time to learn and become proficient at using the new RC Cares system. The change was a challenge, but this team of individuals took that challenge and conquered it!
- Ray Klein of Buffalo
- Those savvy DAT members who have used the system: Katrina Geesaman, Susan Gray and Ron Scott
- Stephanie Mohr-Richert
- Rebecka Brayton
- Sherie Monk
- The group that holds it all together for our clients, our caseworkers: Mel Warren, Jane Iddings, Debra Rossy and Mo Hutchinson
- Dean Long
- Lupe Mendez
- David Blaida
- The Jackson 5: Craig Kirkpatrick, Dee Buckstaff, Sylvia Raumaker, Richard Klene and Mary Lou Klene
- Our fabulous Disaster Health Services and Disaster Mental Health volunteers: Tanya Johnson, Crissy Hunter and Darcie Wisehart
Volunteer Positions: Disaster Action Team Service Associate, Mass Care Shelter Service Associate
The act of “doing” can’t be credited without the art of passion. Some of our most dedicated, committed and faithful volunteers not only do their work with skill, talent and knowledge; but also with passion.
Volunteer Katrina Geesaman always focuses on kindness when she helps others. She notices the little things and will go the extra mile to ensure that our clients are taken care of. Katrina may have spoken to every single resident in the town of Hanna, Wyoming, after last fall’s evacuations had the entire community feeling uncertain. She has tackled EDGE, Volunteer Connection, RC Cares, Phone Apps and more, with an enthusiasm that demonstrates her commitment to helping others.
Volunteer Positions: Community Volunteer Leader Ambassador, Disaster Action Team Service Associate, Government Operations, Public Affairs Lead, Volunteer Leadership Council Member
To become Volunteer of the Year, you must be someone special who has demonstrated exceptional volunteer service and commitment to supporting and improving the quality of service provided by the American Red Cross.
Pat Kondas is an incredible volunteer. She is the first to step up her great state of Wyoming – whether it is deploying to support disaster, working inside an EOC, helping new volunteers, writing stories, getting pictures and brainstorming ideas to support the mission of the Red Cross. She does it all, never misses a meeting and has a smile the entire time. We are so incredibly grateful for her and her service. I don’t know what we would do without her. This past year, our team has struggled, and she has been a constant champion. She has written nearly 70 press releases, provided information to media, helped create content for the website, blog and social media. She also deployed into several roles for multiple disasters both in Wyoming and outside our region. She is a gift and we could not have the presence we do without her help and support to our mission. Our volunteer of the year is, without a doubt, Pat Kondas.
This year, we are excited to introduce a NEW category of award, which is regionally selected. More than 130 years ago, Clara Barton established the American Red Cross by engaging talented, committed, and compassionate women dedicated to saving lives. The Tiffany Circle Outstanding Woman Leader Award recognizes strong, determined, influential women who make a meaningful difference through exceptional leadership, sustained dedication and inspiring achievements. To be eligible, this particular woman must
- Serve in a leadership volunteer role with a substantial history of service to the American Red Cross.
- Exemplify our regional roots of commitment, compassion, creativity, collaboration and credibility.
- Display a generosity of spirit, a commitment to integrity and diversity and a genuine connectedness with others.
- Empower, inspire and/or mentor others, and
- Be an advocate for the Red Cross that has made significant and enduring contributions to its programs and the people we serve.
Each chapter selects one woman to represent the chapter and be considered for this award. Selections are made in May, so we will find out who the winner is at that time.
Volunteer Positions: Disaster Action Team Service Associate, Mass Care Lead, Mass Care Sheltering Supervisor
Sylvia Raumaker has been a volunteer with the Red Cross since 2014. She is very passionate about her involvement in the Red Cross and has inspired others to join. Sylvia’s leadership on disaster relief operations, her kindness working with new volunteers and her dedication to helping others epitomize the Red Cross mission.
Currently serving as the Mass Care Lead for Wyoming, over her volunteer career, Sylvia has been deployed for more than 260 days, ranging from local flooding deployments in Fremont County, Wyoming, to traveling halfway around the world to Saipan following the destructive Super Typhoon Yutu. COVID-19 did not slow Sylvia down, deploying to Texas for two separate Hurricanes in the Fall of 2020 to help manage Non-Congregate Shelter Sites. During these deployments, all the experience resulted in Sylvia Raumaker being promoted from Mass Care Shelter Supervisor to Mass Care Shelter Manager, the first volunteer to become such in Wyoming, this fall.
Volunteer Positions: Disaster Assessment Member, Emergency Response Vehicle Member, Logistics Lead, Mass Care Member, Mass Care Feeding Service Associate, Training
The Clara Barton award honors a volunteer who has a proven track record of providing extraordinary service to people and the Red Cross programs demonstrating significant impact as a Red Cross volunteer and continues to do so. They must show actions that support a strong track record of leading and inspiring Red Cross volunteers demonstrating a positive impact through exemplary dedication to the Red Cross and our community. This volunteer must hold a leadership position and personal expertise that has enabled the Red Cross to contribute valuable service to the community. They should consistently provide leadership in identifying and assessing volunteer performance and organizational concerns, good cooperation with other volunteers and employees to develop and implement effective solutions in a resourceful manner, and constructive guidance to other volunteers and/or employees in the efficient performance of assignments.
Monica has been a pillar of the Red Cross in her community, region, and even on national deployments. New to the area, coming with some Red Cross experience, Monica quickly established herself as a leader within the state of Wyoming and regularly provided critical behind-the-scenes support to keep the wheels on the bus (literally trailers and vehicles). Monica serves as the Logistics Lead for the American Red Cross of Wyoming. She is well respected within the Emergency Management world of Natrona County.
Her reputation as an exceptional kitchen support staff volunteer proceeds her. She was asked to deploy to Oregon following her in-person deployment to Louisiana in Fall 2020. Instead, she stayed local and supported the Colorado and Wyoming wildfire responses. A woman of her word, not one to seek too much attention, you can expect a job well done when Monica is around.
Angie volunteered with the Red Cross since the early 2000s and left a mark of kindness, compassion, and dedication to service during the last two decades. Those of us who had the pleasure to know Angie knew a woman who was ready to help, prepared to have a great conversation and ready to make a difference in people’s lives. Platte County was the greatest recipient of Angie’s involvement. She worked closely with Public Health and could often be found at community information events to help people find the assistance they needed. Angie also helped underprivileged children by assisting with a weekend food bag program. Angie was also involved in Red Cross preparedness activities, especially the Home Fire Campaign. Her most significant contribution to the Red Cross mission came from her work as a caseworker.
Angie is greatly missed – what a beautiful legacy to leave with the Wyoming community. Thank you, Angie, for your years of service.