12Apr

It’s National Volunteer Week. Here’s Why You Should Care.

by Patricia Billinger
Much has been written about today’s “culture of being busy.”

With tight work schedules, kids’ activities, social engagements and, of course, the lure of Colorado’s outdoors, people have a lot of priorities battling for their time.

That’s why it’s especially meaningful for us at the American Red Cross to honor and thank our volunteers during National Volunteer Week, April 12-18.

Here’s why you should care, too:

Last year, our volunteers helped nearly 2,700 local families who faced home fires and other disasters. They trained tens of thousands of people in lifesaving skills and assisted thousands of military members, veterans and their families.

These volunteers answer the call for help in the middle of the night – sometimes in the freezing cold. They dedicate countless hours to training, preparing and delivering services. They could choose to spend those hours relaxing, sleeping, or spending time with their loved ones, but instead they work hard to prevent and alleviate suffering through the Red Cross.

This week, we will be sharing a few videos of our volunteers explaining WHY they do what they do. What motivates them to sacrifice, to work without pay, to donate their time?

We hope you will join us in thanking these amazing volunteers  – and consider becoming a Red Cross volunteer alongside them. Go to redcross.org/Colorado to learn about the many ways to help and to get involved.