By Kate Walters, American Red Cross Public Affairs Volunteer
This is the history of how I found my passion:
My thoughts go way back to the time that Hurricane Katrina cut a path of destruction through Florida and on to Louisiana in 2005. I was glued to my television in Colorado, watching scenes of the devastation and destruction, horrified at the level of suffering I saw. My heart yearned to be one of those people on the news who had dropped everything that was going on in their personal life and gone to offer shelter and resources and comfort to people experiencing such incredible hardship.
Alas, I knew then, without a doubt that this was not my time to serve. I was very busy raising my four precious young boys. I belonged at home, seeing to the needs of those little guys. But it was during that time that I became aware that I carried within me a burning desire to serve people during their darkest hours.
Fast forward 12 years to the hurricane season of 2017, the costliest hurricane season on record. The Gulf Coast of the United States took another hit, this time Hurricane Harvey was to blame. Now mind you, I’m a California girl transplanted to Colorado. Let’s just say, I didn’t even think I knew anyone who had experienced a hurricane. And now my little boys were off to college or living on their own.
The time had finally come for me to get out there and meet some needs. I hopped on the internet and signed up with The American Red Cross. I never considered another organization because, in my mind, they had an interesting habit of being on every evening news clip that was covering a disaster. I sat on the couch with the news channel on and completed my online training and necessary paperwork within a few days. When Hurricane Irma hit the east coast the following month I was there. Literally 4 days after I signed up, I was on a plane headed to Florida.
After Hurricane Irma, I helped organize teams to put tarps on damaged rooves. After Hurricane Maria, I welcomed weary Puerto Ricans from humanitarian flights to Orlando, Florida. After Hurricane Florence, I helped a little girl learn to ride a bike in the parking lot of a shelter. After the Camp Fire in California, I helped set up a pet shelter to care for the furry family members belonging to the people staying in the shelter. During one of many Colorado wildfires, I helped a group of evacuated boy scouts hold their final flag raising ceremony.
Two and a half years ago I began one of the most fulfilling chapters in my life. The memories I carry with me are rich and heartwarming. I have found my passion. I have become that person that you see on network new stations who left their personal life behind to comfort others. It turns out that rewarding, satisfying, fulfilling, proud, relevant, and exhilarating aren’t just buzz words, they represent the real experience. When I started this journey with the Red Cross, I only knew that I was excited to get out and help. What I was not aware of, and what has remained true with each deployment is that I am the one that comes home inspired, energized and encouraged by the resilient strength and goodness of the people I go to help.
Thank you, Red Cross, for providing the infrastructure to help one volunteer effectively provide comfort to others in their time of need.
Here are some things I did not know about volunteering for the Red Cross when I started out.
When you “deploy” you must commit to at least 2 weeks of full-time service. I ended up asking to stay for 3 weeks my first time out. The Red Cross covers the cost and helps you book the flights that you will need to get to your destination. They provide for your accommodations. I have slept on a cot in an office building along with 200 other volunteers. I have slept in a 10-person tent. But most nights on deployment I have stayed in a modest hotel room with another volunteer for a roommate. They provide for your meals. Sometimes this is catered group meals, sometimes you are given a daily stipend so that you can eat at local restaurants. They provide for your transportation. This may be in the form of a shuttle to your destination. It may be a Red Cross fleet vehicle. It may be a rental car shared among volunteers. All in all, you are a volunteer, but your basic needs are met. The Red Cross is very good at looking after its volunteers.
