The American Red Cross has been the symbol of help and hope in the face of emergencies and disasters for over 100 years. The Red Cross owes this incredible ability to its thousands of volunteers who sacrifice their time and energy daily to help others in need. Two of those selfless volunteers are Elaine and Philip Tomlinson who have served with the Red Cross for over twenty years.
Elaine Tomlinson has always been an outstanding volunteer either with the Red Cross or other organizations while her husband, Philip, spent his time working at Nuclear facilities as an electric engineer before following in his wife’s footsteps. The Colorado-based couple are extremely proud of their four children and four grandchildren and hope that one day they become involved with the Red Cross as well.
This Red Cross Power Couple has deployed over fifteen times either together or independently to state after state to lend a hand. Elaine’s first deployment was to Hurricane Floyd in North Carolina in 1999 which Philip described as an “eye-opener for her.” She said she “fell in love with [serving]” while working at the service center there for three weeks.
Elaine volunteered during 9/11 and experienced chaos and tragedy first hand. She slept on cold concrete floors, worked hard, and made sure that everyone was taken care of. She recounted the event as her first time being under a bomb threat and working three shifts at a time, meaning she was helping tirelessly for 24 hours straight sometimes.
Philip joined the Red Cross a little after his wife and served as a Disaster Assessment Supervisor, Government Liaison, assisted with Logistics Transportation, instructed shelter classes, and drove an Emergency Response Vehicle. Together they helped those in need in multiple different areas, gaining skills, experiences, and a new perspective of the world. They both love using their time to help others in a selfless and honorable way.
Both Tomlinson’s are Disaster Action Team Captains, meaning they respond to local disasters at the drop of a hat. Elaine has responded to airplane crashes, bus crashes, house fires, and took care of those displaced by the Section 8 apartment fire for two months. The Disaster Action Team (DAT) has to be ready at any time to help, and the Tomlinson’s lead the charge.
When asked about her most memorable moment as a volunteer, Elaine shared a simple yet touching story from her experience during Hurricane Katrina. She had stopped in a restaurant in Mississippi while wearing her Red Cross branded vest and a complete stranger came up to her and gushed gratitude for her and her service. She remembered being shocked that someone she had never met, in a town she will never be in again, took time to genuinely thank her for helping. This short story outlines the impact that the Red Cross has and how valued each and every volunteer is.
Elaine cried when turning in her final paperwork before retiring from the Red Cross because they have spent so much time with the organization and created lasting friendships and memories. Her favorite part of working with the Red Cross was what she described as “instant friends.” Philip chimed in and described the staff in any shelter as “250 of your closest friends.” They both have bonded with not only other volunteers and staff, but the clients they’ve met along the way. The Tomlinson’s still keep in touch with clients and other volunteers that they met nearly fifteen years ago.
This couple has spent twenty years of their lives serving strangers, assisting disasters, and making friends. They have been awarded certificates and trophies for their service by the Red Cross and stuffed bears for their kindness and love by their grandchildren (see picture). Elaine was given the Honor Award for Exceptional Volunteer Service for her work with military families, Faculty awards, Disaster Preparedness awards and so much more. Philip had boxes full of certificates and awards showing his dedication and amount of time given to serving communities.
Elaine and Philip Tomlinson are retiring from the Red Cross this year to spend more time with their kids and grandchildren, travel with friends, and take time for themselves. After twenty years of serving others, they more than deserve it! The Red Cross thrives with volunteers like the Tomlinson’s, if you’re interested in volunteering with the Red Cross, visit www.redcross.org/volunteer to learn more!