By Anna Blackford, American Red Cross Volunteer
Hi! My name is Anna, and I am a sophomore at the University of Northern Colorado, studying Ecology and Evolution, and GIS. I grew up in Grand Junction, Colorado, and love to hike, spend time with friends and family, and binge Netflix!
I started volunteering with the Red Cross in May of 2017 (three years ago?!?), and to be honest, I was a year out from graduating high school and needed to get my resume pumped up. I figured that I would volunteer for a couple of months, check a couple of things off my list, then be done with it. Little did I know, that three years down the road it would be one of the most important things in my life!
From the very beginning of my volunteer journey, I was welcomed by the Western Colorado chapter with open arms. Josh, now the Volunteer Recruitment Manager for Colorado and Wyoming, immediately started giving me responsibilities that fit with my intrests and my experties. I told him that I liked to write, so he had me help put together the monthly newsletter. It was so odd to start working or helping out somewhere and get to do things that you’re passionate about!
Fast forward three years, and I am now writing the weekly updates for the Mile High, WeCo, and SeCo chapters, acting as a digital volunteer to help monitor social media on the national level, and working with my local region to revitalize our social media presence! These are all things that I truly care about, and I feel like I’m making a difference. The staff and other volunteers at the Red Cross recognize each other’s strengths and push each other to take new challenges head on. I feel valued as a volunteer every day!
So, why volunteer in the first place? Aside from yes, looking amazing on a resume, volunteering allows you to help people and pursue things that interest you without the boundaries of a job position or classroom. The Red Cross especially has so many niches of work and projects and events that branch out not only over the state or country, but all over the world! Giving your time gives you a sense accomplishment that breaks out of the day to day job description or homework assignment – it gives you a sense of accomplishment that truly belongs to you and your fellow volunteers. So get out and find what gives you purpose!