By Alison Votaw, Communications Volunteer
Ten deployments in a just over a year’s span is impressive for any American Red Cross volunteer, but for Deborah Blaze, Deb as her friends call her, it’s just the beginning.
As Deb considered her options after retirement, a friend noted her high energy lifestyle and recommended the Red Cross.
“I love to serve.” Deb noted as she explained why she felt led to volunteer for the Red Cross. Making meaningful connections with people during deployments has fueled her passion to continue her journey with the Red Cross.
Deb fell in love with shelter work during her first deployment last March during the flooding in Central California. Her enthusiasm led her to ask several volunteers what training they did to do certain roles during a disaster. She even went as far as to do trainings while deployed so she could transition into a new role. Her drive to try out new roles and jump in where needed, as made her an asset to shelter teams.
She has held a variety of volunteer roles, including being a part of a recovery team staffing Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC), or what Californians know as a Local Assistance Center (LAC). MARC’s are a one stop shop for those who have been impacted by disasters. Deb was part of the team that traveled to different MARCs on a few different deployments including most recently in Dallas. They are essential to helping an area rebuild and recover after a disaster. The Red Cross hands out necessities including cleaning supplies, shovels, buckets, water and more.
Deb just recently returned from a deployment in Washington, where she served as a shelter supervisor and used what she’s learned to make a positive impact on a community affected by a series of western wildfires.
Before that, she was in Iowa for floods, Texas twice in 30 days for to support residents displaced by severe storms and then Hurricane Beryl. Her summer has been spent helping disaster affected communities across the country.
Deb believes in the power of getting community members involved in disaster relief efforts. “They don’t know what the Red Cross does unless they become involved,” she said. That’s what she did.
Her goal isn’t just to help those in the shelter, but also to help other residents understand the impact of the Red Cross.
Recently, she built a connection with a shelter resident who was trying to figure out what to do after his retirement. With some encouragement from Deb and the team of volunteers, the resident filled out an application to volunteer for the Red Cross, while sitting in a Red Cross shelter.
Deb believes there’s a role for anyone interested in volunteering. She encourages every volunteer to reach out and ask, if they see a need or have an idea. “Whatever you’re interested in, you can do, whatever you like, there’s a spot!”
Deb’s energy and drive to help others is just one example of the incredible volunteers who donate their time and energy to the Red Cross.
The Red Cross is responding to twice as many major disasters as we did a decade ago to help families and communities struggling with more frequent and intense disasters. The need to help has never been greater. Join us to provide relief and hope when it matters most. Visit redcross.org/volunteer to become a volunteer like Deb.
Red Cross Central California Blog 