Serving with Purpose: Bob Strojek’s Red Cross Legacy

By Andrea Manokian, Red Cross Communications Volunteer

No matter how long someone has been a Red Cross volunteer, chances are they’ve heard of Robert “Bob” Strojek. With nearly a decade of service to the American Red Cross, Bob’s journey began when then-Disaster Program Manager Kurt Russell attended a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) class Bob was teaching. Their introduction launched what would become years of tireless involvement with the Red Cross.

One word comes to mind when speaking with Bob: involved. It’s no wonder volunteers affectionately refer to him as the “Mayor of Goleta,” the city he calls home. But Bob’s dedication extends far beyond his Red Cross duties. 

Bob has been teaching CERT classes even longer than he’s been a Red Cross volunteer. He currently serves as chair of Santa Barbara County’s CERT committee. And that’s not all. Bob is also deeply involved in Santa Barbara’s annual Old Spanish Days Fiesta celebration. “I oversee security and we do traffic control for [the festival],” he says. This is no small feat, as reports suggest the celebration draws crowds of more than 100,000 people each year.

“Put yourself forward so that when that disaster or emergency comes up, you’re prepared to help.” – Bob Strojek

The more you get to know Bob, the more you learn about his various roles rooted in community service. When his kids were younger, he was on the Little League Board and even served as a Boy Scout Leader. Needless to say, he’s never been shy about getting involved, and to this day actively seeks roles in which he can promote preparedness and safety. “I like helping,” Bob says simply. For him, it’s never been about attention or affirmation. It’s always been about showing up and putting in the work.

Aside from his extensive community involvement, Bob also holds a position as a parking monitor for New Beginnings Counseling Center, where he assists people who live in their vehicles full-time and park in different lots at night to sleep.

“For the last 12 years, I’ve been monitoring lots from upper State Street out to Goleta,” he says. “In the morning, I have to get up at 5:30 a.m. and go out and check those lots,” he adds.

Within the Red Cross, Bob plays a key role as a Logistics Lead for the Central California Region. “I do most of the stuff that’s in the background. I oversee the trailers and get the emergency supplies. I also have a facilities background, so I take care of the building,” he says. Bob’s facilities experience came in handy last year when he orchestrated the renovation of the Santa Barbara Red Cross office. He oversaw the replacement of windows, renovated walls and helped implement new security measures—a monumental effort we have him to thank for. 

Natural disasters happen unexpectedly, so it’s important for Bob and his team to plan for what they can. “Logistics is preparing everybody for everything. Inventory has to be accounted for so that when the call comes out, we’re not scrambling to find everything,” he explains.

In addition to his behind-the-scenes leadership, Bob is a familiar face at public events. He helps organize and staff numerous Red Cross tabling efforts throughout the year. “Wherever I can put a table up, [I do],” he says, and he means it.

He’s involved in the preparation for the annual Goleta Lemon Festival and serves as the chair for Safety Street—the largest interactive display of fire, police and emergency services in the county. His role involves coordinating with all of these local agencies and bringing them together to promote emergency preparedness. Each year, Bob makes sure there is a Red Cross table and trailer present at the festival to promote our mission. And when the 100-year anniversary of Santa Barbara’s largest earthquake—The Great Quake—occurred earlier this year, Bob made sure the Red Cross was a part of it by having a tabling event in downtown Santa Barbara for the centennial.

During his long tenure with the Red Cross, Bob has deployed virtually several times for major and minor fires outside Santa Barbara County. The last time he deployed was for the Mountain Fire in Camarillo this past year. Many of his responsibilities when deployed involve logistics, paperwork and providing support to boots-on-the-ground volunteers. 

Whether managing logistics, teaching effective emergency responses or showing up to community events, Bob Strojek embodies what it means to serve. His work is often done quietly, but his impact is anything but small. 

If you’re interested in joining forces with the Red Cross and think logistics would be a good fit for you, Bob would appreciate the extra support. “If somebody is willing to come in [to the Santa Barbara office] once or twice a week for three or four hours, we can get a lot of things accomplished,” he says. His advice for anyone looking to get involved and build stronger, more resilient communities is simple: “Put yourself forward so that when that disaster or emergency comes up, you’re prepared to help.”

For more information on how you can get involved, please visit our website.