Red Cross Central California Blog
The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
By Lucca Lorenzi, Public Affairs Volunteer Ever since he was a teenager, Clifford MacBurney understood the importance of preparedness. In fact, so much so, he made a career of it. It began during his years at Southwest Ohio High School where MacBurney first began his involvement with the Red Cross. “You might say the Red … Continue reading Fire Prevention Week: Meet Clifford MacBurney
Could your family escape in 2 minutes in case of a home fire? A survey conducted for the Red Cross, shows that people mistakenly believe they have more time than they really do to escape a burning home. Fire experts agree that people may have as little as two minutes to escape before it’s too … Continue reading Red Cross offers home fire preparedness tips during National Fire Prevention Week
By Taylor Poisall, Red Cross Public Affairs Pauline Meachum is no stranger to evacuating from wildfires. Last week, the Windy Fire forced her to have to leave her home for the third time as a Camp Nelson resident. Since her first experience evacuating, she has learned some lessons and shared her wisdom with us. “We … Continue reading “The wise people are ready”
by Dave Wagner, Public Affairs Volunteer “I’m mostly a mountain biker, so I rode my first Ride for the Red on a mountain bike. It was a tough 30 miles,” quipped Andrew Bonica, “but I’m a Marine and I don’t quit.” A lot has changed in Bonica’s life since that first ride in 2016. He … Continue reading Why I Ride – Focus and Commitment
By Dan Santos, Red Cross Public Affairs Volunteer In 1979, Madeleine Dircks was just out of high school in Southern California and the song “In the Navy” by the Village People seemed to be on the radio all the time. “The boys on the Village People had the cutest outfits,” Dircks recalled. “It sounds kind of silly, but … Continue reading Service to the Armed Forces: Volunteer Madeleine Dircks
By Lucca Lorenzi, Public Affairs Volunteer Mary Bastos has served the Central California Red Cross Region for over four years, but her propensity to help others began long before she became a Red Cross volunteer. At a young age, Bastos’ parents instilled in her the importance of dedicating their time to helping others; her father … Continue reading Hispanic Heritage Month: Meet Mary Bastos
Submitted by Sara Bloom, Sheltering Volunteer during the Creek Fire in Central California. “Cards are my thing, I enjoy making and sending them out to friends and family, and with the pandemic, I finally ended up with more time to make them. The 'hug' card I made last year was a design I had made … Continue reading A Little Goes a Long Way
By Lori Wilson, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Central Valley Chapter It is hard to believe that we are already looking at the 1-year anniversary of the Creek Fire. At the time it was the single largest wildfire in California history, a record for only a short time— now broken by the Dixie … Continue reading Red Cross commemorates the 1-year anniversary of the Creek Fire
By Cindy Huge, Red Cross Public Affairs Every eight minutes the American Red Cross responds to emergencies both locally and nationally. On August 18, 2021, the American Red Cross of Kern County and Eastern Sierra Chapter was activated to help shelter residents evacuated from the French Fire. Volunteers and staff set up a shelter at … Continue reading Turning Heartbreak into Hope
By Taylor Poisall, American Red Cross Public Affairs Jessica Dotterer has a personality you can't help but be immediately drawn to. She would introduce herself as the unofficial event planner and a member of the welcoming committee at one of our Red Cross shelters for the French Fire. You would never know that she had … Continue reading Meet the Red Cross Shelter’s Honorary Event Planner
Red Cross Central California Blog 