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 Dave Wagner, Public Affairs Volunteer At 5:22 am on a Friday morning in mid-April, the Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) was notified that the Oxnard Fire Department was battling a structure fire in a large house on the edge of town. Within minutes, volunteer Thomas Gorden, the Dispatcher/Duty Officer, had two members of … Continue reading Providing Safety, Comfort and Hope
By Lucca Lorenzi, Red Cross Volunteer, Cover Photo by Mimi Teller As a transportation logistics volunteer, Chris Murphy has been 'behind the wheel' at several disasters to help ensure safety for nearly two decades. In 2004, Murphy and his wife discovered the Red Cross at an Escapees RV Club event and were introduced to the … Continue reading Red Cross Volunteers Fuel Our Mission – Meet Chris Murphy
Stories collected by Abby Oldemeyer and Jazmyn Vega, Red Cross Communications Volunteers As we round out the last day of Red Cross Month and Women's History Month, we reflect on the selfless drive of our founder, Clara Barton. Clara is one of the most honored women in American history – Guided by an intense devotion to … Continue reading Celebrating Women’s History Month in Central California
Happy Valentine’s Day! We're celebrating love at the American Red Cross by sharing stories of amazing couples throughout our region who spend some of their quality time together volunteering for Red Cross. Meet some of our volunteer couples and learn about their love for the Red Cross! Meet Isabel Bravo and Jose Perez! For one … Continue reading Sharing the love this Valentine’s Day
Lori Wilson, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Central Valley Chapter, recently returned from Bowling Green, Kentucky where she spent more than two weeks serving the communities devastated by the December Tornadoes. At the Red Cross, we keep stories that impact us close to our Red Cross vests. We like to call them our … Continue reading Hope Can Make All the Difference; Executive Director Reflects on Her Kentucky Tornado Deployment
By Abby Oldemeyer, Public Affairs Volunteer Like many people that find their way to the American Red Cross, Shirley Bahr started searching for a way to give back to her community after she retired. Having already seen the positive impact the Red Cross had within her own community, she applied and began volunteering in 2017. … Continue reading Why I Serve: Meet Shirley Bahr
Pictured on the left is Debby Dailey with fellow Red Cross volunteer Marion Chappell By Lucca Lorenzi, Public Affairs Volunteer Debby Dailey’s helping hand has sewn an incredible quilted patchwork of volunteer service, and she has left an inspiring impact on the hearts of veterans and those impacted by disasters in her community. Dailey, a … Continue reading A Patchwork of Service
by Dave Wagner, Public Affairs Volunteer I had heard that one pint of blood from just one person could save up to three lives. I read that the national emergency blood supply was at its lowest level in more than a decade. I was told that donating my blood would be safe and easy. But … Continue reading Easy as 1 + 1 = 3
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
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
Red Cross Central California Blog 