Volunteers - the backbone of the Red Cross

As residents begin their recovery from the devastation left by historic tornadoes, Red Cross volunteers are arriving from around the country to help. Some volunteers from the Jennings Creek Elementary shelter shared their reasons for deploying. 

Pictured from left to right: Volunteers Jeff Roediger, Vonetta Woods,
Deane Oliva, Matt Strafford and Carrie Odegaard

Jeff Roediger from Charleston, SC, in Disaster Mental Health, is on his fourteenth deployment. He says he keeps deploying because there aren't as many volunteers who specialize in mental health services as there are in other volunteer positions, "so, when something like this comes up, you know, out the door I go.”

Vonetta Woods, originally from Benton Harbor, MI, now lives in Bowling Green. She says she knows people affected by the tornado. She came to help because, “It hit so close to home, and I'm just blessed, and it didn't touch us and I wanted to help out the others.”

Deane Oliva, from Bowling Green, KY, serves in Disaster Mental Health. Deane is the regional lead for the Disaster Spiritual Care Team in Kentucky and is from Bowling Green. Disaster Spiritual Care Team members provide spiritual care support to individuals and families who have been impacted by a disaster.

Matt Strafford is from Erlanger KY. The 20-year-old says he came to help because “I just wanted to help people any way I can, and I just enjoy intense situations and I feel that's where I'm called to be the most.” He encourages others to volunteer, saying, “[W]e need more young people, more people like me, with the energy and the strength to be able to help others.”

Carrie Odegaard from Shelly, MN, has deployed more than twenty times. In her experience, she says, “Every disaster response is different, and all the people we help are totally different on each disaster that we go to. But the main thing that we try to keep the same is how we take care of people.”

You can help people affected by disasters like tornadoes and countless other crises. Sign up to become a Red Cross volunteer at redcross.org/volunteer.