National Volunteer Week – Kathleen Doughty

By Kevin Sandell, American Red Cross communications volunteer

As board chair, leading the efforts of an organization’s board of directors is not for the fainthearted. A lot is riding on the board’s ability to guide the organization to meeting its objectives. For the current Board Chair of the American Red Cross South Central Kentucky Chapter, serving with the chapter’s board is an opportunity for the chapter to reach new heights. 

“We have a big potential, but we’re just tapping that potential,” Kathleen Doughty, the chapter’s Board Chair, said.

Doughty, who has lived in Kentucky for nearly three decades, has served on the chapter’s board since July 2017. Her roles not only include facilitation of the board’s meetings, but also directing the efforts of the board to guide the local Red Cross chapter in serving its local communities.

Doughty said the board is comprised of 12 members from all walks of life. She previously worked in higher education and then a local home healthcare agency. After leaving the education and healthcare fields, she opened her own business, which specializes in laser-engraved, personalized gifts and holiday ornaments. 

Her father’s service as a firefighter paramedic in Massachusetts inspired her interest in emergency and disaster response at a young age. She served as an emergency dispatcher in South Carolina and Kentucky but wanted to be able to “see the action, instead of just hearing it on the phone and through the radio,” she said. At that time, women firefighters were not common in the fire service, so she decided to earn her paramedic certification, and eventually earned the rank of lieutenant in a paramedic department in Charleston, South Carolina. 

While working as an emergency dispatcher in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Doughty said a police officer in the department served on the local Red Cross board, which also intrigued her about board membership.

Serving in South Carolina, Doughty said the state endured several hurricanes, including Hurricane Hugo, a Category 4 hurricane. It was at that time where she saw the American Red Cross in action providing support to local affected communities. She said it is important for everyone to do something to mitigate the effects of disasters.

“Disasters don’t discriminate,” Doughty said. “People may be fine, and others lose everything. [Disasters] go where [they] want to go. Everybody needs to be doing something.”

Emphasizing the need for people to step up during disasters, she added, “There’s a lot of ways for people to volunteer. You can do as little as you want or as much as you want.”

Doughty, who is a “big blood donation supporter” said the South Central Kentucky Chapter wants to increase awareness and understanding of donating blood and the importance of working smoke alarms in homes and businesses. The Red Cross South Central Kentucky Chapter serves 22 counties in Kentucky, and serves as the Service to Armed Forces station at Fort Knox, the U.S. Army base south of Louisville.

Learn more about volunteering with the Red Cross at redcross.org/volunteertoday

Volunteer Highlight - Priscilla Johnson

By Kevin Sandell, American Red Cross communications volunteer

Over her seven year period volunteering with the American Red Cross, Priscilla Johnson seems to have done it all. She has served in media relations, biomedical services, a community volunteer lead and government liaison, caseworker, and with the Disaster Cycle Services. The work, she says, gives her the opportunity to strengthen ties and help vulnerable populations.

“It’s so satisfying helping those vulnerable people and families,” Priscilla said. “My volunteering gives me the opportunity to make new acquaintances, learn new skills, strengthen ties to our beloved community, and broadens my network to people of common interest.”

The Lexington, Kentucky native, who serves with the Bluegrass Area Chapter under the American Red Cross Kentucky Region, said many people believe her many jobs with the Red Cross are paid positions.

“Most folks think it’s a paid opportunity job and not a volunteer, because I give it my heart and 100% commitment,” she said. 

The Red Cross does a good job of treating her with dignity and recognizing and awarding her volunteer work, she says. She was inspired to serve with the Red Cross after her brother started working with the Red Cross Wheels Service to drive patients to and from their medical appointments. Recently diagnosed with cancer, he used the opportunity to keep his mind busy and distracted from his diagnosis. Although her brother eventually succumbed to cancer, Priscilla said the Red Cross “helped prolong [his] life,” as he loved serving other patients as a Red Cross volunteer. 

“[It] makes me tear up every time I think of this opportunity he was given,” Priscilla said.  

The personal connection to the Red Cross means a lot for Priscilla. 

“I have a strong passion for the Red Cross because I believe that my volunteering can continue to make positive impact on the community and around the world while also gaining valuable experience and skills,” she said. “The personal connection and passion for the cause affords me the eagerness to contribute and keep coming back.”

Serving with the Red Cross is important for others to consider because it “truly provides the sense of purpose and teaches valuable skills,”  and gets people out of their comfort zones, she said. “I'm a people person and I know I can sleep good at night knowing I tried to help someone.”

The Reliability and Devotion of House on the Hill

Joel Hawkins with Halie Chamberlain

How do we combat over half of Americans living one crisis away from homelessness? With agencies like House on the Hill (HotH) who work diligently to provide access to fresh food and housing to low-income families. We spoke with Joel Hawkins, Executive Director at HotH.

“House on the Hill formed in 2010 in Mississippi,” said Joel. They reestablished in Bowling Green, Kentucky. “We have a food box program that we run. We currently serve 250 families per month… With the help of Red Cross and other agencies, we opened a free grocery store in one of the small communities in the county.”

The families that receive food boxes can now have a shopping experience and choose the produce and goods they want to take home. “Empowering families is one way we have been trying to combat the stigma of poverty,” said Joel. “The work we do focuses on the dignity of the clients we serve. The grocery store program is one of those ways we try to instill dignity. It empowers the family to come make their own food choices. But it also gives them the opportunity to shop at a grocery store instead of sitting at home and waiting on a box to be delivered.”

Our Red Cross Community Adaptation Program (CAP) has allowed HotH to advance their service to communities in Warren County. CAP is centered around communities that are at high risk for extreme weather and face socioeconomic challenges. CAP strengthens local nonprofits and their programs before a disaster and seeks to serve families hit hard by this new increasing state of climate disasters. “With CAP, we have received a forklift, a walk-in cooler to provide fresh produce, and a deep freezer we keep proteins in,” said Joel. 

His team is working to turn their focus to affordable housing options for low-income families. “This partnership with Red Cross has allowed us to look at innovative solutions to meet those needs. Whether it’s food, housing, or other programs. We also know a lot of health issues are created because of the housing situations our families are in. So, to be able to provide safe, inhabitable, affordable housing for low-income folks is now on our horizon because of the work.”

The housing program will look to build new houses in neighborhoods that provide common amenities. It will have supplemental aid if families are unable to make rent or pay utility bills on a given month if finances are tight. “Through this program, they won’t have to face getting evicted,” said Joel. While the 2021 western Kentucky tornadoes brought a focus to marginalized communities, Joel wants the spotlight placed on the kindness and service of the people.

“That’s what I’d love for the story to be is how neighbors help neighbors. We have many people who want to volunteer at the grocery store… Our neighbors are coming together all the time in little pockets around the community,” he said. Joel told us about how agencies showed up with little to do after the tornadoes because community members had already jumped in to do clean up.

He’s most proud of the stability that HotH provides. “We don’t just show up, provide a little bit of help, and leave. We stay.” One of their goals is to develop a community garden and pavilion on the property of the grocery store.

Joel is married to Jackie, and they live on a small farm in Warren County with a couple of miniature horses and dogs. Their son, Jackson, is an artist teaching glass blowing at University in Missouri.

Joel with his wife and son.

Kaitlin Gonzalez: DE&I Beyond Expectations

While diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) have become buzz words, people like Kaitlin Gonzalez have been doing this significant work for years. She is a DEI expert, conducting trainings and consulting businesses. She facilitated a training with the American Red Cross Western Kentucky chapter, which led her to become a board member. “Our goal is to make our board diverse. We are working on attracting board members who look like our community. Our board members understand cultural sensitivity. It’s important for people to feel like they belong and are accepted,” said Kaitlin.

Kaitlin believes our differences can inspire positive change. “It's important for people to know about DEI so we have an awareness of differences and similarities. We don’t have to be fearful of those differences; They can bring strengths. We should embrace it and harness it for the good.”

She is passionate about the international community. Kaitlin previously taught English as a second language (ESL) at Owensboro Technical Community College and Daviess County High School. She also worked for a nonprofit organization in refugee services. “In ESL classes, we taught skills such as everyday activities which might have been different than what they were used to in their home country. Providing cultural orientation,” she said.

Her interest in international cultures led her to explore international law. She began teaching International Humanitarian Law (IHL) at Daviess County High School, a learning experience offered through the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC). IHL is a set of rules that seek to limit the effects of armed conflict. It protects people who are not or are no longer participating in hostilities and restricts the means and methods of warfare.

“Towards the end of our program was the invasion of Ukraine. We were able to look at real life examples and see what was happening in current day. We discussed what was following the rules of law. It’s so good for students to learn about it because they have history classes. It goes so well with what they are learning in school. It makes them think more complex and engage in critical thinking; Think about situations that aren’t just black and white. We would ask, ‘What would you do in this situation?” Kaitlin explained.

Her background with refugee services led her to discover our Restoring Family Links (RFL) program. RFL provides free and confidential services to help families reconnect during times of disruption. Kaitlin recently completed her training to become a RFL caseworker. “This is a perfect fit for me… I’m happy I get to work with the refugee population again and help them in this way of reconnecting with family.”

She is also a Disaster Action Team (DAT) member. DAT teams respond to personal emergencies like home fires to provide care and support. Kaitlin described helping a family after their house was destroyed by a fire. “We were able to give comfort to them… In a moment of helplessness, they were so appreciative. It made me feel good.” She commented having empathy is vital.

Kaitlin reflected on the impact volunteering has had on her. “[The Red Cross] is such a big part of my life now… It’s amazing how much they impact their communities. Knowing there are Red Cross organizations all over the world. We are all working toward the same goal, and we all have the same principles.

Kaitlin is married to Jose, and they have three fur babies together: Chico, Havana, and Mila. The couple met at Daviess County High School on the Latin dance team. Kaitlin said her passion for dance grew from the team, as she now teaches Zumba and Zumbini classes.

Volunteer Highlight - Corey Gant

As a firefighter, Corey Gant knows firsthand the importance of being prepared. Originally from Louisville, KY, Corey moved to Owensboro for college. He joined the Owensboro Fire Department after he graduated and is the Battalion Chief of Training for the fire department. He joined the Red Cross around 2016 and is on our Western Kentucky Chapter board.

Giving back to his community is what made Corey decide to volunteer: “I was still just a firefighter at the time, and I was kind of looking for a way to get involved with a group. At the time the executive director asked the fire department to be a part of the Red Cross board here in Western Kentucky. I was asked to fill that role for the fire department, and that’s really how it started.”

During his tenure with the Red Cross, Corey has been both vice chair and chair of the Western Kentucky Chapter board. He helped Misty Thomas, our Western Kentucky Chapter executive director, get up to speed on the board when she joined the Red Cross. His biggest role, however, is volunteering with the Home Fire Campaign. The American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign helps save lives by installing free smoke alarms in homes that don't have them, and by educating people about home fire safety.

“It's hard to not see the importance in it,” said Corey. “I’ve volunteered for several of the home fire campaign events.” The Owensboro Fire Department also partners with the Red Cross to install smoke alarms in homes that need them in the city of Owensboro. Corey tries to help in other areas when he can, including helping with blood drives and by being a blood donor himself. 

For Corey, the most interesting part of volunteering is getting to go out and serve his community. 

“It's kind of what we do in the fire service, and on a different scale,” said Corey. “It’s hard for me to be part of the recovery side because it's what I do [with the fire department]. I’m usually responding. I try to help out on the preparedness side, get out and meet people and make sure they understand the importance of being prepared and what they need to handle house fires or natural disasters.”

Corey encourages others to volunteer because getting out there and supporting an organization like the Red Cross helps the people around us and helps build up the community.

“Even if you can't go give your time, there are other things that you can do to help support the Red Cross and help support others that go through catastrophes,” said Corey. “It’s good for the soul, but it's also good for the community. You’re helping people in a way that not everybody can.”

Outside of volunteering, Corey enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, who will turn two years old in June. They visit Louisville as often as they can, and enjoy going to Nashville, traveling, and attending hockey games.

Thank you, Corey, for all you do!

Third-Generation Volunteer, Rebecca Cartmell, Heads Disaster Response in Mason County

By Kelly Carroll, American Red Cross volunteer

Rebecca's mother 
and daughter

Rebecca Cartmell has been volunteering with the American Red Cross practically since birth. Her grandmother and mother were both volunteers, and she recalls going with her mother to board meetings and blood drives, where she took donors’ temperatures and transported typewriters into and out of the buildings. When Rebecca was young, a tornado hit her hometown of Maysville, Kentucky, and her mother helped with the recovery efforts. 

Later, as an adult, Rebecca was recruited to serve on the local Red Cross board. She was employed by the organization for a period of time. Currently, she is the Mason County Disaster Action Team Lead, a completely volunteer role. When a disaster occurs—such as a flood, home fire or storm—she contacts the people affected on behalf of the Red Cross and helps in their recovery.

Rebecca and her daughter before
a Pillowcase Project presentation

Rebecca tries to contact families within two hours, and often within 30 minutes, to “find out what their needs are and see what we can do to help.” Often, with a single-family fire (the most common type of disaster), Rebecca arrives when the fire department is still on the scene and “the people are standing on their lawn.” The Red Cross provides resources and services and also connects facilities to other organizations that can help.

Rebecca acknowledged that the grave nature of her work with the Red Cross can be “emotionally taxing,” but was quick to point out the sense of accomplishment she gets from the role. “You feel good about helping other people,” she said.

In her many years of service to the Red Cross, Rebecca has served in many ways. In addition to disaster response, she has canvassed neighborhoods to install free smoke alarms in homes, taught CPR, visited schools for “The Pillowcase Project,” a disaster preparedness program for elementary-aged children, and facilitated communication with people deployed in the armed forces.

Rebecca’s family legacy of serving with the Red Cross continues with her 33-year-old daughter, Ellen Cartmell, who currently serves on the local board and disaster action team. In the past, Ellen worked for the Red Cross in Washington, D.C., and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva, Switzerland. Through innumerable acts of service, big and small, their family has served through the Red Cross for four generations and counting!

Global Oasis: A Haven for Learning, Relaxation, and Community at the International Center of Kentucky

After the 2021 tornadoes devastated western Kentucky, our Red Cross Community Adaptation Program (CAP) was initiated. Focused on Warren County, CAP provides enhanced support in select communities that are at high risk for extreme weather and face socioeconomic challenges. CAP enhances local nonprofits specializing in health, hunger and housing to strengthen their programs before a disaster and to serve families hit hard by this new increasing state of climate disasters.

One of our proud partnerships is with the International Center of Kentucky (ICoKY). We caught up with Albert Mbanfu, CEO of ICoKY. “What we do is resettle refugees and victims of human trafficking and other immigrants. We help them integrate into the community and start their lives over again after disruption from their parent home countries,” said Albert. He’s been the CEO for 11 years. Albert says the partnership with us has been vital. The ICoKY has helped resettle over 10,000 refugees from over 30 different countries. There are over 85 languages spoken in Warren County.

Executive Director, Albert Mbanfu, speaks at the ribbon cutting.

Photo Credit: (Grace Ramey / grace.ramey@bgdailynews.com)

“Immigrants have access to transportation because of the partnership with Red Cross. We can take them to places like the health department, the grocery, and the social security office where they can have their documents established.” Albert says the support has led to ICoKY having a facility where refugees can congregate and access electricity and internet. “We can successfully continue with our programs and classes even if the power goes out. We have back up power with generators.”

The office in Bowling Green has close to 40 staff. The staff come from 15 different countries around the world. “We pick [the refugees] up at the airport and show them hospitality. We make sure there is someone there to talk to them in their language,” said Albert. The center has become a place of safety and fellowship, where refugees can share experiences and learn. ICoKY has a full kitchen, portable showers, a 15-passenger van, and an outdoor charging station for phones and tablets. The staff teaches English speaking classes.

Albert with ICoKY staff

Albert is a refugee from Cameroon, Africa, who came to the US seeking asylum as part of the Refugee Act. The first thing he wants everyone to understand is refugees are coming from a place of trauma. “Just understanding how to use the appliances in their apartment. To start, many of them have never flushed a toilet or used a stove. They don’t know how to condition the thermostat to make it warm or cold. It’s so traumatizing to them when they arrive,” he said. The center shows them how to operate and go about basic life tasks in America.

ICoKY has agreed to become a resilience hub during times of disruption and disaster. This means refugees will have a safe place to gather and discuss what’s happening and gather resources about how to move forward. “Right now, I’m not super worried about the aftermath of a disaster in this community because of CAP. We know the Red Cross will be there for us. We know Red Cross will be ready to support us and provide us the necessary resources to support the refugees. The presence and partnership are invaluable. I have a piece of mind because of this partnership,” said Albert.

Sitting outside in peace may be something Americans take for granted, but Albert says it’s the greatest thing refugees can enjoy. “Just having the comfortability of sitting and charging their phone while they enjoy nature. That’s the American dream for them. They never thought that would happen.” Albert shared with us he escaped poverty and misery; and that’s what many of the refugees have faced.

Albert with family

Coming to America was a way to start over for Albert. He came here in 2005 and got a new job and went to school. He got married to his wife in 2007. They have 3 sons, and he proudly watches them have access to opportunities he never dreamed of. One of Albert’s sons just got accepted to the esteemed Emory University for college. “Knowing my kids have a brighter future just from being in the United States, it’s something you can’t buy with money. I’m just happy God willing, my kids will have a life that is better than mine was… I know I’ve birthed a generation that will not experience poverty, torture, and war.”

We are grateful for Albert’s leadership, wisdom, and kindness. We know this partnership will continue to grow and provide sustainable resources for refugees.

Look for the Helpers: Dawn Scholl

They say during times of devastation to look for the helpers. Look for the helpers who pick up the pieces, lend a hand, offer a warm embrace, and sit with you. Dawn Scholl is a helper. She is a member of our Disaster Action Team (DAT) and a CPR instructor within our American Red Cross western Kentucky chapter and volunteers at the Warrior Warehouse on Fort Knox, a program within our Service to the Armed Forces (SAF). She is an Army civilian retiree and military spouse.

“As a former instructor for the Army, I love teaching. When hands only CPR started, I said I’d like to do that… It makes me feel good to teach somebody how to save a life. It’s fun and rewarding all at the same time,” said Dawn. “With disaster, I’ve gone out on several DAT calls… I wear my vest proudly. I get out there and see the devastation. The relief on a families’ faces when we pull up; They know the Red Cross is going to help them one way or another.” Our DAT teams respond to personal disasters like house fires. These teams offer support and resources to families so they can recover.

She admires the reach of the hands only CPR classes. “I have taught 10-year-olds up to 80+-year-olds. People have shared with me their devastation of not being able to do hands only CPR in the moment. Now they can. They are so proud.” Her favorite memory is teaching a class in Bowling Green, Kentucky. “It was for international students. There were 6 different interpreters in the room. I had to be animated. It was a joy seeing all the different languages coming together to learn.”

Dawn talked with us about growing up with little income and how that’s grown her servant’s heart. “It’s crucial for all of us to do a little something… The Toys for Tots program was there for me when I was a little girl.” She has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Feeding America, Lioness Clubs, and the Salvation Army. Dawn’s husband, Scott, is a member of Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association® (CVMA®). She is an auxiliary member. “It’s veterans helping veterans. We’re all over the country. We ride motorcycles, it’s comradery. It’s fundraising. All the money goes back to local veterans,” Dawn replied.

Dawn was the CVMA® auxiliary state representative for 3 years and the previous president of the Federally Employed Women (FEW) Gold Vault Chapter. FEW is an organization that works as an advocacy group dedicated to promoting equality for women and addressing concerns for women within the federal workforce.

With CVMA®, Dawn and Scott have been a part of sentimental funeral escorts. “We assist in doing the escorts, bring back those soldiers and take them to their final resting place. We ride our motorcycles and go behind the hearse,” Dawn explained. It’s very emotional and a real honor to meet the families. Sometimes generations have passed. Now they’re finding their loved ones remains and bringing them home. 

Dawn is a Kentucky Colonel, the highest title of honor bestowed and selected by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. “[Volunteering] is something that I enjoy. Giving back to the community is important,” said Dawn.

Scott is set to retire in 4 years, they have 8 children, many grandchildren and love traveling to see them across the states. Dawn has a green thumb, regularly tending to her greenhouse and garden.

You can learn more about volunteering with the Red Cross at redcross.org/volunteertoday

Volunteer Appreciation Month - John Sternberg

John Sternberg has a long history with the Red Cross. John did community service with the Red Cross during his high school days, and estimates that he’s donated over 5 gallons of blood since age 18. After he retired from the Department of Health and Human Services, he decided to get involved as a Red Cross volunteer.

John, right. Photo courtesy John Sternberg.

He joined the Red Cross Bluegrass Area Chapter in 2021 and began volunteering with the Disaster Action Team (DAT) responding to home fires in the Lexington area. He recently got a new job, so he has not been able to deploy as much as he’d like, but he was able to respond to the train derailment in Eastern Kentucky last year and has qualified to become a sheltering supervisor during disasters.

“I think it’s important to be able to do something when tragedy occurs,” said John. “The best outlet I could find was with the Red Cross.”

Last year, John also got involved with our Hands-Only CPR initiative. Hands-only CPR, or compression-only CPR, is a method of providing quick life-saving measures to someone suffering a cardiac event that only involves providing chest compressions. This process encourages the quick push of blood throughout the body, to ensure the heart is getting the blood it needs to function. John and other hands-only CPR instructors provide instruction across the Kentucky region, including at offices, schools and health fairs. Hands-Only CPR courses do not provide a CPR certification, but they can help familiarize beginners with the signs of a cardiac event. While they do not take the place of a full CPR/First Aid course, Hands-Only CPR courses provide the basic tools a person can use to help gain precious time for someone experiencing a cardiac event until help arrives.

John is a coordinator for the program, and both teaches hands-only CPR courses and recruits and manages hands-only CPR instructors. Part of what made John agree to take on the role was a grant the American Red Cross Kentucky Region received from LG&E KU to support teaching hands-only CPR in communities that need it.

Since the start of the hands-only CPR initiative, the Red Cross has trained more than 500 people across the state in hands-only CPR, 90% of which is youth. The South Central Kentucky chapter has also taught the program in different languages and represented 15 different nationalities.

As a certified First Aid/CPR instructor, John’s happy for the chance to reach communities and train more people with the initiative: “The nice part is to get to the areas where they can't make the monetary or time commitment to do the full CPR course.”

Moving forward, John wants to see the program grow and recruit more hands-only CPR instructors.

Thank you, John, for all you do! If you are interested in becoming a Red Cross volunteer, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday

South Central KY Board Member Profile – Tonya Roth

By Kevin Sandell, American Red Cross volunteer

Tonya Roth is a familiar face in several chapters of the American Red Cross. As a board member now with the South Central Kentucky chapter’s board since 2021, Tonya has also served with the Red Cross Eastern Tennessee Region and is a member of the National Council of the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle.

She is a retired corporate vice president who now devotes time to serving with the Red Cross. As a member of the Tiffany Circle, she also helps oversee the strategy and direction of the philanthropic arm of the American Red Cross, which is comprised of 1,300 women nationwide who each donate $10,000 or more to the Red Cross annually.

Tonya said one of her key roles in serving with the South Central Kentucky chapter is to help them better tell their story throughout the region. Throughout her life, she said, were a “lot of touches of the American Red Cross” in her life, which included earning a lifeguard certification when she was younger, and seeing the American Red Cross serve military service members in her family and others. Serving with the chapter’s board allows her to promote the various services offered by the Red Cross.

“There’s nothing more rewarding,” Tonya said about volunteering with the Red Cross. “…It’s a way to be involved in communities in a structured environment with an organization that touches lives at all ages.”

As a member of the chapter’s board, she believes the South Central Kentucky chapter can be an area leader in blood drives and volunteer recruitment. She also highlighted the chapter’s Warren County Community Adaptation Program, which connects people with other nonprofits to get them the resources they need to outreach their communities.

“There’s a variety of volunteer opportunities available, whether it’s serving with a Disaster Action Team or as a blood donation ambassador,” Tonya said. “The Red Cross stands ready to respond wherever there is need.”

Over the next year, Tonya said she looks forward to adding additional board members to the chapter’s board, and was excited to see the progress of the American Red Cross Kentucky Region’s new headquarters building in Louisville. The building is scheduled to open in July.

For her “full-time” retirement job, Tonya and her husband, who’s a farmer, own a historic barn venue for weddings and events in Bowling Green.

Three Decades of Volunteerism: Cindy Thompson

 By Kevin Sandell, American Red Cross communications volunteer 

Cindy Thompson (middle), stands with Dan Wirth and Jennifer Adrio outside of a mobile Emergency Operations Center during the last solar eclipse in August 2017 in Kentucky.

Lifelong Kentucky resident, Cindy Thompson, has volunteered with the American Red Cross for over three decades, and said she’s passionate about helping those in need. Over 90% of the humanitarian work of the Red Cross is conducted by volunteers, which brings many benefits, she said.

“Volunteering … offers numerous benefits, both for our community and for us as volunteers,” Cindy said. “We make a difference as volunteers; we directly impact people’s lives during emergencies. We also work on meaningful projects such as smoke alarm installations.”

Cindy serves as a volunteer Disaster Program Manager with the American Red Cross Western Kentucky Chapter, and her husband is also a Red Cross volunteer. She said the most interesting aspect of her volunteer work is “working with [individuals and families needing assistance],” but added that there’s a lot of “late-night computer work,” involved in her role.

“[I’ve gained] friendships with other Red Cross volunteers, first responders, Red Cross staff, and those who have been helped by the Red Cross,” she said.

Regional Disaster Cycle Services teams manage emergency response, relief, and recovery across geographical regions. Disaster Program Managers collaborate with other Red Cross staff and departments that support the DCS priorities and support the engagement and development of other volunteers. They serve as a vital link in the disaster response mission of the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross Western Kentucky Chapter is headquartered in Owensboro, Kentucky, and serves 20 Kentucky counties and five Illinois counties. The chapter also has field offices in Paducah, Hopkinsville, and Madisonville, all in Kentucky.

Cindy said when she’s not volunteering with the Red Cross, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, thrifting, and doing Zumba after work. She also serves as a volunteer clergywoman at Baptist Health Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky. She currently works for Edward Jones in Paducah.

The Western Kentucky Chapter falls under the Red Cross Kentucky Region. The American Red Cross is not a government agency, and relies on donations of time, money, and resources from individuals in the local community, corporate partners, and like-minded foundations to do its work.

Red Cross Services are provided throughout Kentucky thanks to the generous commitment of thousands of local volunteers, like Cindy. 

Volunteering is ‘a Blessing’ for Lance Mann, Chair of Louisville’s Board

By Kelly Carroll, American Red Cross volunteer

For nearly 25 years, through moving states and jobs, Lance Mann has enthusiastically volunteered with the American Red Cross. Currently, Lance serves as the chair of the Louisville Area Chapter Board of Directors, a role he describes as “a blessing” and a fun and valuable experience. 

Lance started volunteering in the early 2000s in Atlanta as a blood donor to “do something good in the community.” When he moved to Lexington in 2007, he volunteered through his employer, helping with accounting, technology and fundraising, a role that brought him closer to the mission of the Red Cross. When he came to Louisville in 2013, he served on the biomedical volunteer board.

He eventually became the chair of a combined humanitarian and biomedical board. While Lance served on the board, it made significant improvements to its operations that had an “amazing impact.” “Now, the Kentucky chapter biomedical operations are one of the top operating groups in the country. We beat our goals every year,” he said.

Lance Mann, second from right,
with Bingham Fellows

In 2022, leaders asked Lance to become the incoming chair of the Board of Directors. As he finishes the first year of the two-year term, he said it “has been a blessing to be able to experience all the rest that the Red Cross has” to offer, citing the successful smoke alarm campaigns, building construction, effective disaster responses and Wrapped in Red Gala. “It’s been quite a bit of fun.”

Lance shared a few of the Kentucky region’s achievements. Following the devastating tornadoes in Bowling Green and Western Kentucky in 2021, they received a request for blood products that same day. “We were able to make it happen because we had the supply and we had the team who could make it happen,” he said.

The organization’s “Sound the Alarm” campaign has saved lives by installing smoke alarms throughout Kentucky and Southern Indiana at no cost to homeowners. The Red Cross estimates the number of lives saved since the campaign’s inception in 2014 to be in the low 90s. “I think the Kentucky Red Cross team is one of the best in the country. I’m just grateful to be able to learn from them…,” Lance said.

Lance is the father of four children and works at Dean Dorton in Louisville. He and his wife both prioritize volunteer work. “It gives us energy,” he said of volunteering. He emphasized he would “wholeheartedly” recommend volunteering to others. To back up his recommendation, he cites the lifelong friends he’s made through serving with the Red Cross and the satisfaction of giving back to the local community.

Amy Hurd: The Voice Women Need

Amy and her husband

“There’s room for everyone… A woman is not taking a man’s space. We just need to make more room. We need a bigger table. We need more voices.” Amy Hurd was in corporate America for almost 30 years and started the first women’s resource group at US Bank. “The women I’ve worked with have some of the highest scores in the company. People want to work for them. As a result of that, we significantly moved up the number of women in leadership positions.” By the time she retired, there were over 800 women in the resource group, networking and lifting each other up.

Mentorship and training for women has been a passion for Amy. She’s been able to apply that to her volunteer work with Red Cross. She’s going on four years as a Community Volunteer Leader (CVL), providing resources on leadership to our executive directors. “In those 4 years, our state has had fires, tornadoes, floods. My one question is: How are you doing? Are you okay? How can you lead this work if you are not taking care of your own mental health and wellbeing?”

Amy has been a key component of navigating conflict management. “What I’ve learned with people at the Red Cross is so many of them have a big heart. Where I come from in corporate America, there is more forcefulness around tough or uncomfortable conversations. I’ve noticed at Red Cross that conflict is viewed as negative. My perspective is conflict is healthy. When I understand where you are coming from and what we disagree on, we can move forward. I’ve helped the executive team understand conflict is not a bad thing.”

She spends her time coaching our team and building their confidence. “I’m on calls giving them tips on their public speaking and helping them build a meeting or agenda. We do a lot of work around StrengthsFinder,” said Amy. Through her career, she has lived in Arizona and Nevada. She was in Las Vegas during the 2017 shooting at a country music festival. “I was there that day and the days following. I saw the community come together in a way I have never seen. I don’t want to wait for a disaster to happen to give back. Giving back to your community is critically important. It’s what makes a community strong. Looking out for each other. We are in this life together,” said Amy.

You could say volunteering is a family affair for Amy. She is a O+ blood donor. Her husband donates blood with us every 60 days “without fail.” Her mother-in-law donated blood and volunteered with us for over 50 years. “I sincerely could not think of another organization that has the impact in the community like the Red Cross,” said Amy. She keeps all her mother-in-law’s blood donor pins and awards.

Amy and her husband love to travel, visiting over 40 countries together. They would love to live outside the country one day and explore volunteer work with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. They have a soft spot for rescue dogs and love spoiling their dog, Beatrix. #VolunteerAppreciationMonth

Clair's Red Cross Story

Clair Brendel’s Red Cross journey started in January 2015, when she was a senior in college. “I needed an internship, and I wanted something that allowed me to work with individuals and communities, and the Red Cross proved to be my perfect match. After finishing my degree, I moved on to serving as a program manager in West Virginia for 3 years before coming to Kentucky where I first served as the program manager for the Louisville Area Chapter before taking on my current role as the Planning and Preparedness manager for the region.”

“I initially chose the Red Cross because I wanted to be able to travel and help others, and Red Cross enabled both of those things,” said Clair. “I stay because being a part of the Red Cross means being a member of the greatest humanitarian family and mission.”

As Planning and Preparedness Manager, Clair works with communities and volunteers across the region to implement preparedness and resiliency programs. “Personally, the most rewarding part of my job is seeing our volunteers grow in their capacity to help others and serve as leaders,” said Clair. “However, I also have the honor of investigating our “Lives Saved” leads for the region- seeing where the free smoke alarms we install help people to escape fires that happen in their homes.”

Home fires are this country’s deadliest and most frequent type of disaster. Seven people in this country lose their lives to a fire in their home every day. Because of these tragic statistics, the American Red Cross launched its Home Fire Campaign to reduce home fire-related deaths and injuries. Since its start in 2014, the campaign is credited with helping save more than 2,000 lives across the country.

For Clair, working for a nonprofit that benefits the community the way the Red Cross does is a continuation of the proverb “it takes a village to raise a child.”

“Some people may be entirely self-sufficient,” said Clair, “But most go through hard times in their lives where they need help. Being a part of a helping agency allows you to be a part of those villages, whether you’re making someone more prepared or standing with them on one of their worst days.”

One of Clair’s favorite memories of working with the Red Cross is of coming across an unreported wildfire with a new volunteer she was onboarding: “She and I were driving through a rural county to inventory a trailer when we saw a large cloud of smoke. As we drove by the house closest to the smoke, we couldn’t see anyone was watching the fire, so we turned around and checked. It turns out we had stumbled across an unreported wildfire in the area. Because we stopped, we were able to get the fire department on scene in time to save several homes in the area and keep the families safe.”

Being able to complete her Masters of Social Work from the University of Illinois while still accepting numerous deployments to support disasters in Kentucky is one of Clair’s proudest achievements. “I spent almost 12 weeks supporting two different floods and the 2021 tornados. Being able to accomplish such a big personal goal while still being there for my community is something I’ll aways be proud of.”

Clair and team during her
deployment to Maui

A goal Clair has for this year is crossing off another new state on her list: “I’m on a mission to visit all 50 states, and I have 12 to go. My last new state was Hawaii when responding to the Maui wildfires. I’d like my next state to be one I go to for fun, not work.”

One fun fact about Clair is that she was once an award-winning jazz tenor saxophone player and painter. She has a cat named Blair who likes to introduce herself to people on Teams calls, and is a voracious reader, yoga enthusiast, and leisure hiker. Her favorite place to hike is Kentucky Lake, with the Grand Tetons being a close second.

We are excited to share that Clair will soon begin a new role as part of our National Red Cross team! Congratulations, Clair, and our best wishes for this newest chapter in your story!

Story spotlight: Stacy Taylor - Women’s History Month

Stacy, left

Meet Stacy Taylor. Stacy started her career with the Red Cross in April 2016 in Training Services, which offers training in areas such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and basic first aid. “I began by teaching CPR, BLS (Basic Life Support) and lifeguard classes.” “In January 2018, I left the classroom and began working as a Training Services Scheduler, scheduling classes for 12 states throughout the Midwest, and in October of 2019, I embarked on my current adventure as Volunteer Recruitment Specialist for the Kentucky Region.”

Stacy’s awareness and involvement with the Red Cross goes back much further. “My father was with Louisville Fire for 36 years. I remember him coming home from work and talking about the fires he responded to, and that the Red Cross was there. When he retired in 1996, he began volunteering with the Red Cross, responding to house fires and deployed to a few hurricanes. He would share stories about families he met and his experience as a volunteer.” “Additionally, he was a loyal blood donor, with estimates he donated over 30 gallons of blood in his lifetime.”

Stacy's father

“In large part, I'm a Red Crosser because of the experiences he shared with me over the years. It was his insight which gave me the understanding of what a unique and wonderful opportunity we have as Red Crossers to help our community when they need us most.”

Stacy enjoys getting to meet new people, learning about different communities throughout Kentucky and spending lots of time driving the Bluegrass back roads, hills and mountains of Kentucky.

One of Stacy’s most meaningful experiences with the Red Cross was volunteering with her kids on Christmas Eve after the tornados in Western Kentucky which occurred in December 2021. “It was a horrible event, but the kids woke up very early, eager to drive down to help however they could.” “When you work with a non-profit at the local level, you get to see how the work you do everyday impacts those in your community. It's a good feeling to know lives are being made better and safer, and lives are saved because of the "behind the scenes" work I'm doing.”

Stacy's children, Javi, Lexi and Ari

Stacy leads a busy life; she has three kids who are everything to her. “My oldest is 20, a sophomore and D1 athlete at University of Louisville. My son, 19, is an Eagle Scout and works in the shop at Toyota while he is getting ready to enroll in school to study aircraft maintenance. My youngest daughter is 16, a sophomore and hopes to attend the University of Alabama when she graduates from high school. Roll TIDE!” In addition to her kids, she has three rescue dogs (Jake, Ziggy and Harley) and three yellow belly slider aquatic turtles. 

When she is not traveling the state and recruiting for new volunteers, she enjoys walks along the Louisville riverfront, hiking, jet skiing, exercising, reading, and volunteering at the Vintage Fire Museum. Interesting fact about Stacy, she is adopted and recently met her biological family on her father's side. She now has a sister, two brothers and eight aunts and uncles. We are grateful for Stacy’s endless energy and the legacy her father instilled in her about the Red Cross. #WomensHistoryMonth

Sherry Robbins Celebrating 34 Years!

Sherry Robbins prides herself on a strong work ethic. She started working with us a week after she graduated high school. “I worked 2 jobs for 25 years. I was an assistant manager at Arby’s. I always had a part time job with my full-time job at Red Cross,” said Sherry. She will celebrate 34 years with us in June 2024.

Sherry joined us as a word processor. She did type style and editing for letters, standard operating procedures, fliers etc. She took a word processing class at vocational school and applied for the position. “Part of the interview process was to volunteer for one day,” said Sherry. After 3 years, she transitioned into a secretary role.

Sherry and Shane

“I was in Emergency Services for 19 years. When I first started, the department was a combination of what we now know as Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) and Disaster Cycle Services. I enjoyed that,” said Sherry. “I did transcription for SAF cases. People would call in needing help and I would put my headphones on and transcribe the message.”

Sherry was in that department prior to us opening our large SAF call center. She took care of the billing for 200 chapters across the country. “When hurricane Katrina hit, we covered for Jackson, Mississippi, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Those places got hit, and their chapters weren’t open. Families were calling us- people who were stuck on their roof and needed rescuing. That was probably the worst thing I ever went through,” she said.

She is now our Business Operations Specialist, and right hand to our COO, Rick Sheehy. Sherry helps manage the finances and supplies for the region. Rick admires her dedication, saying, “Sherry is the poster child for our values. After almost 34 years of service to the organization, her commitment to the mission and the stewarding of assets is stronger than ever. I rely on her counsel to make decisions on all finances… Sherry is trusted by all staff and volunteers for her commitment and hard work. We are so fortunate that she has chosen to share her talents with us.”

Sherry is thankful for the support and flexibility of her supervisors, as she is the caregiver for her son, Shane. “When he was five, he was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor. As he grew up, he had one surgery per year. He will be 30 this year, and we are hitting 5 years where he hasn’t had one. He lives at home. He’s functional but needs someone to guide him along.”

Sherry and Josh

Shane volunteers with us in the office and at Sound the Alarm events. “Shane was a Red Cross baby from the beginning, so it was great introducing him to the joys of volunteering with the Red Cross his senior year. He is always asking when he can volunteer again because he loves to help,” said Sherry.

Sherry’s personality aligns well with her position, as she likes to operate in the background. “I prefer being on the backend in a supportive role as opposed to being out in front. That’s not who I am… I’m a good support system,” she said. She’s most proud of her tenure at Red Cross. “That’s the biggest part of it- helping people. In the position I’m in now, I don’t necessarily deal face to face with the community, but I know the things I do helps many people.”

Sherry has been married to Josh for 10 years. She enjoys crafting and spending weekends with her family.

Lee Ann Taylor on Giving Back

Lee Ann and Gina

Lee Ann Taylor will have been with the Red Cross for five years in May. A former acute care nurse, Lee Ann lived in Cincinnati, OH before she moved to Louisville to help provide care to her in-laws and needed to find a new job. She’d crossed paths with the Red Cross in Cincinnati as part of her job and was excited to see an opening in the Louisville area. Now she is a Senior Account Manager for our blood services and works in direct contact with our hospital partners in the Louisville area to determine their supply needs, resolve problems, and maintain their contracts.

Being able to enhance the continuity of care is one of the most rewarding parts of Lee Ann's job. “I want to ensure that processes are seamless, of high quality, we're efficient, safe, and the service we provide to the hospitals is optimized. In a lot of ways, I still feel like I'm being a nurse, but being a nurse to my healthcare colleagues.”

Lee Ann was not new to the Red Cross. Her family had ties to the Red Cross through the military and found it interesting that life led her to working for the organization.

Lee Ann's parents at their wedding.

“I'm half Korean and half American. My father was in the army and stationed in South Korea, and that's where he met my mother. My mother will be 84, and back in the day, she went through a lot of war between North and South Korea. The Red Cross was there to help her village from a humanitarian perspective,” said Lee Ann. “My parents were always big supporters of the American Red Cross, and they reared me to be as well. My father passed away in 2016 and to this day I'm always going to believe that he had a hand in this.”

Lee Ann loves what she does because she knows it makes a difference in patients’ lives: “I know that if I serve the doctors, nurses, blood banks, and do right by them, it is going to have a positive effect on the end user, which is the patient.”

One of her favorite work memories is of working closely with donor recruitment and her colleagues in blood services to accomplish their goals and push into new markets. "I cannot say enough about John Davis and Eric Holden. We've laughed, we've cried, we're just all passionate individuals and I just love how we roll.”

Working for a nonprofit is important to Lee Ann. She spent a couple of years at Eli Lilly after getting her MBA and tries to bring what she learned back to the nonprofit world. “I love the commitment to our mission and the service, but [...] you still have to do things in the right manner in order to help all those we help, and that's whether it's on the humanitarian or the medical side.”

“It's a blessing and a privilege to work for the American Red Cross,” Lee Ann said. “I never want to take it for granted. And my hope is, God willing, this is where I will retire, and when I retire, I'll volunteer.”

Before she left Cincinnati, Lee Ann was nominated for the UC Health Healthcare Leader of the Year award. She has been married to her spouse, Gina, for 27 years. Lee Ann and Gina serve as caregivers to Lee Ann’s mother, and one of her goals is to be the best caregiver she can possibly be. They enjoy swimming, birdwatching, and spending time with their miniature schnauzer, Grace.

A masterclass on how to live: Lori Medley

Lori at a volunteer appreciation event

If you’ve had the privilege to meet Lori Medley, you know the feeling of tenderness and care that she exudes. An employee for 35 years, she’s built her career on modeling trust and passion. “Lori is one of the most incredible women I have ever met. She has given so much to the Red Cross and the communities we serve. She has always been a positive leader, a constant inspiration and someone you can always go to for advice. Lori’s leadership skills encompass honesty and integrity- a true servant leader. It has been an honor and privilege to work with her… I can now call her a lifetime friend and I’m so grateful,” said Tammy Ritchie, biomedical account manager who has also been with our region for 35 years.

Lori, 1990

Lori began her Red Cross journey teaching CPR and first aid as a volunteer. She moved into an employee role coordinating CPR volunteers and classes. “I thought to myself, maybe I’ll do this for a little while, never dreaming I would be here for a long time,” said Lori. She has experience supporting multiple lines of service, working as a field services fundraiser for a few years before becoming the director for health and safety. “With health and safety, we were the largest trainer of the nursing assistant program in the state. We started the first aid station program and led a collection of preparedness classes,” she said. 

Lori was in the biomedical department for nine years as the donor recruitment director. She was a pivotal part of changing the culture. “When I came into the role, it was about making goal and that was it. The personal and individualized piece was missing. We shifted to make it about the people in the hospital. We had to be responsible and do what was right for them. Following through on our commitments with those blood drives. I’m proud of that change,” she said.

Lori and the DRD team

Currently, Lori serves as our Regional Volunteer Services Officer. “You must lead by example. I want to be in locked arms with my team. If they are boots on the ground, I’m there. That’s how I work,” said Lori. “I feel like I’ve learned so much about life from this organization. The volunteers have taught me how to live. I’m blessed because I’m surrounded by the best of the best. That’s how I feel.”

Lori shared about the women in her life who have inspired her, one of them being Madeline Abramson. “I learned strategic thinking and adaptability from Madeline. She is such a strong leader and does it with grace and polish. There were many times that I would walk away from her thinking, you know what, she challenged me, and I felt uncomfortable. But I needed it. I needed to think differently and change my perspective. As a woman, I look up to her poise.”

In her free time, Lori enjoys gardening, reading historical fiction, and traveling. She has a dog named Pep who she says is “aptly named- because she is peppy and brings me so much joy.” #WomensHistoryMonth

Lori and the volunteer services team, 2024