National Volunteer Week: Long-time Volunteers Tell Their Red Cross Stories

National Volunteer Week begins April 21, honoring those who give their time and talent to help others. Volunteers represent 90% of the American Red Cross workforce and we recognize and thank them for their support.

During this 50^th Annual National Volunteer Week, we’re highlighting several volunteers who have been with the Red Cross for many years:

COMBINED 100+ YEARS OF SERVICE Narce and Leslie Caliva, of the Central Appalachia Red Cross Region, have more than 100 years combined service with the Red Cross. Narce began a 65-year relationship working on military bases in the U.S. and around the world. As a retiree, he continues to serve as a leadership volunteer and instructor-trainer.

Leslie’s Red Cross journey began in 1969 in Darmstadt, Germany. More than 50 years later, she still volunteers and has served in various capacities around the globe supporting our services for the armed forces and international programs.

A Restoring Family Links (RFL) case from more than 20 years ago remains close to her heart. “A Vietnamese family had fled Vietnam and become separated during the Saigon evacuations in 1975. They had found all but one family member ─ a nephew. Could we help? We filled in all of the forms, and I sent the request to National Headquarters. Three weeks later, success! It was so little, simply filling out forms, making sure we had everything needed for the search, but to know that our Red Cross was able to reunite that family, 25 years later, has never left me.” 

When asked what it means to be a Red Cross volunteer, Leslie remarked, “Being part of a team that makes a difference, knowing that the work we do is part of something so much bigger, serving millions around the globe, it really is inspiring and humbling. Our Red Cross family fuels my heart.”

For her husband, Narce, being a Red Cross volunteer means he’s part of a family whose members everywhere share the desire to help those in need. “As an employee and a volunteer, my loyalty to the Red Cross has endured for 65 years and I aim to keep at it until I reach age 100,” he said. “I’m not sure whether we’ll ever retire.”

65 YEARS OF SERVICE BJ Slovacek, of the Red Cross North Carolina Region, became a Red Cross volunteer at age 15 when she joined the Junior Gray Ladies Program in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Today she serves as a Casework Team Leader for the SAF Hero Care Network in North Carolina. BJ also helps at blood drives as a Blood Donor Ambassador, and hosts 18 blood drives a year.

BJ met her husband at Fort Campbell. During his military career they moved many times. "The Red Cross was always that touchstone for me to meet new people, introduce us to the community, and renew old friendships,” BJ said. “Every base had a Red Cross office so that helped make moves easier as I could always make new friends there."

When her husband retired, BJ reconnected with the Red Cross in Henderson County, North Carolina, serving as Blood Services Director from 2002-2005. “When my husband was diagnosed with leukemia, he needed more than 100 units of blood over the final five months of his life so helping with our blood mission has always been very personal for me,” BJ said.

“My favorite experience was in 1975,” BJ recalled. “I was involved with a project we called Benning Babies. As troops withdrew from Vietnam there was concern about the Amerasian babies being left in orphanages there and a project developed to rescue as many as we could. Three aircraft filled with babies and caretakers were to arrive at Benning. We were provided a hangar at the airfield and volunteers cleaned the building and filled it with the baby needs ─ we did not know how many or their condition, but we were ready when many beautiful, healthy, happy babies showed up to be loved for several days before they moved on to shelters, foster care and eventually, adoption. I played a small part over those few days but I can only imagine how many lives were changed.”

“Being a Red Cross volunteer has always meant community to me,” she said. “I was, and continue to be, inspired by the others who have been long time volunteers.  It feels like being a part of a team.

65 YEARS OF SERVICE T. Arnold Ferguson, of the Red Cross Tennessee Region, began his Red Cross service as a member of his high school’s Youth Council. Since then, he’s supported Red Cross chapters throughout New England, Ohio and Tennessee. He’s also touched each Red Cross line of service.

To Arnold, being a Red Cross volunteer means giving service to his local, national and international community. “The primary thing that has inspired me to continue all these years is that in my many varied roles with the Red Cross ─ from stuffing envelopes to board member ─ I have witnessed the real impact we have on the lives and well-being of people,” he said.

“Perhaps the one experience that stands out most is when a young man who had been one of my first aid students let me know that, because of what I had taught him, he had been able to save his father’s life,” he recalled. “He thought I had empowered him to do that, but it was the Red Cross that had empowered me. It not only taught me the first aid skills, but it taught me how to teach those skills to others. “

64 YEARS OF SERVICE Larry Strauss, of the Red Cross Virginia Region, began as a volunteer instructor more than 64 years ago and has supported several lines of service. “The Red Cross has been an integral part of my life, allowing me to understand and help others, working with highly dedicated and determined volunteers and staff members, and has been both personally and professionally rewarding,” he said.

Larry is certified to teach various Red Cross classes and has held the roles of SAF Facilitator and Military-Red Cross Liaison. As a social worker and counselor, he has responded to numerous disasters over the years as part of Red Cross Disaster Mental Health teams. The experience that stands out for him was the 9/11 attack on the U.S. “The assignment to my hometown was a challenge. Viewing the destroyed buildings where, as a young college student, I used to make deliveries, was emotionally upsetting. I interviewed people who were caught in the towers, and a first responder. These were especially tragic cases, and a difficult time for me personally. Hopefully, I was able to provide some assistance and support to them.”

An Army retiree, Larry appreciates the needs and concerns of his fellow service members and veterans. “Being in the service is both an honor and a privilege, but often involves personal and family sacrifices,” he said. “The Red Cross recognizes these challenges and provides supportive programs for active-duty members, reservists, veterans and their families.”

“I have been afforded the opportunity to serve as a Red Cross volunteer in many situations ─ floods, tornadoes, plane crashes, burst dams, hurricanes, man-made violent incidents and others,” he stated. “I plan to continue to respond, although as an Octogenarian, my response may be limited. I am comforted by the fact that there are many well-trained, highly motivated, competent responders and support personnel working to maintain the very positive and enduring image of the American Red Cross.”

JOIN US, VOLUNTEER According to these volunteers, their work is part of something bigger, serving millions around the globe. Volunteers have a real impact on the lives and well-being of people. Consider putting on a red vest and joining them. Visit redcross.org/volunteer to find out how you can make a difference in someone’s life.