By: Hailey Beaty, Red Cross Youth Volunteer

It all began when I was sixteen, standing nervously in the gym of Onalaska High School. As part of the National Honors Society, I had decided to donate blood for the first time and volunteer at the blood drive. The experience was both thrilling and humbling. As I lay on the cot, I struck up conversations with other donors, each sharing their reasons for giving. This marked the beginning of my journey with the Red Cross, though at the time, I had no idea how significant it would become.

Throughout high school, I didn't volunteer directly with the Red Cross, but I stayed deeply involved in community service. I participated in a community service initiative to send a child to school in Zimbabwe.
When I started college at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, I sought out ways to continue my service and quickly joined the Red Cross Club. The club was still recovering from the impacts of COVID-19, but I saw it as an opportunity to help rebuild and strengthen our community. During my freshman year, I threw myself into various activities: bake sales, hands-only CPR training, and making Valentine's cards for local hospitals. I was elected as the Volunteer & Blood Drive Coordinator, a role that came with new responsibilities and challenges. At that point, I wasn't on Volunteer Connection and fully aware of all the opportunities available to Red Cross volunteers, but I was eager to learn.

Sophomore year was a turning point. As the club's Volunteer & Blood Drive Coordinator, I participated in every event without fail. We tabled at residence halls, trained in CPR and First Aid, organized Totes of Hope, and volunteered at marathons. One event that particularly stood out was installing fire alarms with strobe lights and bed shakers for individuals with hearing impairments. Working alongside dedicated volunteers and meeting the people we were helping deepened my passion for the Red Cross. It was also the year I was elected president of our club, succeeding the inspiring Rania, who had been a mentor and role model for me. We doubled our blood drives to two per semester and UW-Milwaukee’s Red Cross Club won the WI Region Club Award for Best Club of the Year 2022-23.

The summer that followed was filled with even more volunteering—at blood drives at the Milwaukee Zoo and teaching hands-only CPR at the Wisconsin State Fair. I was also invited by Dr. Phyllis King, a Red Cross Chair, to provide a youth perspective on the Biomedical Services Committee, an experience that broadened my understanding of the organization.

As president, I focused on expanding our reach and engaging more students. I boosted our social media presence, growing our following to 330 and raising the club’s profile on campus collaborating with our Dean of Students. We introduced a Volunteerism Spotlight to recognize our members' efforts and held 28 events, including five blood drives—the most we had ever done. Our initiatives ranged from MapSwipe and making blankets and sandwiches for local homeless shelters to participating in the Vaccinate a Village and Totes of Hope initiatives, CPR training, Raised $365 for the Red Cross helping with Concessions Stands, and the Sound Alarm event hosted by Marquette University. I even became certified to teach CPR and First Aid and secured a grant to purchase 5 adult and 4 baby manikins for future training sessions.

Our hard work paid off. We were named the largest club on the UWM campus with over 175 members and received the Civic Responsibility Award for our exemplary service. Personally, I was honored to receive the Leader of the Year Award for the WI Region Club Awards for 2023-24, and I proudly celebrated donating my first gallon of blood.

As I look forward to my next year as club president, I am excited about new initiatives like Preparedness with Pedro and increasing participation in Red Cross events to show students how they can continue to volunteer after college. Collaborating with Malysha McFarlane, Marquette University’s incoming president and an employee with ARC’s disaster services, promises to bring fresh ideas and energy to our efforts.

Reflecting on my journey, I am immensely grateful for discovering the Red Cross Club early in my college career. It has driven me to achieve more, introduced me to incredible people, and provided a community of like-minded individuals dedicated to helping others. I know that volunteering with the Red Cross will remain a lifelong commitment, and I am proud to be part of such a remarkable organization.