Volunteer Spotlight: Darlene Huntinghouse

“When I joined the Red Cross and saw how much good this organization does, I thought, ‘This makes sense’ and I am glad to be a part of it.”
-Darlene Huntinghouse

Home fires are not new to Darlene Huntinghouse. As a retired firefighter, she helped battle numerous fires in the Chicagoland area during her career. Now, she helps the people who have been affected by them, as a disaster volunteer for the American Red Cross in the South Central Illinois chapter of the Illinois region.

“When we would have big fires there, the Red Cross canteen would come out. I was amazed by that and thought, ‘They are here for us?’ I thought, ‘When I retire, I’m going to look into helping out,’ because it just amazed me, and still does,” Darlene said.

Darlene joined the team as a volunteer in September 2022 and enjoys having the opportunity to help the people she meets.

“I’ve been on the other side of it, going to put out a fire,” she said. “Now, I see how devastating it is to people. They’ve lost everything, and I just see the need to offer people something.”

In addition to responding to disasters, Darlene recently helped organize volunteer recruitment events scheduled for April 5-6 in the Marion, Illinois area, in an effort to bring new volunteers on board. Please click the link to sign up for these events. She also has recruited several new volunteers from her personal network.

We are grateful for Darlene’s dedicated efforts as a Red Crosser! Visit redcross.org/volunteer to join Darlene on the volunteer team.

Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Brian Williamsen

Serving Others in Several Ways

Chadd Boland of Peoria is a Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Specialist for the Illinois Army National Guard, 444th Chemical Company. Chadd first gave blood in 2016 during Basic Combat Training. At the time, he admits he was not too excited about the idea, but a little convincing got him there.

Toward the end of the training, his company was offered the chance to donate blood in lieu of physical training that day. Chadd was hesitant about needles but says, the offer, which included snacks he’d not been able to enjoy for several months, was too good to pass up. “I’m quite sure my entire company donated after that,” he says.

Before Chadd graduated, his drill sergeants handed out thank you cards from hospitals that received the donated blood. He says, “It felt great to help. From then on, I decided to donate every chance I get.”

Chadd learned during his first donation he has O+ blood, which is given to patients more than any other blood type and considered the most needed blood type.

He understands why people might get nervous before donating blood, but says, it’s worth it, and a chance to do some good. Plus, he adds, you may end up being the person who needs blood someday.

“It’s definitely helpful. I got into an accident once and broke my leg. I can’t imagine how many bags of blood they needed for me. I definitely want to give back what I took, especially if my blood goes to someone who desperately needs it.”
-Chadd Boland

Chadd still regularly donates blood. He is a Power Red donor and says, “I always do Power Red because I like to donate a little more. I’m trying to help out however I can.” He has donated 13 units of blood so far, with no plans of stopping.

Thank you, Chadd for being a volunteer blood donor! Visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment to donate blood at a location near you.

Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Brian Williamsen

Earning a Scholarship for Helping Save Lives: Allyson’s Story

Getting involved helped Allyson Gillette get some help for college.

Allyson was looking for volunteer opportunities and decided to host an American Red Cross blood drive in Chillicothe, Illinois last December. She earned a $1,000 scholarship as a result of her lifesaving efforts.

As part of the Red Cross Leaders Save Lives program, the senior at Illinois Valley Central helped collect 33 blood donations. Allyson was entered into a drawing for a scholarship and was chosen as a winner.

The continual need for blood donations inspired Allyson to host the blood drive.

“I would absolutely encourage any student to host a blood drive. This experience was very rewarding and there is truly no greater feeling than knowing you are saving lives.”
-Allyson Gillette

Allyson is set to graduate high school in May 2023. She plans to attend college and major in nursing.

“I was very excited to be informed that my blood drive was selected as one of the scholarship winners,” Allyson said. “I am very thankful to the American Red Cross for the opportunity to host a blood drive and be rewarded with the scholarship!”

The Leaders Save Lives program encourages community-minded high school and college students to host blood drives to help maintain the blood supply for patients in need of lifesaving transfusions.

Students can sign up to host blood drives and potentially qualify to earn a scholarship during seasonal timeframes throughout the year. Visit RedCrossBlood.org/LeadersSaveLives for more information.

Here is how the program works:

– Sign up to host a blood drive while school is out of session.
– Form a recruitment committee to help make your blood drive a success.
– Recruit your friends, family and the community to donate at your blood drive.
– Collect 25 pints or more at your blood drive and you will earn a gift card and be entered to win a scholarship!

Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 800-RED CROSS to make an appointment. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. Thank you for rolling up a sleeve!

Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Brian Williamsen

Sound the Alarm: Saving Lives During Home Fires

Since the inception of the American Red Cross home fire campaign, more than 1,500 lives have been saved throughout the U.S. Five of those lives were saved during two fires in the South Central Illinois chapter of the Illinois region.

In Decatur, Red Cross volunteers previously had installed smoke alarms at this location that alerted the two residents to the fire and helped them escape safely.

In Springfield, smoke alarms installed by the Springfield Fire Department helped save three people’s lives during a home fire, there.

These smoke alarms were installed during Red Cross Sound the Alarm events. Numerous smoke alarm installation events are scheduled for this March. Click here to sign up as a volunteer for one or several of those events.

Check out these short videos, showing why it is so important to have working smoke alarms in your residence, and why our volunteers and community partners like local fire departments encourage you to get involved in the Sound the Alarm program.

Blood Collections Spotlight: Tesha Moore

“When I first applied here, I didn’t really understand what the Red Cross was. I found that after working here for a few years, this is where I would prefer to spend the rest of my career.”
-Tesha Moore

Tesha Moore started working for the American Red Cross at the age of 19. She is a collections team supervisor in the Illinois region, who regularly travels to different blood drive locations. We caught up with her at the blood and platelet donation center in Bloomington.

“I enjoy traveling and actually, prefer to travel,” Tesha said. “I like meeting new people all the time; being able to be supportive and communicate with our donors and build relationships with them is nice.”

As part of her role, Tesha gets to speak with donors as they arrive at the blood drives. Sometimes, donors are a little hesitant. Tesha reassures them, and says she enjoys the interactions with donors.

“I really enjoy seeing people I got to meet come back and become repeat donors, especially young people,” Tesha said. “We need the younger generation to donate. I like going to a high school blood drive and then seeing the students coming out in the future to donate blood.”

Tesha encourages everyone to give blood. Her role with the Red Cross has given her a firsthand look at the importance of donating blood, and she is a strong advocate for rolling up a sleeve.

“I always think about it like, ‘What if my family member had to go to the hospital and needed blood and there wasn’t any available?’ You just don’t know what your day-to-day life holds, and you could be the one who needs blood one day. So, it’s really just a simple task we can do as humans to donate blood – especially, because only three percent of the community donates.”
-Tesha Moore

Thank you for your hard work and dedication, Tesha! Visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment – you just might see Tesha while you’re there.

Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Brian Williamsen

Volunteer Spotlight: Doug Harrison

Doug Harrison of Peoria has volunteered for the American Red Cross as a Blood Transportation Specialist for the past 15 years.

As a Transportation Specialist volunteer, Doug is the critical link between blood donors and blood recipients by delivering blood, platelets or other blood products to hospitals.

“This is a lifesaving job,” he says.

Formerly a printing press operator, Doug decided to start volunteering when his full-time job was eliminated. On average, he is called to deliver blood products two or three times a week – it’s a call he is always happy to take.

Doug also volunteers at blood drives and says, he just likes being able to do something for other people.

“I enjoy it. I’m giving back to the community; that there, in itself, makes me feel good.”
-Doug Harrison

Thank you, Doug! Visit redcross.org/volunteer to sign up as a Red Cross volunteer.

Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Brian Williamsen

Giving Back: Lily Leduc

Lily Leduc’s father came to live with her in 2017. She wanted to learn how to best care for him, so she took a certified nursing assistant training course, offered by the American Red Cross.

Now, Lily volunteers for the Red Cross in the Quad Cities and West Central Illinois chapter, where she is very involved in chapter activities and disaster responses.

“It’s my way of giving back to the Red Cross, because the training I got at that time was so valuable and it made life better for my father and myself, when he was living with us. So, that’s really my ‘why’ is to give back because I felt they gave so much to me,” said Lily.

Lily has deployed three times since joining the Red Cross as a volunteer in 2021. Most recently, the former resident of Florida returned to that state to help people affected by Hurricane Ian.

During her two-week deployment, Lily served as a supervisor for teams going door to door in Estero Beach, looking for people to offer assistance to, whose homes had been heavily damaged or destroyed.

“It’s like nothing really you’ve ever seen. You could smell the mold and mildew, as you came up to the houses,” she said. “You find people and they just want to tell you their stories, and we just heard some terrible stories.”

Lily recalls the story an 83-year-old man told her, of climbing into his attic with his two cats, to escape the rising water. “He rode that out for 20 hours, he watched his wife’s ashes float off. Just terrible stories – they just want to talk and they’re just glad to see somebody.”

Lily described her deployment following the tragic event that took place in Highland Park, IL this past summer as her most difficult one.

“To hear the people talk and you could feel the fear they were trying to relay; it’s just unimaginable, you can’t even wrap your head around it,” said Lily about her role as a caseworker, talking with those affected by the event.

“If I was in that situation, I would want someone there for me. That’s what I get back out of it. I just think, if that was me, I would want someone to be there to help me when I need help.”
-Lily Leduc

While the experiences can be challenging, Lily enjoys volunteering for the Red Cross and enjoys meeting new people as part of the experience.

“I love new volunteers, and I just want to tell them, ‘Hey, there’s so much you can do.’ A lot of people don’t realize what the Red Cross does,” Lily said. “When we get a new volunteer, I’m like, ‘Look at all of these things you can do. There’s just so much you can do.'”

Thanks for all you do, Lily! Visit redcross.org/volunteer to join the team as a volunteer.

Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Brian Williamsen

Volunteer Spotlight: Terrence Cook

“I like to get out and mingle with the people and find out exactly what their needs are, try to resolve it and help them out as much as I can.”
-Terrence Cook

Terrence Cook of Mount Vernon, Illinois has been an American Red Cross volunteer for approximately 10 years. During his time volunteering, Terrence has responded to home fires, along with deploying to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and other disasters.

After a home fire, Terrence arrives on scene and helps individuals with providing comfort kits, financial assistance to help with lodging and food, assistance with referrals for replacing medications, information about case work and additional assistance.

“You always run into different people, different families and situations,” he says. “Our main goal is to help them with their immediate needs.”

Terrence has deployed to numerous parts of the country for large-scale disasters, including California, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. He spent time helping before and after a hurricane in Mississippi in 2017, where he worked as a supervisor during the Red Cross disaster response, there.

“It is good to work with people after disasters. I was surprised at how many people were willing to help, even though they were thinking about, ‘Is my home alright?'”

Terrence says, numerous people thanked him for being there. He recalls a story of two children sharing their concerns about the impending storm. They asked Terrence, “Are we going to have a home to go home to?” Terrence tried to comfort them and the boys thanked him for listening.

For Terrence, his favorite parts of volunteering include working with his fellow volunteers and helping people. He likes the camaraderie and says he truly enjoys being able to talk with the people he meets as part of his duties.

“My life goal is to keep helping people like that,” he says.

Here is a short video that highlights a recent Red Cross home fire response in the South Central Illinois chapter. Terrence is one of our volunteers who responded to help.

Thank you, Terrence! Visit redcross.org/volunteer to join the team as a disaster volunteer.

Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Brian Williamsen

Volunteer Spotlight: Ramon ‘Jay’ Castro

“I just wanted to make a difference in my community.”

This is what motivated Ramon ‘Jay’ Castro to become a volunteer with the Northwest Illinois chapter of the American Red Cross Illinois region.

Since becoming a Red Crosser 11 years ago, Jay, a U.S. Navy Veteran and retired art teacher, has deployed four times. His first deployment was to North Carolina after Hurricane Matthew, which coincidentally he told us is the name of one of his sons. Jay drove an emergency response vehicle from Chicago to North Carolina to provide much needed relief to those impacted.

He lives in Freeport, Illinois with his wife who also volunteered with the Red Cross for 12 years. Jay is an accomplished artist who created a seven-foot bronze sculpture of Abraham Lincoln (pictured here), which is located at Blackhawk Battlefield Park in Stephenson County, Illinois.

When asked why others should consider volunteering with the American Red Cross, he quickly replied, “because the Red Cross makes everything better.”

Thank you Jay for your service and for making a difference in the lives of those in need! Visit redcross.org/volunteer to sign up as a Red Cross volunteer.

Written by Communications Volunteer Isis Chaverri

Volunteer Spotlight: Tina Martin

“I just want to give back to the community, because the Red Cross was there for me, and if they hadn’t been, I would probably not be here.”
-Tina Martin

Tina Martin is a Red Cross volunteer in the Central Illinois chapter of the Illinois region. She serves, because others chose to serve before her.

In 1973, Tina needed a blood transfusion. She says, donated blood helped save her life. From that point on, Tina has felt motivated to help others.

“That’s the reason why I got started in volunteering, was to give back to the community,” she says. “I just really appreciate how everything worked out.”

Tina has been serving as a volunteer in Florida this week, helping people affected by Hurricane Ian. She has helped with serving food and distribution of supplies, among other tasks.

Tina says, it has been a rewarding experience, being able to help others who need it. She is enjoying working as part of the disaster response team serving the community, there.

“People are very nice and friendly. Everyone is just working together to help out and doing their very best. I just enjoy being here an part of the team as a volunteer,” says Tina.

Thank you very much, Tina for volunteering your time and helping others.

Visit redcross.org/volunteer to join Tina as a disaster response volunteer.

Written by Illinois Region Communications Manager Brian Williamsen