Red Cross

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Mead

 

 

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

- Edmund Burke

 

 

"One is not born into the world to do everything but to do something."

 

- Henry David Thoreau

 

 

Volunteerism

       I realize that there is a lot that I didn't know about the Red Cross. I didn't even know that they had more than one symbol. I'm glad to know that such a helpful organization is conscious of the various needs of different groups and that they are not blind to the values of everyone they help.

       After this forum, I researched a bit into this organization just because I was a little embarrassed by how little I knew. Some basic facts are that it was founded by Clara Barton, it is celebrated in March every year (thanks to FDR), and it supplies about 45% of the nation's blood supply.

      We talked about severl things that the Red Cross teaches its volunteers, but here are a few of them: babysitter training. CPR, AED (automated external defibrillator)  awareness, how to make an emergency kit, swimming safety, and even flu education. A goal of the Red Cross is having one person per American household trained in CPR and first aid.

      This forum also reiterated the fact that volunteerism can be very difficult to maintain and balance and that it is a necessary and lovely thing in the community, but it is not an easy thing and that we have to keep up that motivation and perspective.