Five Sisters, One Mission: A Family's Lifelong Commitment to Service

When you grow up in a family of nine siblings – seven girls and two boys – it’s only natural that you’d become skilled in the art of “give and take.” 

For the Travis (maiden name) sisters Martha (Hanley), Betsy (Simpson), Sarah (Sennett), Susan and Nancy (Tellier), the giving part was especially mastered as all five have volunteered for the American Red Cross at some point.  Four are currently volunteering (Nancy recently stepped away from her role) for the American Red Cross, three in the Western New York Region and one, Betsy, in Florida’s Palm Coast Chapter as she splits time between Vero Beach, Florida and her home in Geneseo.

While Nancy was not able to participate in a recent group conversation, the enthusiasm for, and dedication to volunteering with the Red Cross readily flowed from the very close-knit group. For most of the Travis sisters, their experience with the Red Cross started out as blood donors and many have served as volunteer Blood Donor Ambassadors.

“I remember my first donation attempt was in high school (West Irondequoit). They had a drive at our high school, so I was 17 at that time,” said Susan, recounting that she could not donate because “I was nice and skinny then, too underweight. But I didn't give up, kept trying.”

School was also the backdrop for Betsy’s desire to help others through blood donation.

“I started donating in college (SUNY Potsdam) - freshman year in college - and same thing,” she said, piggybacking off Susan’s experience.  “Sometimes I was able to donate, sometimes not because of anemia mainly.”

By the time 1992 rolled around, many of the Travis girls had become regular blood donors. They were also already passing along the importance of giving to the next generation.

“Susan and I are twins, and our girls (Sarah’s daughter Elizabeth, and Susan’s daughter Laura) were born only a day and a half apart” Sarah shared, adding yet another layer to the unique, close bond of the sisters. 

“They had just started kindergarten, and we went to Red Cross on Prince Street to donate blood, Susan and I. The girls wanted to give blood and Susan and I told them they couldn’t because they were too little. We said, ‘next time we come to donate, you can bring a toy.’ So, the next time we went to give blood, weeks later, we let them each bring a toy to donate into this toy box they had in the waiting area.

“Really this was just doing it for the girls' sake so that they could give, like we were giving blood. Somewhere, someone got word the PR office or something. This lady came down with a photographer, and they took their picture and information. It was so sweet. They followed up even a month or two later with a newsletter and a printout of the picture.”

“I just love that story because that's how the Red Cross, I think, still exists; they're so appreciative. Anything you can do, you do your part. I think Susan feels the same way. It just grabbed me that they took that regard and care and followed up and all that,” said Sarah, explaining how the pull to be involved with the Red Cross grew even stronger.

“So, between 1992, and 2001, we just donated blood. We both worked full-time, so we weren't doing drives or anything.”

Beyond Sarah’s brief role as a Disaster Action Team (DAT) volunteer in the mid-1990s, it was the tragic events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 that inspired Sarah and Susan to jump into an ongoing, formal volunteer role with the Red Cross.

“That's when we signed up to be full-time volunteers. It was because of 9/11,” Susan stated, asking her twin, Sarah for confirmation.

Right on cue, the same memory comes back to Sarah.

“Oh, that rings a bell. And that's the same year we started volunteering full-time for blood services – 2001.”

Having her sisters involved with her wasn’t enough for Sarah.  She pulled her husband, Mark, into the fold as well. 

“When he retired. I was still working, but then that's when we joined - in September, following 9-11, which I'm sure drew lots of people into volunteerism.”

Similar to Sarah, Susan also engaged in DAT responses, from around 2003 to 2005, before she began to deploy nationally to continue to serve those experiencing disaster.

“Afterwards, I did Katrina. That's how I tried to stay in it,” Susan said, explaining her first deployment was in response to one of the worst disasters in U.S. history.

The “twin effect” often surfaced during the storytelling, with Sarah and Susan at times finishing each other’s sentences or having similar, shared experiences.

One of the benefits of Susan’s service during Katrina was the opportunity to meet an individual who would become one of her best friends.

“We stayed in touch. She just died last year. Sarah became friends with her too. This is a funny story. So, Sarah later deployed to Texas. And this friend of mine (Pat) was also deploying to Texas. She lived in Knoxville, Illinois and I had gone to visit her a couple of times.

“And I said, well, look for Sarah and she said ‘oh yeah, she looks just like you. I'll look for her. And Sarah was going to look for her because I'd shown Sarah what Pat looked like. And weren't they standing together at the dome in Texas?”

Sarah jumps right in, continuing the story.

“It was Hurricane Harvey, headquarters pre-storm, in Houston, and there had to be 300 Red Crossers in that room, just like ants packed in because they brought everybody in pre-storm. And then she saw me - I'm tall and Susan's tall. She came up and tapped me on the shoulder. She was maybe 78-80 at the time. And this woman's amazing… she tapped me shoulder and asked, ‘are you Susan's sister’? This little white-haired lady behind me was so cute. And then we became fast friends. Mark (Sarah’s husband) was on that deployment as well, so Mark and I sent a picture of her to Susan.”

Volunteering for the Red Cross is just one part of the history of shared experience for these five Travis sisters as Betsy explained that all five also worked for the New York court system at the Monroe County Hall of Justice.

“Sarah and Susan started the blood drives in the courthouse at the Hall of Justice, and I was giving blood during those,” Betsy states.  “Then I got a promotion and moved out to the Ontario County courthouse in Canandaigua. So, then I started blood drives there and did that from 2010 to 2020, when I retired. 

“Then I came down to Florida, and I'm like, ‘I really want to do something’. So, Sarah and her husband, Mark, were deploying to Naples and Sanibel Island for Hurricane Ian (2022) and I did all the training, and I got to deploy with them. I was lucky enough to do it with Sarah and Mark - I was a newbie. After that, we did Milton and we did the Nashville Ice Storm.”

That concurrent deployment of Betsy, Sarah and Mark was the closest the Travis clan has had to all of them working together, though Susan immediately chimes in that “that’s the goal for me, we all go together!”

Martha, a retired Wayne County Schools Speech Teacher and Ontario, NY resident, is the eldest of the sisters who volunteer, yet also content to let her sisters tell the family story before sharing that she, too, started her tenure as a volunteer for blood drives.

“I started as a Blood Donor Ambassador (BDA), two years before COVID, and I think my sisters are my inspirations. You know, they were doing blood drives and I was giving blood. My husband gives blood, double reds always. I saw them in blood drives and donation centers and thought, ‘I could do this’. So, I did. And then last year, 2025, they had a DCS boot camp. So, Susan, myself, and our friend Jane decided to do the boot camp. We thought that was done, that was all for the training. But then there was lots of training after that! So, I’m already doing local DAT for Wayne County, and I've done mass care and sheltering.” 

When asked to share some of their most memorable moments serving with the Red Cross, Betsy was eager to respond.

“So, we went to Hurricane Ian and I think we were in the Naples area and doing the mass feeding. We were going out and it kept raining and it kept reflooding and reflooding. But we kept going with the ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) and feeding them. I kind of got to know the ladies and stuff. And they were really sweet. Every day they would teach me some Spanish language and they were just really, really nice.”

“The last day they brought me little handmade things,” Betsy recalls. “We were all crying and it was so sad that we had to leave.”

Susan immediately responds with a similar but unique experience.

“It's so funny. My passport cover is an alligator red leather passport cover that one of the co-volunteers bought for me. It's still my passport cover today. So, people were great. Everybody, the residents within the shelters were phenomenal, and your co-workers were phenomenal.  It was an amazing experience. Really, what I say about my experience, at least with Katrina - and all the volunteerism - you get more out of it than you give.”

Martha quickly adds that her local experience provides a reward as well.

“I've been training for mass care and for feeding, ready to go, but not lucky (to deploy) like my sisters. But local DAT is very meaningful too, I feel.”

Sarah also shared how she has been touched by the gratitude of those she has helped.

“It was (Hurricane) Matthew back in 2016. This young couple, their names escaped me right now…but we fell in love with them, who we're still friends with on Facebook, all the other clients and stuff. And they came up to me, and they said - still makes me cry – ‘you really made a difference’.

“I don't know, it was weird, but I've just never forgotten how struck I was when they said that to me because I had no clue. But you're being appreciated, even though you might not know it.”

What’s even more striking is that this group of sisters is not the first generation of the Travis family to volunteer for the Red Cross and other organizations. Their mother, Anne, served as a Blood Donor Ambassador from 2001-2005 and is part of their inspiration for serving today.

“It's funny because I met somebody at Red Cross last week and I did this event out in Hamlin,” Susan says. “He goes, ‘are you a Travis?’ He remembered my mom, me and Sarah, because we did Meals on Wheels. We've all done other volunteer work too. I have a special needs daughter. I volunteer for that agency.”

For Martha, it comes down to something more simple.

“Reaching out and community is important. I don't know, I just like to help people and I believe my sisters are all the same way. And Mark, of course, we know that about Mark, our wonderful brother-in-law.”

As all of the sisters compliment their brother-in-law, Sarah states that they have been married for 43 years as of October.  With a quick grin, her twin, Susan, jokes that “he’s only kissed me once by mistake.”

When asked if working alongside your sisters makes it an extra special volunteer experience, Susan responds in a more serious tone.

“Damn straight. It's like when we all worked together in the court system. We have this tie and we can get together and we get to talk about experiences and people we met and trying to do it together when we can. And just what a great experience we've all been able to share and that we've all gotten the amazing feeling from volunteering for the Red Cross.”

95-Year-Old Navy Veteran Continues to Serve via Lifetime of Blood Donations

95-Year-Old Navy Veteran Continues to Serve via Lifetime of Blood Donations

Among the many bits of wisdom shared by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was a question he posed during one of his sermons: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"  

For James Reed, that is a question he has answered many times, in many ways.

Reed, a 95-year-old Navy veteran, has been a blood donor for nearly his entire adult life, recently surpassing the 22-gallon mark for his donations.  Because he donates blood roughly every two months, he’s become a familiar and popular face for the staff at the Red Cross Mobile site on University Avenue in Rochester, as a large group gathers around him to catch up as his phlebotomist sets up his donation process. 

Reed regales them with stories of his service in the Navy and then jokes about the donation “competition” he has with his 59-year-old son, who is a platelet donor.

A native of Bristol Valley, NY, approximately 30 miles south of Rochester, Reed shared some of the humble memories of his early years.

“I was six years old when we got electricity in our house,” he recalls, “and my first seven years of school were in a one-room schoolhouse.”

From his parents, he learned lessons that he would carry throughout his lifetime, including the concept of being of service to others.  His inspiration in becoming a blood donor was influenced in part by his mother’s history of donating.

“My mother had done it (donating blood) but had to stop when she was 72.”

After completing high school, Reed volunteered to enlist in the U.S. Navy, in the early stages of the Korean War (“I felt it was right to volunteer your time for Uncle Sam,” he states casually.).  He was initially assigned to a repair ship based in Newport, Rhode Island.  His concern for others quickly emerged while stationed on the ship.  One of his crewmates, who was married with a young child, was going to be reassigned to another ship and port and was distraught about being separated from his wife and child.  Reed saw this and approached one of his commanding officers and volunteered to take his shipmate’s new assignment, on an icebreaker that made frequent trips to clear paths approaching the North Pole, where submarines might travel.  

“If I could stop him from being separated from his wife and baby, I thought it was the right thing to do.”

Before completing his military service, Reed also started his blood donation journey.

“An officer’s wife was ill and in need of blood transfusions. An officer in the medical department made me aware that I had the right blood type to donate.  I was glad I did it.” 

After his discharge from the Navy and after earning a degree at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology), Reed continued to live a life of service to others, leading the Monroe County Department of Social Services. Heading a department that provides services to more than 50,000 individuals each year was a heavy load, and a personal tragedy led Reed to evaluate where he wanted to spend his time.

“My sister died of cancer at 42, leaving behind four boys. She died in June and in August of that year her 17-year-old boy was killed by a drunk driver running a red light.  On the way home from the funeral, I looked in the back seat at my two boys and told my wife ‘these guys are only young once, and I’m bringing home work every night.’”

A leader at RIT’s Business School informed Reed of an opportunity to bring his leadership skills and desire to be of service to others to the not-for-profit sector, which led him to being appointed as Director of Family Services of Rochester. After overseeing an expansion of that agency’s social services program, Reed retired in 1994. 

Still not finished giving back, he volunteered at Lifetime Care, serving as a hospice volunteer. After stepping away for a time to care for his wife, who had been diagnosed with Multi Systems Apathy (MSA), a degenerative disease similar to ALS, Reed returned to his volunteer role after her death in 2001.  To this day, he still volunteers and leads small group bereavement sessions.

As for his commitment to donating blood, the fulfillment he felt after that initial donation during his service in the U.S. Navy has remained with him to the present.

“I always have a good feeling that somebody is being helped and it doesn’t cost me anything,” he says.

Reed is also thrilled that he now receives information on where his donations are being used.

“The last time I gave I got a message that it went to a young boy who had a (medical) problem. I remember saying my prayers and thanking God for my being able to help that boy.”

Written by: Michael Tedesco, Regional Communications Director, American Red Cross of WNY

Red Crossers Helping to Strengthen Communities this Fire Prevention Month

Building a More Prepared Western New York: Becoming a Red Cross Instructor

Last month, I had the privilege of completing instructor training for two of the American Red Cross’s vital preparedness programs: Be Red Cross Ready and Prepare with Pedro. It was a one-day session held right here in Buffalo, where I joined five other trainees in person, along with additional groups connected virtually from across Western New York.

It was inspiring to see people from such different backgrounds come together with one shared purpose: helping our communities be better prepared for emergencies.

Learning to Lead Preparedness

During the training, we explored how to deliver Be Red Cross Ready, which teaches adults and families how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies such as house fires, blizzards, and severe weather. We also learned how to lead Prepare with Pedro, a fun, story-based program designed to help young children in kindergarten through second grade understand safety and preparedness in a way that is both engaging and memorable.

Both courses were filled with practical tips that can be put into place right away, from what items to keep on hand to recognizing early signs that someone might be getting sick. It was eye-opening to see how small actions can make a big difference when it comes to readiness.

Why Instructors Matter

Throughout the day, our fantastic trainer, Julianna, reminded us that instructors are truly the heart of these programs. Without local volunteers willing to step up, it is difficult to reach every classroom, community center, or neighborhood that could benefit from preparedness education.

Each instructor becomes a messenger of readiness, helping their neighbors take simple but crucial steps toward safety. That might mean helping a family build a home fire escape plan or teaching little ones how to stay calm and find help during an emergency. These lessons might seem small, but together they strengthen the fabric of our entire community.

A Day That Made an Impact

What stood out to me most was the sense of connection. Even through video conferencing, there was a shared energy and sense of purpose among everyone involved. We practiced presenting lessons, shared stories about local weather emergencies, and discussed the different ways each of us could make Western New York a little safer and more resilient.

A highlight of the day was watching the excellent “dos and don’ts” videos on effective teaching. They were full of humor and real-life examples that showed how little details like maintaining eye contact, inviting participation, and choosing words carefully can make all the difference when engaging an audience. We laughed, we learned, and we walked away with practical skills that will help us connect more effectively with future learners.

By the end of the day, I felt proud to be part of something bigger, a regional effort rooted in compassion, connection, and community. The training reminded me that preparedness does not start with policies or equipment. It starts with people who are willing to share knowledge and lend a hand.

Get Involved

If you have ever thought about volunteering, becoming a Be Red Cross Ready or Prepare with Pedro instructor is a rewarding way to make a real difference right here in Western New York. You do not need teaching experience, only a willingness to help others and a passion for keeping your community safe.

Written by: Ellie Bancroft, Communications Volunteer, American Red Cross of WNY

Determined to help: Red Crosser finds fulfilling commitment in rolling up a sleeve

As we age, it is almost inevitable that we will know someone, a family member or friend, who will be diagnosed with cancer. This was true in my life and was driven home by my wife’s diagnosis of breast cancer in 2019. Her diagnosis, treatment and recovery were very successful and now, more than six years later she is a model of recovery.

At the end of that journey, when the anxiety and fear had begun to subside, I was left wondering what I could do to help others facing health issues. I began volunteering for many research studies and have found that quite rewarding but something was still missing. I needed a tangible result from my involvement. A friend of mine mentioned that she was on her way to donate blood and it struck me that I could donate as well.

My involvement with the Red Cross began with a visit to https://www.redcrossblood.org and downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor app. On June 9, 2023, I donated my first pint of whole blood and continued doing so every 2 months, which is the maximum donation limit.

Photo: Joe Booth, August 2025

As 2025 began with the mandatory New Year’s resolutions, I began digging deeper into the Red Cross website and discovered platelet donation. Now I donate both whole blood and platelets, with both donations vitally important. So far this year, I have donated platelets eight times. People can donate platelets every 7 days up to 24 times per year. Platelets only have a shelf life of five days so we know when we donate platelets that those platelets will quickly head to someone in need.

Given my wife’s experience with cancer, I was moved when I learned that approximately 50% of donated platelets go to help cancer patients whose own platelets can be destroyed by their disease or their necessary treatments. Other patients who depend upon platelets include accident and burn victims, those undergoing heart or transplant surgery, and those dealing with sickle cell disease. A unique feature of the blood donor app that I enjoy tells the donor where their blood and platelet donations end up. It is so amazing to see those red pins pop up all over the Northeast where patients in need received my donation! My donations have gone as far north as Watertown, NY; as far west as Pittsburgh, PA; east to New York City and south to Baltimore.

I have found the fulfilling commitment I was looking for! Donating whole blood or platelets is easy, and as an added benefit, each platelet bed has a big monitor complete with Netflix. You can load up your favorite show and relax!

Photo: Joe Booth, August 2025

To make blood and platelet donation even more accessible, the Red Cross recently celebrated a new blood donation center on the east side of Monroe County. The B. Thomas Golisano Blood Donation Center is a renovated and expanded blood donation center located in the Perinton Hills Shopping Center on Pittsford-Palmyra Road. The center handles all types of blood donations and is staffed by truly wonderful people.

I would encourage you to consider joining me as a blood and platelet donor.  You may not know that 62% of the U.S. population is eligible to give blood but only about 3% donate. The need for blood is constant as every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. And a single blood donation can help save more than one life.

September is a great time to become a blood donor and make a huge impact on our friends and neighbors in need.  September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that has no universal cure. Blood transfusions can help reduce recurrent pain crises patients often feel, as well as other complications. Your blood type could be the perfect match to help a patient with sickle cell disease.

September is also Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. These young patients may need blood products on a regular basis during chemotherapy, surgery or treatment. Give blood and help support kids, teens and young adults facing cancer.

So let’s roll up our sleeves and get donating! Go to RedCrossBlood.org for more information. 

Written by: Rick Pearson 

Rick is a Communications Volunteer and also serves as a Blood Drive Ambassador at blood drives in the Greater Rochester chapter for the American Red Cross of Western New York.