Happy National Volunteer Week!

This won't be the first time we use this space to say "thank you" to our volunteers, nor will it be the last. But considering that this is National Volunteer Week, we wanted to take a little extra time to celebrate these amazing people who make the American Red Cross run.

Volunteers are crucial to the work of the Red Cross. Did you know that nationally, the Red Cross has an average of 15 volunteers for every one employee. These are the people who wake up in the middle of the night to provide food, clothing, shelter and comfort to the family whose house was destroyed by fire; who deploy to places like Binghamton, NY, Louisville, KY and Joplin, MO so that people affected by flooding, tornadoes, and other disasters nationwide have a place to turn; who help deliver life-altering information such as the birth of a child to our military members serving overseas (in fact, keep an eye out for our upcoming newsletter and the story of local volunteer Mike Hoplight's time in Afghanistan); who teach First Aid, CPR, swimming and other life-saving skills; who act as advocates for area seniors living in long-term care facilities; and who do so much more to make the Western New York community a better and safer place.

So to you, our Red Cross volunteers, we say thank you for being so generous with your time and talents. Share the attached badge with pride, knowing that because of you, people are able to turn to the Red Cross in their time of need.

If you've ever thought about being a part of the American Red Cross, what better time to get started than National Volunteer Week?? If you want to help us make a difference in this community, contact our volunteer coordinator, Christine Kukelka, at christine.kukelka@redcross.org or 878-2140 for more information on how you can become part of the celebration of National Volunteer Week 2013!