Put on your running shoes!

It's a busy time for us here at the American Red Cross, with not one, not two, but three major events scheduled over the next several weeks.

The first two are our signature events. The 21st Annual Reverse Draw is coming on May 15th at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, where if you want the $3,000 grand prize you are hoping NOT to hear your ticket called until the end of the drawing. Get it? Reverse Draw?? It's a unique event, so don't miss it!

Of course, just two and a half weeks later, it's time to put on your best military gear for Buffalo's Best Annual Fundraiser, the BASH! Throwing a party for over 4,000 of your closest friends takes a lot of work, and preparations are in full swing.

After all that great food and drink, you may feel the need to run off some of the extra calories. The American Red Cross, Serving Erie & Niagara Counties, is proud to be the beneficiary of this year's JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge, scheduled for Thursday, June 7th!

You're probably familiar with the Corporate Challenge. Over 11,000 runners on teams from nearly 400 different companies running from Delaware Park to Gates Circle, then back up Delaware Avenue to the park. This year, in addition to competing for their teams in the Corporate Challenge, every one of those runners will be supporting American Red Cross Disaster Services. In addition to Buffalo, this year's JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge races in Rochester and Syracuse will also benefit the Red Cross Chapter's in those cities.

The American Red Cross is excited and proud to be part of such a great event. We're even putting together a team of our own! So register today, and see if you can beat the Red Cross while at the same time supporting our life-saving mission.

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!