Military Appreciation Month: Local Red Crosser bringing a piece of home to servicemembers overseas

The mission of the American Red Cross was born on the battlefield, with founder Clara Barton providing support to soldiers on Civil War battlefields. More than 140 years later, it’s a mission that the Red Cross proudly carries to this day through Service to the Armed Forces. The focus of that mission is to support military members, veterans and their families throughout all stages of their military career.

From helping to connect families with servicemembers during life’s emergencies through the Hero Care Network, to building care kits and connecting veterans and military families with critical resources here at home and providing support to veterans at our nation’s VA hospitals, the Red Cross is there. Red Crossers like Darla Roote are also stationed across the globe to help support U.S. servicemembers to bring help and hope (and a little bit of home) to those men and women stationed overseas.

As a Service to the Armed Forces Program Specialist for the Western New York region who retired in 2022 with 40 years of military service, Darla is currently on a six-month deployment helping to support U.S. military members stationed in Poland. Darla left in February for Poland to help bring a piece of home to nearly 1,200 men and women living on three U.S. military bases in Poland. This Military Appreciation Month, Darla gave an update on some of the connections she’s made so far, activities she has planned to help bring some levity to our troops and what she’s learned along the way.

Given your military experience, was there an adjustment period for you and how has your deployment gone so far?

The trip over was good. I made it and stepped right into it! My predecessor did a really good job with what she had and was building it up. Now, I’m building a space for one base, and I’ve almost got a space for another. That one really needs something as the only thing that have is an MWR (Morale, Welfare & Recreation) and it’s also a tent base. At the moment, I don’t have transportation. I did all the training for the driver’s license and right now we’re working on an MOU with the USO because they have a Jeep, so I can use that to get between the three bases. It can be hard to get to some of those outlying areas.

What does a typical day look like for you?

In the morning and lunch, I sit with people at breakfast to chat and say ‘have a good day,’ just so they see me. While everyone is out working on their mission, I’m making flyers and planning events that I’m going to have. It’s mingling and planning events – most of them are on the weekend, because that’s when most of them are here. I do have some evening events, too. It really depends on the day and what they’re [soldiers] are doing, if they are out on a mission and many of them are it can change.

Talk about some of the events you’ve planned for those on base, and some upcoming projects you have planned.

Line dancing! Line dancing has gone really well! We’ve also got a murder mystery coming up. It’s cowboy themed, so it will fit in with the line dancing, but it’s murder mystery for up to 20 people. Hopefully, more come in and watch and they’ll mingle and relax.

We have a great volunteer with the line dancing and it’s really been building. More and more people are coming in and trying it and even though we are all screwing it up – it’s a lot of fun. It’s a great feeling because I’m giving them options. You don’t have to sit in your room. And with the new space open, those who want to sit some place quiet and read a book, they can do that, too. It’s not a huge space, but it’s quiet and they can relax. I even got blankets, because I don’t care if it’s 90 degrees out, if I sit down with a book, I want a blanket! 

We have sports and yoga on Sundays, we do a walking club on Saturday. We also have another paint and sip scheduled for this month, along with trivia and s’mores by the fire. We’re collaborating with the USO and MWR on a few events – we’ll have a big sports day for Armed Forces Day. Long-term, though, my priority is to help secure some spaces for the next person to get in and help to start them up. I’m also really pushing for a car [to help get between bases]. That’s pretty high on my priority list.

What have you taken away from this deployment with the Red Cross as someone who has also served in the military?

You know, these guys are great and they’re doing fairly good. There are some that are struggling just being away from home. They’re young – some are just 19-20 years old. When I first came, I thought it might be better if I didn’t broadcast that I had a military background because I didn’t necessarily want to say, ‘Hey, I’m just like you!’” I think that was a mistake. I think there were some who might have looked at me as a do-gooder, but not someone who has necessarily been in their shoes. So, I’ve been spreading the word that yes, I was in the military, and I have been in your shoes, and I get it.

May is Military Appreciation Month. What would you like readers to know about the service men and women you’re helping to support through your role with the Red Cross?

These guys are great. They are here for the mission they understand they’re here for the mission and when they’re tasked to do something – you don’t hear complaints. They are up and at ‘em. I was talking to one guy who said he had to leave at 3:45 am and he said, ‘it’s the way it goes.’ They’re very resilient in what they have to do and just keeping the busy is the thing we have to do. They’re a great group of kids.

You can learn more and help support military members, veterans and their families through Service to the Armed Forces this Military Appreciation Month and year-round here.