To commemorate Black History Month, the Red Cross is celebrating team members and how they’re making a difference to the mission. Rose Kraemer’s interest in working for the American Red Cross began long before she joined the organization in 2011 as a lab tech in Detroit. Nine years earlier she had witnessed the real-life impact …
Super blood donor has a simple message for why he gives
Fifty states. Fifty-eight years. For more than a half century, Al Whitney has been giving blood and platelets around the country. He just gave platelets in Michigan for the third time, and has one message for potential blood donors – why do it? “To save a life,” Whitney said. “It helps people. It could be …
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Teacher Carlee Ramirez Used Red Cross Training to Save Choking Student
Carlee Ramirez didn’t expect to use her Red Cross training – but it came in handy when an emergency occurred in the classroom. Ramirez is a kindergarten teacher for Lake Fenton Public Schools and runs the summer learning program at West Shore Elementary School. Last summer during a class, Ramirez noticed one of her students, …
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Red Cross Board Member Danielle Jones Gives Blood After Cancer Remission
Danielle Jones joined the Southwest Michigan Chapter of the Michigan Red Cross only a few months ago, but she is no stranger to the need for blood. “A lot of people in my family have been directly impacted by the need for blood, including me,” Danielle said. “It literally saved our lives.” Danielle and her …
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Yolanda DeHaan Learned What it Means to be a Red Cross Volunteer
“The end result is that you help your fellow human," Yolanda said. More than two months ago Hurricane Ian left a swath of devastation across large parts of Florida. While the storm may be over, the American Red Cross is still on the ground working around the clock to provide support to those affected by …
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Alicia Dorr’s 1st Deployment to the California Wildfires was ‘Exceptional’ in Many Ways
Alicia Dorr recently returned from her first deployment in northern California with a deeper appreciation for working a disaster relief and response operation. As regional communications manager for the American Red Cross Michigan Region, Alicia produces content for the Region’s website and blog, its social media channels and facilitates news coverage with local news …
In My Own Words – Sheryl Thompson
Sheryl is chair of the East Central Bay Chapter Board of Directors in Flint. She retired in 2020 after a more than 33-year career in public service as a strategic leadership executive and social worker with the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. Last month, she was deployed for the first time as a …
Having Donated 44 Gallons over 44 Years, Dennis Sandoval Knows a Thing or Two about Giving Blood
By Alicia Dorr Dennis Sandoval knows his way around a blood drive. As the district manager of blood services , Sandoval leads teams to ensure hospital shelves are stocked with blood and blood drives run smoothly in southeast Michigan. Not only does he know how to collect blood, he also rolls up his sleeve to …
In My Own Words – Pamela Martinez
Pamela recently returned from a two-week deployment to the American Red Cross relief and response efforts in Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. She served meals and water to people impacted by the storm from a Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle, one of five ERVs deployed from Michigan to Florida to help deliver essential …
Michigan Volunteers Ray and Janie Deliver Hot Meals, Water to People Impacted by Hurricane Ian
Disaster services volunteers Ray Bongartz and his wife, Janie Barner, are among the team of volunteers from the American Red Cross Michigan Region deployed to Florida to support the disaster relief and response efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. They are serving hot meals and drinks to people in communities impacted by the storm. …