The Power of One: Red Cross Volunteer Tom Elliot

As a Red Cross transportation and logistic volunteer, Tom loves:
 takin' care of business and working overtime!

written by Catherine Carlton, volunteer contributor

When we think of powerful people at our chapter, we think of our powerful volunteers. One of our best known powerhouses is Tom Elliott.

Tom has logged so many volunteer hours he has exceeded all of volunteer awards. That's why we recently awarded him the Citation for Exceptional Service to celebrate the more than 9,0000 Red Cross volunteer hours he has worked.

When I called Tom to interview him about his involvement with the Red Cross I explained that I was not on site and that I was "just a volunteer."

Tom quickly responded: "There's no such thing as just a volunteer."

And while interviewing Tom, I quickly learned he is not just any volunteer himself.

"I do everything," he summarized.

A retired sergeant from the Dallas Police Department, Tom learned quickly after his departure that he "can't play golf or go fishing every day."

He heard a radio ad calling for volunteers around the time that Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast.


"I was on the back porch reading a book," he said. "And said I can do that."

Soon after he was working in our warehouse and helping operate the Red Cross shelters, loading our Emergency Response Vehicles and delivering supplies.

Using his police experience, Tom quickly became engaged in the Life Safety Awareness Training (LSAT) team work. Soon he was deployed to Galveston for 21 days. Since then he has been deployed to help with other major disasters: to Tennessee in May 2010 to help with flooding, to Mississippi in May 2011 following the tornados and to East Texas in September 2011 for the wildfires.

For those disasters, Tom was running Red Cross relief logistics, shelters and kitchens.

Currently his primary title is regional disaster fleet transportation manager. He is responsible for 67 vehicles and 36 trucks in our 11 county regions. Tom is working on getting disaster plates for all the vehicles.

"The Red Cross is not relaxation, but it's satisfaction that you're out helping people," Tom said. “I don't have much free time anymore. I'm pretty much full time."

“I don't do this for the award," he said. "I've got things to do."

And we thank you, Tom, for ALL that you do, proving to us all that at the Red Cross just one person can get an awful lot accomplished when they have your dedication and stamina!

To learn more about becoming a Red Cross volunteer, visit us at redcrossdallas.org.

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Blood Services Volunteer Driver David Kasten: More than 1,000 Hours and Countless Miles of Selflessness

Written by Linh Le, staff contributor

American Red Cross Blood Services staff member Lynn Burdick shares a laugh with devoted volunteer David Kasten after one of his many shifts of transporting blood to those in need.

For the past two years, David Kasten, 79, has volunteered as a transport driver for the American Red Cross to help deliver blood to patients in need. Sometimes he takes long-distance routes, which can keep him on the road for up to eight hours. To David, volunteering is a way to maintain an active lifestyle while helping the community.

“By volunteering, I get the opportunity to meet new people and travel to Tyler or Bryan, Texas,” Kasten said. “It makes me feel good to know that I am helping patients. I’m looking forward to another 1,000 hours and many more of volunteering.”

In addition, after working more than 50 years as a civil engineer, he is still active in professional organizations, including the American Society of Civil Engineers, National Society of Professional Engineers and Institute of Transportation Engineers. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with family, reading and cheering on the Texas Rangers.

“Kasten is representative of those volunteers who dedicate time but aren't always visible, as they quietly go about delivering blood or assisting at blood drives on a daily basis, but their contribution is significant to the Red Cross as they help patients in need every day,” said Lynn Burdick, Red Cross volunteer coordinator.

We thank David for his tireless dedication to the American Red Cross Blood Services mission. After over 1,000 hours of volunteer driving, we’re sure he’s worn down the tread on some tires but his spirit of enthusiasm and service will make it a long time before he wears out himself!

Information about volunteer opportunities with the Red Cross Blood Services is available at www.redcrossblood.org/volunteer.

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A Life of Purpose: Why Retired Army Colonel Jim Myers Serves with the Red Cross

written by Amy Yen, volunteer contributor 



As our volunteer, Jim Myers, explains, no one expects a home fire to happen to them.

Watch the video above to learn more about how to stay safe should it happen to you!

Video courtesy of Red Cross Chicago.

Jim Myers, age 64, is a retired Army colonel, father, grandfather and volunteer. Instead of relaxing or traveling in his retirement, he gives his time to the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) in Collin County. He responds to local disasters, answering calls at all times of the day or night to provide immediate relief and support to individuals and families in their greatest time of need.


It’s nothing new. Jim Myers spent 10 years in active military service and another 27 in the Army reserve, spending his final assignment supporting FEMA. During that time, he responded to 22 disasters. That’s when he first came in contact with the Red Cross.

“Working with FEMA, I was well aware of the Red Cross,” said Jim. “The Red Cross is essential to response and recovery during disasters.”

When he finally retired, Jim went to volunteer for the local Red Cross and was immediately recruited onto the DAT team. In his first month, he was called to three grass fires. His first house fire came at 4:00 in the morning. He arrived on the scene to find that the dog had gotten the family out before the smoke detectors had even gone off. With his basic DAT workshop training, he went straight to work; comforting the family and helping them start on their road to recovery.

“The family was shell-shocked. They didn’t know what to expect after the fire. The dog was there with his chest out, thinking, ‘I just saved my family!” he recalls. “I just reminded them that as terrible as it looks, everything there can be replaced. Your family is alright and we’ll put you in a motel tonight. Before you know it, you’ll be watching TV with your feet up, eating pizza. You’re all going to be safe.”

Jim says that what’s important is helping a family go from “shell-shock” to optimism that they will recover. “We help them realize it’s not the end of the world even though it might feel like it at the time.”

Jim did a damage assessment on the scene and gave the family plastic bags to put some clothes in. They went in to rescue valuables, like family albums that couldn’t be replaced and gave the kids each a teddy bear.

“There’s a payback to volunteering. The personal connection—when you give the kids a teddy bear and see a smile on their face even after a disaster—that’s the payback,” said Jim. “I’ve got four children of my own and six grandchildren, so I know about kids. You’ve got to give them hope, and we do that.”

Jim encourages volunteers to take all the Red Cross classes they can; from the DAT workshop, which he says is a necessity for anyone working on-site at a disaster, to psychological first-aid, which helps volunteers understand what the victims are going through.

To learn more about the Disaster Action Team and other opportunities to volunteer locally during National Volunteer Week, check out redcrossdallas.org.

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Red Cross Volunteer Megan Mercer: From Barbies to Brain Surgery and Back Again

By Lilly Watson, American Red Cross Communications Assignments Coordinator

Rex Anne Waggoner, contributor, American Red Cross volunteer

Megan and her happy baby that we lovingly call Johnnie Mac!

Just a few years ago, Megan Mercer was a self-sufficient early intervention specialist working with special needs children in the Dallas area. A routine MRI as part of a physical she needed to join the Peace Corps suddenly changed her life dramatically. Megan discovered that day that she had tumors surrounding the stem of her brain. Over the next few years Megan would have to leave her career, undergo multiple brain surgeries and re-teach herself how to complete tasks as simple to us as walking and talking. As Megan worked to reclaim her life and confidence, she drew from her family history of volunteering and philanthropy and found the American Red Cross in Dallas, Texas.

“Helping others and self sacrifice were big deals in our family. I grew up volunteering with my family,” Megan told us. “When I was not able to work due to my recoveries from brain surgery, volunteering helped me retain my professional skills, be more social and confident, and helped pass the time.”

What do Barbie, MASH and the Red Cross have in common? Megan explained to us how many of her favorite childhood experiences came together to form a passion for helping people affected by disaster.

“When I was younger, I would take all my Barbies and pile them up like a tornado had hit and then I would take one Barbie (the prettiest, of course) who was a "nurse" who would drag the people out and lay each one on stretchers made out of toilet paper sheets,” Megan said. “I watched MASH with my siblings, so I guess that is why I did that. I have always known of the Red Cross but first had contact with them because we had to take CPR for work. I was so busy with work, that I couldn't volunteer, but that all changed in 2006 when I had my first brain surgery.”

Megan’s brain surgery impacted her physical body – she had to use a walker, had vision and hearing impairment and had weakness in the right side of her body – but her spirit for helping others and her cognitive brain function were still raring to go, so she came to the Red Cross to utilize those talents, working in our Dallas Area Chapter as a Volunteer Coordinator.

“I was impressed by how kind everyone was. The position was great for me. No heavy lifting, no movement, just talking to people on the phone. And I got to practice things like sitting in a chair, typing on a computer, walking to the coffee bar, pouring a cup and not spilling it everywhere - simple stuff that I had to relearn. It was awesome therapy!

“The Red Cross helped me feel like a normal human being! Everyone was so helpful and so respectful. In many ways, it helped me realize that although my body had changed, I was still the same old Megan. I am so thankful for my Red Cross experience.”

Hearing stories like Megan’s make all of us at the Red Cross so proud to be part of the world’s largest volunteer organization. When we asked Megan what advice she would give someone looking to volunteer at the Red Cross, she summed it up perfectly, “All you need to volunteer is a desire to give of yourself, time and an open heart and mind to learn. Just take the plunge and see where the Red Cross river leads you!”

To become an American Red Cross volunteer anywhere in the country, click on redcross.org to find your local Red Cross chapter.

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Annual Volunteer Appreciation Family

Blog post by Elizabeth Murphy, Volunteer Retention Specialist for the American Red Cross

On Saturday, October 15, 2011, Mother Nature couldn’t have given us a better day to have the Annual Volunteer Appreciation Family Day. Nearly 100 members from our local American Red Cross family came out to the Dallas Office to bounce around in the tropical bouncy house, play carnival games, eat mega-yummy food from Jacks ChowHound and rock out to Hackberry Road.

With Halloween right around the corner, everyone took a turn dressing up in our vintage Red Cross uniforms to have their photo snapped.

Jacks Chow Hound, a Dallas area food truck, supplied the fare and on the menu was their trademark pulled pork grilled cheese which is A-Mazing! They’re always on the road and I found them on Twitter @JacksChowHound.

The guys in the Hackberry Road band were a lot of fun and played everything from Dave Mathews Band to Stevie Ray Vaughn. To top it off, they’re great guys.

The little ones had fun bouncing around which I think was fueled by all the deserts that volunteers brought to share.

At the event, we recognized our Volunteer of the Quarter. The award for this quarter went to super-woman Beth Bormann, the Mass Care Volunteer Partner, for her work putting together the Shelter Operations course materials, training her regional teammates and generally being the dedicated and inspirational volunteer that she is. Congrats to Beth!

All-in-all it was an amazing day to celebrate our volunteers, the whole reason we at the American Red Cross can do what we do every day.

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Corsicana Branch Celebrates Volunteers

Last week the Corsicana Branch showed its appreciation for volunteers with a summer barbecue and bingo. A big THANK YOU to all the volunteers who make sure we can deliver our services to Ellis and Navarro counties.

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