Most of us are fortunate to enter the holidays with excitement and expectation of time with family and friends, celebrating the year behind us and making resolutions for the next, but many in the community will be faced with the challenges of failing health, financial woes, or loneliness.
It is at this time that our non-profit community is at its busiest. Churches and social service agencies have begun to distribute meals and gifts that are possible because of generous contributions of donors.
Our local business community has a strong reputation of generosity. The businesses and employees are quick to answer the call to help. While monetary and gift donations can brighten the lives of local families, it is the gift of time that is often most meaningful.
Lori Marvin, owner of Barr’s Insurance, is proud to have been raised with an example of caring for others.
“I learned from my parents that giving back is important. I was pleased to find that the business I worked for had a culture of focusing on others,” she said. “This is a company culture that is also shared by our employees, who enjoy working together as a team and throughout the community individually.”
Lori’s volunteerism extends far beyond the holiday season, as she is a long-time board member of the American Red Cross. It is in the leadership provided by boards of directors that organizations are ready when the need arises.
Lori reminds us: “The Barr’s Insurance team is always looking for opportunities to give back, and we are open to suggestions or submissions of how we can help. “
In a recent meeting with Mary Rogers, executive director at the American Red Cross of West Central Pennsylvania, we learned of the pressing need for volunteers to respond to local disasters.
Mary shared that the time commitment is modest, especially if shared by a few more volunteers. While there is no way to predict when a disaster will occur, there is no doubt that there will be families impacted by crisis, especially through the cold winter months.
When disaster strikes, Red Cross volunteers provide food, shelter, supplies, and hope to individuals displaced by fires, floods, and storms. These front-line volunteers—known as Disaster Action Team members—play an essential role in the ability to deliver the Red Cross mission throughout the community.
In Venango County, they are seeking to recruit 10 new Disaster Action Team members, which will enable them to form five additional teams to better serve the local community.
To become a member of a Disaster Action Team, you must:
- Be age 18 and over
- Have a valid PA driver’s license
- Be able to pass a background check
- Complete four hours of in-person and four hours of online training
- Be able to commit to approximately three hours of service every month after training is completed
Won’t you join the Red Cross? Help provide comfort and hope when it’s needed most by visiting redcross.org/volunteer today. With questions, contact Rex Rossey at 814-688-0649.
If you are interested in finding new ways to give, we encourage you to explore the many non-profit members of the Chamber, who would welcome your gifts of time or money.
This article was published in the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce’s December 2018 edition of the VenangoWorks! Newsletter.