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A Year in the Life of an American Red Cross Volunteer
By Beth Roy On November 13, 2024, Angela O’Leary took a major step and applied online to join the American Red Cross. As her three children reached the age of independence, O’Leary had talked with her husband about her goal of becoming more involved in local volunteer opportunities. She hoped to find a way to give back and was excited to try something new. The O’Learys made their home in Nebraska, but it was her memory of seeing the devastating floods in Asheville, North Caro
NEIA Red Cross
6 hours ago3 min read
Nice to Meet You: Katie Tellus
Meet Katie. She is passionate about blood donor recruitment and proud of the impact her work has on her community. Learn more about her role, how she spends her time and what fuels her commitment to her work. Katie (center) with her husband and son. Q: Could you explain what your title means and take us through your workday, or what projects you work on? A: As the donor recruitment supervisor for the Omaha donor recruitment team, I serve as both a creative and operational re
NEIA Red Cross
Nov 133 min read
Nebraska-Iowa Red Cross Honors Volunteers
On Thursday, Red Cross volunteers and staff from the Nebraska-Iowa Region gathered in person and online for the Nebraska-Iowa One Red Cross Volunteer Awards to celebrate each other’s work and many accomplishments in 2025. The sense of community was palpable at each chapter party, and even for those watching the event online. Eastern Iowa chapter awardees Volunteers were recognized for their hours of commitment, outstanding leadership and more. Those selected for awards were n
NEIA Red Cross
Nov 75 min read
Turn and test to keep your home safe
As daylight saving time ends this Sunday, November 2, we will turn our clocks back an hour. While you’re adjusting your clocks, take a few minutes to test your smoke alarms. This simple action could protect you and your family in the event of a home fire. “Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half,” says Emily Holley, Regional Communications Manager for the Nebraska-Iowa Red Cross. “You only have about two minutes to escape a burning home safely. Every
NEIA Red Cross
Oct 312 min read
Nice to Meet You: Rebecca McCarty
Meet Rebecca. She is a vital member of our biomedical services team. Her work ensures that enough blood drives are scheduled to maintain a healthy blood supply. She is also a busy mom and passionate advocate for volunteering in her community. Q: Could you explain what your title means and take us through your workday, or what projects you work on? A: I am the Iowa East strategic business planner, which means that I am in charge of planning and booking our drives on the calen
NEIA Red Cross
Oct 224 min read
Nebraska Couple Ready When There Is A Need
By Janet Flanagan Most Red Cross volunteers don’t hop in a plane to respond to a local disaster. But Mike and Linda Nielsen of McCook, Neb., have. Since they live in a rural area close to the borders of Kansas and Colorado, Mike Nielsen’s Beechcraft Sierra four-seat airplane can sometimes get them to a Red Cross emergency scene faster than a car. Linda and Mike Nielsen The Nielsens have responded to fires, floods and other disasters in Southwest Nebraska since 2008. They’
NEIA Red Cross
Oct 163 min read
Celebrating Our Heroes: Volunteer Firefighters and the Red Cross
By Ashley Peterson-DeLuca Did you know? Sixty-five percent of firefighters are volunteers, according to the National Volunteer Fire...
NEIA Red Cross
Oct 104 min read
Proud To Be Of Service On Game Day
By Beth Roy On a beautiful fall Saturday with the sun shining brightly and rust colored leaves dotting the pavement, a crowd begins to...
NEIA Red Cross
Oct 32 min read
Making Dad Proud
June is a difficult month for Micki Young and her family. In June of 2020, her dad, John Bunts, died from cancer. After his death, Young...
NEIA Red Cross
Aug 212 min read
Back to School: Safety Tips for a Confident Start to the Year
By Samantha Edwards The backpacks are packed, the pencils are sharpened and the excitement is building—it’s back-to-school season! As...
NEIA Red Cross
Aug 152 min read
Nice to Meet You: Rachel Lynch
Meet Rachel. She is part of the development team for our Red Cross region. As the grant coordinator, it is her job to explain the many...
NEIA Red Cross
Jul 182 min read
Retrospective: One Year Since Historic Floods in Northwest Iowa and Surrounding Areas
By Ashley Peterson-DeLuca First, a year's worth of rain fell on Northwestern Iowa for three days. Then, the flooding began. In late June...
NEIA Red Cross
Jun 204 min read
If Thunder Roars, Get Indoors
In the Midwest, we are all too accustomed to severe weather, so much so that we often forget that thunderstorms can be dangerous. Folks...
NEIA Red Cross
Jun 172 min read
“It Makes My Heart Happy”: How Pam Jones Gives Back to Her Community—One Unit at a Time
By Lubna Albadawi Pam Jones is the kind of person who makes you feel welcome the moment you meet her. She lives in Red Oak, Iowa, where...
NEIA Red Cross
Jun 43 min read
Nice to Meet You: Tammy Lee
Meet Tammy Lee. She is the executive director for the Northwest Iowa Northeast Nebraska chapter and celebrated 25 years with the Red...
NEIA Red Cross
May 303 min read
Celebrating Ron Adams: 50+ Years of Dedication to the American Red Cross
By Beth Roy Ron Adams, a resident of Grand Island, Nebraska, has reached an extraordinary milestone in his lifetime of service—50+ years...
NEIA Red Cross
May 203 min read
Kennedy Elskamp’s Memory Continues to Save Lives
By Ashley Peterson-DeLuca When Carter Elskamp turned 16, a time when most teens are excited about getting their driver’s license, he was...
NEIA Red Cross
Apr 302 min read
Keep On Training: It’s better to do something than not
By Janet Flanagan Otho David Smith has one goal for his work with the American Red Cross in Omaha. “Just keep training.” The part-time...
NEIA Red Cross
Apr 193 min read
Nice to Meet You: Kara Kinder
We couldn't fulfill our mission without the dedication of our incredible regional volunteers. Finding those individuals and placing them...
NEIA Red Cross
Apr 103 min read
Supporting the health of communities for Red Cross Month
March became Red Cross Month over 80 years ago with a proclamation from President Franklin Roosevelt. Every American president has...
NEIA Red Cross
Mar 72 min read
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