National Volunteer Week is April 7 to 13, and the American Red Cross of Tennessee is honoring its volunteers who help people in need through its lifesaving mission.

In the Tennessee Region in 2018, more than 3,500 people volunteered with the Red Cross to help people by helping staff blood drives, volunteering at veterans’ hospitals, teaching people lifesaving skills such as first aid and CPR, responding to home fires in the middle of the night, and responding to the state’s most recent flooding and so much more. These individuals are also among the more than 372,000 volunteers who comprise more than 90 percent of the national American Red Cross workforce.

“During National Volunteer Week, we thank our volunteers for their service and support,” said Joel Sullivan, regional chief executive officer for the American Red Cross Tennessee Region.  “Our volunteers are true heroes who give their time to help their neighbors and local community.”

In 2018, Red Cross volunteers provided food, shelter, comfort and hope to more than 3,000 people affected by home fires and other disasters throughout the region. They also helped train thousands of people in lifesaving skills and provided more than 14,500 services to military members, veterans and their families.

In December 2018, during the Nashville Christmas Parade, trained bystanders rushed to the aid of Wade Payne, a freelance photographer and Red Cross volunteer, as he experienced a heart attack.

“I was looking for a way to give back with the blessings I received.” Payne said. “It was just a natural progression. I learned there is so much to do with the Red Cross.” He is a volunteer photographer for the Red Cross. “I enjoy the visual aspect in showing what the Red Cross does. Many don’t know about things like Sound the Alarm and just how much they help people in disasters. If I can help save a life, then I’ll tell my story. It’s not about me. It’s about helping others.”

BECOME A VOLUNTEER Learn more about volunteer opportunities by visiting redcross.org. To donate blood or platelets, eligible individuals can make an appointment by using the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

HELP SOUND THE ALARM TO #ENDHOMEFIRES Visit SoundTheAlarm.org/Tennessee to join a special volunteer opportunity to help install 100,000 free smoke alarms and raise lifesaving funds, as part of a national two-week push of Sound the Alarm home fire safety and smoke alarm installation events, including:

• April 27, Memphis, Tennessee, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• April 27, Brownsville, Tennessee, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• April 27, Smyrna, Tennessee, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• April 27, Nashville, Tennessee, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• April 27, Clarksville, Tennessee, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• April 27, Knoxville, Tennessee, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• April 27, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• April 27, Johnson City, Tennessee, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

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