Volunteer Voice A publication from American Red Cross, European Division
May 2018, Vol. 9
A Salute to Selfless Service Thanking Les DellaMaestra for over 20 years of service to the American Red Cross
After 20+ years with the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces, Les has decided to call it a day. His last day of work with the Red Cross will be May 31st, 2018. He started his involvement with the American Red Cross in early 1998 as a volunteer caseworker, after 31 years of active duty service with the United States Air Force. At that time, according to Les, “it was the perfect transition to civilian life.” Shortly after that, he was hired as a part-time, after-hours caseworker working the 1630-0730 shift three times a week. At the very same time, he was working full time as an HR consultant with another NGO associated with the U.S. military. Les was asked to interview for a Field Office Coordinator position, which he did, and was subsequently hired. Over the following 12 years, he performed backfill duty as an Assistant Station Manager, Station Manager, and Senior Station Manager. For the past eight years, Les has filled the positions of SAF Regional Program Manager and SAF Regional Program Director. When asked about his greatest memories with the Red Cross over the years, Les replies, "The people….they have allowed me to be a part of their daily lives and allowed me to be called a friend and family, the look on the face of people that are desperate for help and being able to overcome that desperation, having a boss that you absolutely trust and one that you welcome to have near you." Continued on next page. Page 1
“Les has been an extraordinary mentor, colleague, and friend. His dedication to our mission and our military is admirable and there will never be another Leslie DellaMaestra. You will be missed, Les! It has been an honor to work with you. Enjoy retirement and give my best to Jack and Jim!” - Susan Tipton
“Who will tolerate my annoying antics, who will calm me down when I'm angry, who will listen to my daily rants, who will make sure I am happy. Who will I harass with my banter. When the sun says goodbye to earth, it leaves a beautiful sunset as a gift. When friends say see you later, they leave mementos of everlasting and priceless memories.” - Dee Swanier
“Les was one of the most helpful and inspirational people I had the pleasure to work with at the American Red Cross…During the time I was there, I watched as he and Jo helped countless people needing direction, support, and sometimes, a good stern talking to. If you needed it, they were there. Les may not know how much he helped me…He and Jo took me in and treated me as though I were a part of their family, and for that, I am truly grateful. It cannot go without saying: we always had the most laughs in the office, some of the wildest requests, and [the most] humbling experiences. The Red Cross has benefited from Les’s dedication to both the mission and the surrounding community. I know they are losing such an incredible piece of the Red Cross…Les and Jo, I wish you so much joy, love, and adventure. I hope you know how important you both are to Christian and myself. We love you and we hope for the best years to come!” - Desiree Klemm
“Les, I am so blessed to have had the time to get to work for you and get to know you. You have taught me a lot and made me a stronger person. Thank you for investing yourself in the Red Cross and the people. I will truly miss seeing you and talking with you. Take care of yourself and enjoy traveling with Jo and spending time with your beautiful granddaughters. Now go and be an ‘old retiree’ for Pete’s sake!” - Shanna West
“Mentor, Father Figure, Friend, Ace, Homie, My Dude…All words to describe what Les is to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your guidance and wisdom. Aiiiight now, don't retire and start acting a fool!” - Regan Jefferson
"Congratulations on making it over the all the hurdles and reaching that wonderful time of life where you get to do whatever you want (when you want to)!” - Stella Rhinegold
“Here's to the rest of our lives. Lots of love, Jo x” - Jo Della Maestra
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Modern Communications
Kelli Upright, Rota Community Volunteer Leader
Tasked with writing a leadership or mentorship piece, my mind goes to the ordinary topics and questions that I ask myself: What does leadership mean to you? How can one be a good mentor? How does one motivate their volunteer teams? What are the best ways of communicating effectively? The last question strikes me. I think, “What type of communicator am I, and how do I get thoughts and ideas across to my team?” My mind goes to written versus oral communication. I don’t know about all of you, but I am a huge fan of email. I can sit down and get all of my thoughts, ideas, and questions to whomever they need to be directed without having to worry about whether that person is available at that exact moment. The plus side of emails? I like everything to be written down; it makes things easier to remember. I also love emails because it allows people time to think about what and how they answer a question. I don’t always know an answer off the top of my head, and I may need to do some research or figure out how to answer a question. Of course, there are downsides as well. It is much harder to convey your tone of voice in an email. Sometimes, it is difficult to tell if someone is upset or joyous from an email. Which brings me to…the emoji. I think everyone has an opinion on this. Some people put a smiley face at the end of every sentence, while others never use a single one. Which is better? Nowadays, will a lack of emojis lend itself to making the tone of an email more negative? Or, does using too many make an email too informal? Have the modern emoji symbols affected communication that much? And when it comes to the professional world, does the smiley face have its place in the office email? Studies show there are mixed feelings about the use of emojis at work. This OfficeTeam survey* found that about 40 percent of managers think of emojis as unprofessional, where about 60 percent use them at least sometimes. A more in-depth study** published in Social Psychological and Personality Science went a little further, with an overall finding that smileys do not increase perceptions of warmth and can decrease perceptions of competence; hence smileys do NOT equate to smiles. However, I do not believe the use of emojis is going anywhere. As younger generations that grew up with smartphones and tablets, who seem to be constantly texting, join the workforce, they may become more normalized in professional communications. But for now, we need to consider guidelines and etiquette when it comes to inserting those smileys in our emails. Here are some tips offered by OfficeTeam on the use of emojis in work emails: 1. Limit it. Use emojis and emoticons minimally, if at all. Going overboard with these icons could annoy others and muddle your message. 2. Consider your audience. Be mindful of the corporate culture and your relationship with those you're communicating to. Sending an occasional smiley face to a work friend may be OK, but is less so when interacting with your boss or company leaders. 3. Evaluate the situation. Including these images can add levity, but it depends on the topic. Leave them out when discussing serious matters, as it can appear awkward or rude. 4. Stick to what you know. Don't use an emoji or emoticon if you aren't absolutely certain what it represents and how it will be received. Some symbols can be taken the wrong way or have multiple meanings. 5. Just say it. When in doubt, rely on words to get your point across. Opt for in-person or phone discussions with colleagues if it's helpful to see facial expressions or hear vocal inflections. What do you think of using emojis in professional communication? or *Read more about the OfficeTeam survey and advice here: http://rh-us.mediaroom.com/2016-07-06-Using-Emojis-And-Emoticons-At-Work-Thumbs-Up-Or-Thumbs-Down **Read more about the Social and Psychological and Personality Science study here: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1948550617720269 Page 3
Deployed Spouses Dinner Hosted by Lakenheath Red Cross
It is no secret that the relationship between our stations and our communities is vital to carrying out our mission. With the help of both youth and adult volunteers, Lakenheath recently hosted a Deployed Spouses Dinner—providing a fun and family-friendly night of food, cupcake decorating, face painting, coloring, balloon animals, and more. Check out some pictures below! Sometimes it is the simplest of efforts that make the biggest difference. What is your station doing for your community? How are we representing the Red Cross on a daily basis? What gaps can we identify and help fill? Thanks for the awesome work (and fun pictures), Lakenheath! Keep up the great work!
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Chris on the Road
Christine Spalding, Division Volunteer Partner
Hello All! I am tapping this out on my laptop at The Tulip Inn near the Naples Support Site. Tomorrow is the start of the European Disaster Training Institute. There are folks coming from all over the division to attend training and a great team of facilitators heading in from the U.S. to make sure we are ready and looking ahead. Just like we prepare for disasters, we need to make sure we prepare for things that may pop up in the course of our day. There are times when we have confusion, a lack of clarity, misunderstandings, and misdirection that can lead to emotional chaos. All these things can be avoided and prepared for by communicating clearly. When we do not have enough training to complete a task we set ourselves up for failure. So, get the training you need by asking for it. If you do not understand what is being asked of you or what your job description is, find your lead, CVL, SVP, or station manager and ask them to give you clear definition. When you are not clicking with someone, or you realize someone is having an "off" day, be the person that steps up and says, "How can I help?" or "What can I do differently to make things smoother?". Use your voice to make yourselves ready for anything. Part of the community you serve is yourself and your fellow Red Crossers. Take care of each other. Focus on the mission. Honor the commitments you make to yourselves and your stations. If you do these things, the community at large will have a Red Cross experience that is both positive for them and especially rewarding for you. Lastly, Dee and I want to offer a sincere thanks to Gretchen Jucha for her six-month tenure as Editor-inChief of the Volunteer Voice. She is leaving the division after having taken on so many roles. No ask too great. No effort unremarkable. The division is a better place for her efforts. Please send Gretchen your well wishes as she and Frank head off to Virginia for their new assignment. A big WELCOME to Catherine Pickle who will be stepping up to do a one year tour as the new Editor-inChief. She comes to us with tremendous passion, experience, and a total understanding of what being part of the Red Cross Family means. Sincerest appreciation, ladies! Proud to serve with you, Chris
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The Importance of Position Descriptions Heather Conkle, Vicenza Station Volunteer Partner
Building a team is not always an easy process, especially in our military communities where recruitment and retention issues are compounded by constant change. Position descriptions are essential for laying the foundation for happy, long-lasting volunteer relationships. Expectation Management. Sometimes new recruits agree to volunteer roles because they simply want to give back or be part of a team but then find themselves caught off guard by time or training requirements and implied tasks. Job descriptions can provide a clear picture of those elements before an assignment is made. Explain each responsibility, and always allow for questions. Be sure these conversations are as jargon-free as possible: no one likes to be the only one who doesn’t understand what is being said! Job Satisfaction. We all know that maintaining a healthy volunteer corps does not end with the recruitment of warm bodies. Once a volunteer is placed in a position, regular performance reviews by leadership volunteers can help maintain lines of communication and promote a feeling of team. Is the job the right one for the individual? What does the volunteer like most about his role? What ideas does he or she have for improving the project next time? Where are the issues that need to be addressed? Conversations such as these give every volunteer a voice and convey a sense of value and trust. Volunteers who have a sense of ownership in their organization tend to stick around and can be some of your best recruiters. Mutual Respect. Above all, remember that your team consists of human beings. Whether they are paid or volunteer staff members, each member brings unique capabilities, perspectives, and even frailties to the table. Job descriptions are a useful tool for helping the entire team stay focused on the American Red Cross mission instead of the human drama that can sometimes plague groups. We must actively eliminate phrases like “I’m just a volunteer.” Each teammate has a critical role to fill, and our mission is too vast to be left in the hands of just one or two people. Our organization values each opportunity to demonstrate cooperation, compassion, credibility, commitment, and collaboration. Having clear, well-defined position descriptions can help build a team of volunteers who are willing to work together to fulfill the mission of the American Red Cross.
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Ramstein Adult Volunteer of the Quarter SanDee Eisenberg, Wiesbaden Youth Volunteer of the Quarter Michelle Enero, Wiesbaden
Stuttgart Adult Volunteer of the Quarter Miki Calderon, Vilseck
Italy/Spain Adult Volunteer of the Quarter Hope Cummings, Vicenza
Thank you to SanDee, Michelle, Miki (pictured), and Hope for all you have done, and continue to do, in support of the Red Cross mission. Your dedication and commitment are profoundly felt to those you work with and our communities!
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Stephanie in the Spotlight
Tory Willens, Landstuhl Public Relations Lead
Stephanie Culver first volunteered with the American Red Cross back in 2013 when she lived in San Diego. When she arrived in Germany in 2015, she was encouraged by a friend to volunteer at Landstuhl but kept putting it off. “When I moved to Germany, I thought it would be the perfect time to find a new hobby,” Stephanie said. “It turns out I’m not much of a hobby person. I wanted to do something that would keep my mind active.” That’s when Stephanie finally found her way to the Landstuhl Red Cross. She filled in as the Regional Program Specialist until a replacement was found, and then switched to the Volunteer Team Lead. Thanks to her hard work and dedication, just a month later, she was asked to be Station Partner. She quickly grew to love this new role.
Like many military spouses, Stephanie gave up a full-time job when she moved to Germany, and it wasn’t until she began volunteering with the Red Cross that she felt like herself again. “It was so nice to have a schedule and real responsibilities again,” she said. “I finally found something I was passionate about.” As Station Partner, Stephanie is in the office several days a week to ensure that operations are running smoothly. She often leads new volunteer orientations and many times is one of the first faces potential volunteers see when they walk through the door. Even though she wears many hats as Station Partner, one of Stephanie’s favorite parts of the position is working with the volunteer leadership team. “I like working with like-minded people, and I like recruiting new leaders to help accomplish our station goals,” she said. But of course, all good things must come to an end. Stephanie will be moving back to the US in a few short months and will look back fondly on her time with the Red Cross. “I’ll mostly miss working with this incredible team,” she said. “Thanks to the Red Cross, my time here in Germany has been a lot more rewarding than I thought it would be.”
In honor of National Nurses Week, the Red Cross at Wiesbaden would like to recognize Ms. Sara Adorno. Since joining the Red Cross team in January 2018, Sara has dedicated over 370 hours to the Wiesbaden Army Medical Clinic. She is often seen smiling as she devotes her time to providing patient care to families within the community. The Wiesbaden Clinic continues to sing her praises, and they are grateful to have her be apart of their team! SARA, YOU ROCK! Page 8
Welcoming Third to the Naples Team Gretchen Jucha, Naples Volunteer
It is our greatest pleasure to welcome our newest four-legged volunteer, Third! Don’t let the name fool you, Third is the first dog in the Pets and Warriors Program here in Naples. Sarah Manfredi, Red Cross volunteer and Third’s handler, could not wait to get involved when she and her family moved to the Naples area. Previously stationed at Fort Gordon, Third was a welcome presence in their local hospital, school, and community. Third is now scheduled to make a regular appearance (on the third Thursday of every month) at the Liberty Center, bringing cuddles and smiles to unaccompanied and single service members. We have a lot planned for Third moving forward, and we hope that he will inspire some other pets and people in our community to make a difference as a Red Cross volunteer. Thank you, Third and Sarah!
Challenge Time!
Help Cutout Clara get to the smoke alarm for our Sound the Alarm Campaign.
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Perspectives on Red Cross Volunteers Stephen Hagerich, International Committee of the Red Cross
The first few hours on my latest disaster assignment... Green new shoots emerging from the sides of fallen trees, twisted phone and electric lines hanging in bunches from long poles leaning far into the road (I’m in a car but find myself leaning in as if I'm ducking to avoid them), a group of men on the side of the road with pick axes, shovels next to a big truck, and what looks like a river of boulders winding down through a path cut through the rain forest. These were the sights as I was being driven from the airport to the headquarters of the Red Cross office in Dominica nearly two months after hurricane Maria struck the Caribbean in the autumn of 2017. Volunteers come from our communities. I was being sent to assist the Dominican Red Cross with a cash grant program and as with most assignments, my first thought was on the first meeting with my national society counterpart. I'll be spending the next month with this person and my role will be to support them in achieving the objectives set in the action plan in response to this disaster. This part is always a little unnerving. The next four weeks will largely be influenced on the professional relationship we can forge over the next few days. When I arrive, I find that he is 19 and only recently started volunteering with the Red Cross a few months ago. He admits he hasn't had much training but he is in the office by 8 a.m. at least six days a week. He's been doing this for two months already. I eventually learn that he had to leave his home which was heavily damaged after the hurricane. At first he had to climb over a twisted mix of trees, boulders, and other debris to get to where the office is. The national society only had two paid staff members - and one of them was the Secretary General. Nearly all the roles were filled by people who wanted to volunteer their time. It made me reflect on the contribution of volunteers and the central role they play in the Red Cross. Volunteer or employee? I started out in the early 1990s as a volunteer with my local chapter in Pennsylvania. I say "started out" not to imply that I somehow advanced into a staff role, but rather, I enjoyed volunteering so much that I decided to make the compromise and move into a paid job with the Red Cross so I could spend most of my time doing what I found to be so rewarding. I knew that as a staff member, I had to go to more meetings, do more paperwork, and probably lots of other things I wouldn't have enjoyed doing when I was volunteering. But, I was also able to provide more support to the volunteers who, like when I was volunteering, were happy to have someone behind the scenes making sure everything was set and ready for the job that needed to be done. Those outside the Red Cross probably don't appreciate the importance of this partnership between volunteers and staff, and I sometimes don't differentiate, but instead prefer the term "Red Crosser". Besides bringing a wealth of outside knowledge, experience, and connections, volunteers help gain us access and make it possible for the Red Cross to turn the Fundamental Principals into actions - to take them off the posters hanging on walls in Red Cross or Red Crescent offices around the world and turn them into something real that people in need can recognize. I can think of so many examples, it's tough to narrow them down to just a few. Uganda – 2013: Mbale Landslides The sub-chapter was in a small remote village in northeastern Uganda on the boarder of Kenya. They had only seen one or two other aid agencies pass through but knew the Red Cross. Local volunteers had already distributed relief items and we were there to plan a distribution of cash grants. A series of landslides sent boulders (some, larger than a car) ripping through homes and destroying crops. We were piloting a cash program that sent money directly to Page 10
cell phones which seemed strange to me - given the remoteness of where we were - but the volunteers at the local chapter assured me by showing how this is something they are used to doing in these remote places, far away from banks. They were eager to tell me how they felt this kind of assistance would be more dignified for members of the community rather than lining up to wait for things or money to be handed to them. It really impressed me that these young volunteers were thinking of how we could do things better and in ways that were centered on what was best for the individuals we were helping. Nepal – 2015: Earthquake We arrived a few days after a devastating 7.8 earthquake killing nearly 9,000 and injuring nearly 22,000. A few weeks later, a 7.3 aftershock hit and we learned quickly how easy it was to be scared of living in a hard building and why there was such an urgent need for tarpaulins and tents. I happened to be back from the field and in Kathmandu that day for a meeting when the ground shook, thousands of people spilled out onto the streets; building, vehicles, and streets all shook. Electric cables swayed and someone shouted there was a gas leak and we should move quickly to our designated evacuation point. In fact, the entire delegation of nearly seventy Federation staff slept outside that night. With numerous aftershocks, some delegates spent their entire deployment in a tent. This made me appreciate those items we distributed even more. After a few weeks of distributing items to villages high up in the mountains, one of our local team members pointed out that a young volunteer who had been part of our distribution team had a damaged home and been sleeping outside with her family without any shelter. She didn’t register herself on the list even though she and her family needed the items. It really struck me that every day, this young volunteer had been distributing the very item she and her family needed the most.
We were able to register her and provide her some tarps that day but it was another example of how our volunteers prioritize their service first – even when they have been part of the effected community. Greece 2015: European Mass Population Movement About 5 months after I returned from Nepal, I had the opportunity to work a bit closer to home in Europe working with the Hellenic Red Cross in Greece during the height of the population movement crisis. We worked at the port on Samos Island providing medical treatment, psychosocial support, food, and hygiene items to those who were leaving areas of conflict across the Middle East and Africa. I was working with a newly recruited team of volunteers who were from the island and although they had been facing an economic crisis in their own country (many workers weren’t being paid and had daily limits on bank withdrawals), they saw a crisis faced by those migrating from more difficult times and wanted to help. This new team was enthusiastic and worked hard to help these new arrivals who at one point, outnumbered the local population. However, I soon received an offer of help from someplace unexpected. It wasn’t long before I was approached by a couple of young men who were waiting to be registered as refugees (they looked like teenagers). Looking excited and acting as if he knew me, they introduced themselves saying “I am also Red Cross…” (pointing the Red Cross on my vest and then back to themselves). This happened a number of times and going on to explain how they drove an ambulance for the Syrian Arab Red Crescent or volunteered in a hospital or community center or in some other way helping others before they had to leave. What they said next took me by surprise (even after it happened several times). They would then go on to ask if there was something they could do to help ME! Here they were escaping war in their country to Page 11
Europe - and after the dangerous journey across the sea and the middle of their trip across Europe paused to remember that they are still a volunteer and wanted to ask if they could help ME with anything. On top of this, they were always the last ones willing to accept any help themselves. Are we making any difference right now? So now I'm thinking... most of my days with the Red Cross are not nearly as dramatic as these examples (and I hope it isn't this difficult or dangerous for most of our volunteers either). So what do we do in our blue sky time that makes any difference? It actually makes all the difference. The everyday commitment and work we do is what gets us recognized as a world movement - an organization that can be relied on and often asked to do the roles that save lives. Our blue sky work also gains us access and reminds emergency services that we are here. If we weren't known before an emergency strikes, we won't have the access needed to help.
I worked in Service to Armed Forces for years so I know how difficult reaching some military units can be. There was nothing more frustrating than being downrange and dialing the same number 100+ times in an attempt to reach a unit only to get through and then be cut off due to a sandstorm. Starting all over again would be so difficult – particularly knowing that my ability to reach a unit was the only thing keeping a life-changing message from reaching someone who needed it. Thankfully, when I finally did reach a unit, I normally encountered a first shirt/sergeant or commander who "knew" the Red Cross and it was like having someone opening a door for me. I knew that at some point, someone before me had made the right impression and enabled me to get the job done. This “door opening” happens every day in clinics, blood drives, fundraising events, and all kinds of activities. It should never be underestimated. This door opening happens all over the world. It may start in a chapter or station and may end up resulting in access much further away. In many countries, the UN and World Food Programme (WFP) use the Red Cross as their implementing partner. After the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, we were in a race to get food and tarpaulins to mountainous areas before the monsoon season struck which would leave many places completely cut off and without food or shelter. Our day-to-day work with these agencies around the world enabled us to place pairs of volunteers in WFP helicopters and send them to deliver aid to remote places on top of the mountains. Here again, volunteers amazed me – willing to get into a small helicopter loaded with supplies carrying only a bag and sleeping bag for themselves, expecting that we would pick them up the next day if the weather allowed. The trust we build day-to-day also gets us access in more difficult to reach places like Syria. The Syrian Red Crescent is the lead aid agency given permission to enter into areas to deliver Red Cross and even UN supplies. When many aid agencies cannot safely operate, it’s the reputation of the local chapters and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement that allows access and safe passage where no one else can go. So I guess my question at the start about what contribution volunteers make is really redundant. The question I need to ask is how can I better support and partner with volunteers who are the Red Cross. Those early Saturday morning fun runs, the recruitment drives, the many fundraising events, the trainings, and the paperwork (there’s always paperwork). These are the things that happen every day that create a foundation that enables the Movement to do what it does. I’m grateful that I’ve been in a position to be a part of it. Page 12