Letter from East Tennessee Executive Director, Michelle Hankes - August 2016

It's August and that means back to school for most of kids.  If you're a parent, perhaps you're breathing a sigh of relief.  If you aren't a parent, perhaps you're frustrated with the traffic changes as parents drop off children and yellow buses take to the roads.

One of the main focuses that schools now have is community service.  Many older students (in high school and college) are mandating volunteer hours.  If you have a child (or know someone who does), I strongly suggest you think about those volunteer hours now . . . and not the day before they are due!

A perfect opportunity for student volunteers is to participate in weekend Home Fire Campaigns that are scheduled throughout the year, particularly in the fall.  Red Cross volunteers partner with local fire departments to install smoke alarms and work with families to create disaster plans.  Towns and neighborhoods all over the state are participating.  Contact your local Red Cross office to get schedules and details.  In East Tennessee, you can email Kendra.Taylor@redcross.org.

Looking forward to saving lives with you!

Michelle Hankes