Northeast Tennessee Volunteer Spotlight, Carolyn Doerfert - April 2017

Volunteers are our workforce, our energy, and our heart.  Each month we will be spotlighting a volunteer so that you can learn about the many and varied people and activities that make the American Red Cross of Northeast Tennessee a success.

This month, we want to introduce you to Carolyn Doerfert.

Carolyn uses her nursing and mental health knowledge often for the Red Cross.  She may be preparing materials for an upcoming class or presentation or conferring about a current disaster case with other volunteers and staff.

Carolyn loves sharing her professional skills with the Red Cross and has been doing so for many years.  She graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in psychology, married her husband Gunther and came to the Kingsport area.  Soon after settling in Kingsport she attended ETSU where she received an Associate Degree in Nursing. She then began a career in psychiatric nursing.

One day at a business dinner, Carolyn met a gentleman whose experiences as a Red Cross disaster volunteer intrigued her.  A call to the local Red Cross office led her to what would become very much a “win-win” for both Carolyn and the Red Cross.  She took basic disaster training classes and accepted her first assignment in 1998 – Hurricane George in Puerto Rico. She was hooked!

Carolyn has no idea how many disasters she has served on - too many to count she says – locally in northeast TN, across TN, or in states from west to east and north to south. Wildfires, floods, hurricanes, airline crashes and tornadoes are among the many disaster assignments she has accepted.  
Carolyn loves feeling she has helped people in a time of great need, enjoys working with volunteers who share the same values, appreciates the high standards of our organization and loves continuing to learn.  

Not only does Carolyn enjoy learning, she loves sharing her knowledge and love of Red Cross disaster with others. She has trained not only many of our current volunteer nurses in northeast Tennessee; but others across Tennessee and in many other states.

To join the Red Cross volunteer team, go online to redcross.org/netn or email angela.morris@redcross.org