Northeast Tennessee Volunteer Spotlight, Ellen Watkins - August 2017

From West Tennessee near Memphis to Mountain City is about as far as you can move and still be in the state of Tennessee.  That is the journey volunteer Ellen Watkins has traveled.  Ellen’s husband accepted a position in Mountain City in the early 2000s, so she made the move across the state and became a Red Cross volunteer in Johnson County.

Shortly after joining the Red Cross, Ellen took Red Cross Mass Care training in the aftermath of the huge response to Hurricane Katrina. Although she did not deploy right away, she began responding to disasters locally.  Ellen now serves as a Disaster Action Team captain in Johnson County and responds to disasters throughout the county and beyond if needed.

When asked how many national disasters she has deployed on, Ellen says she has no idea.  Her most recent deployment was to Gatlinburg for the wildfires.  Ellen’s love is Shelter Management because she feels the immediate needs of people when they come to a shelter are so primary.  She loves working directly with the clients and is very protective of the clients when they are so vulnerable.  She has worked as shelter manager in many locations from New Jersey to Texas and Florida.

While she normally manages client shelters, Ellen says one of the most enjoyable experiences she had was managing a staff shelter following Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey.  She knew from experience that the staff needed their rest so she was as protective of their needs as those of the clients.  While there, she also drove the emergency response vehicle (ERV) when needed and says if she can drive an ERV in New York and New Jersey – she believes she can drive one anywhere!

When asked what she would like people to know about Red Cross in Johnson County, Ellen says the Red Cross is “ALIVE AND WELL” in our corner of Tennessee.  If you are ever up in the beautiful hills and valleys of Johnson County, give Ellen a call and she will be sure you get a royal welcome!