Northeast Tennessee Volunteer Spotlight: Jo Willems - November 2018

A Texas loss was an East Tennessee gain 14 years ago when Jo Willems moved to Johnson City from El Paso, TX.  Jo, who worked for the University of Texas in El Paso, retired and moved to Johnson City to be near her daughter and grandchildren. In that 14 years, she has certainly made East Tennessee her home!  

Jo did not stay retired long. She found part-time work at ETSU in the Media and Communication Department. She maintains student records and interviews students to ensure they meet the requirements to graduate. Jo enjoys people and helping others. She says volunteering is for her a way of life – a hobby that allows her to help others.

The Red Cross is lucky that Jo was recruited to join their volunteer ranks in 2014.  She participated in an Emergency Preparedness Fair representing the Washington County SALT Council (Seniors And Law Enforcement Together) along with numerous other groups. One of the groups she learned about was the Red Cross, and due to the recruitment efforts of Larry Nelson and Angie Minor she was “hooked.” After training Jo became a Disaster Action Team (DAT) member responding to single family fire incidents. In this role, she provides immediate response and casework for a family after a disaster incident. She also recalls conducting damage assessment and distribution of clean up supplies after a tornado in Sullivan County. She says it is wonderful to be able to provide support to victims of disasters. Jo has also been involved with the Sound the Alarm Save a Life smoke alarm installation events.
  
Another aspect of volunteering that Jo participates in is canteening. Her first outing was a brush fire in Carter County delivering drinks and snacks to the volunteer fire fighters.  Early one Sunday morning several years ago, a fire broke out at a lawn and garden center on Roan Mountain. She accompanied Larry Nelson and Ken Sheppard to Roan Mountain to deliver food, coffee and water to the volunteer responders. The garden center was left devastated, and unfortunately, a gentleman residing in an apartment above the business lost his life.

Jo also enjoys representing the Red Cross at events for Veterans such as birthday parties and Memorial Day Activities at the VA. She says until she became a Red Cross volunteer she did not know about the emergency communication services Red Cross provides for the Military and their families. Jo says she enjoys representing the Red Cross at community events and sharing the good done by the organization. After only a short phone conversation with Jo, it is obvious she is a great ambassador for the Red Cross!

As is often the case with involved Red Cross volunteers - they volunteer with numerous other organizations. Jo participates in fundraising activities for the American Cancer Society and Alzheimer’s Tennessee. She is on the Johnson City Senior Center Advisory Council and the Advisory Council for the First Tennessee Agency on Aging and Disability. She is also a member of the Washington County Medical Reserve Corps.

When asked what she enjoys most about volunteering, Jo responded, “I love helping people. There is a great deal of joy and satisfaction in helping people during a time of crisis.” Jo also enjoys the friendships she has made working as a Red Cross volunteer. She says if you don’t enjoy the first volunteer position you try, there is always something else you can do within the Red Cross.