Nashville Area Volunteer Spotlight: David Donoho – February 2019

“How can I help somebody today?” That is the question David Donoho asks himself when he wakes up every morning. He has been a Red Cross volunteer for almost a year and also volunteers for The Little Pantry that Could. He is passionate about helping others, so volunteering was a good fit after he retired from his state government job where he worked for 45 years. His favorite part about being a volunteer is “just knowing that you’re out there helping folks, directly or indirectly.”

David volunteers for Red Cross disaster services in several areas including damage assessment, logistics, smoke alarm installations and the disaster action team. He plans to get his emergency response vehicle driver and supervisor certifications soon. He deployed to South Carolina and southwest Georgia last fall for a total of over three weeks to help with hurricane relief efforts through damage assessment.

In addition to volunteering with disaster services, he also recognizes the importance of donating blood and platelets. He started donating regularly in December. He encourages anyone who is eligible to donate to make an appointment to give blood. (You can make an appointment at redcrossblood.org.)

One of the most rewarding volunteer experiences for David is installing free smoke alarms and teaching families fire safety. He said, “The good thing about smoke alarm installations and giving blood is you’re being proactive. You don’t know how you’ll eventually affect that person’s life. You may potentially save someone’s life.”

As a part of the disaster action team, David volunteers for on-call shifts in case of a disaster, like a home fire. David and a volunteer partner will respond, often in early morning hours, to offer the affected family hope and immediate assistance.

When asked what advice he would give a new volunteer, David said, “Try a variety of things. People think of big things. Think of the small things.” Spend a few hours of your time installing smoke alarms, roll up your sleeve and give blood, or check out all the opportunities available online at redcross.org/volunteer.

Thank you, David, for making a difference in your community and helping others!