Red Cross Honors East Tennessee Volunteer Mary Franklin

Dr. Dai and team teaching CPR/AED training in March.

Where has East Tennessee Red Cross volunteer Mary Franklin been lately? In December, she traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam, as one of five instructor trainers to train nurses and doctors in basic life support skills and instructor skills at the Bach Mai Hospital. Overcoming equipment issues (AEDs got stuck in customs), lack of AV equipment, lack of floor space, more students than originally anticipated, and various degrees of fluency in English, the team trained 35 people in the basic course and 32 people as instructors. In mid-April, these young instructors trained all internal medicine residents in the teaching hospital. The American Red Cross is working with the Vietnamese Red Cross to see how this training can be expanded to other areas of the country. This could prompt a return trip to the country for more training.

The last week of March, Mary was in Washington, D.C., for the National Awards and Recognition Dinner, where she was recognized as the Outstanding Volunteer in Training Services. She received her award from Jack McMaster, President for Training Services, and Gail McGovern, President and CEO of the American Red Cross.  When talking about Mary’s love of training others, Jack made note of her use of googly eyes to emphasize to instructor trainer candidates the need for them to use their observational skills and to have participants put their eyes on the information in their books. Mary has been a volunteer for almost 44 years and an instructor trainer for 34 of those years. She is also an advanced master instructor for volunteer Services and a chapter board member.

Awards ceremony with Gail McGovern, Mary Franklin, and Jack McMaster.

The Presidential Award for Excellence is presented to an individual or group of American Red Cross employees or volunteers who demonstrate exceptional performance or service in support of the American Red Cross delivering on its multi-faceted mission. Nominees actions must go beyond meeting organizational goals and expectations and be exemplary of the highest level of commitment to Red Cross values and the execution of superior services and performance that made an extraordinary contribution toward the successful delivery of the Red Cross mission.