By Cindy Huge, American Red Cross Public Affairs Volunteer
“I saw how American Red Cross volunteers listened and cared about me and I wanted to be a member of their team,” reflects Dianne Dennis, shelter resident.
Dennis was displaced from her apartment building following a tornado that struck the town of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The roof of her apartment complex had completely torn off and residents were unable to return until repairs and inspections were completed.
In need of a safe place to temporarily stay, Dennis turned to Red Cross who issued assistance in the form of sheltering for her and her neighbors. She spent the next 2 weeks at the shelter and was so impressed with the comfort and care that she received that after returning home, she signed up for Red Cross training classes.
A few months after her training was completed, a call went out that volunteers were needed in Oregon, following a large wildfire. Dennis quickly responded to the call and was on her way to her first deployment. This was her opportunity to provide those evacuated the comfort and care she received.
Recently Dennis was called to help in Tennessee, following a large apartment fire, and without hesitation she responded. Her devotion to others is quite evident in how compassionately she speaks about her work with the American Red Cross.
When Dennis returns home, she will once again, wrap herself in the Red Cross blanket she saved from her shelter stay. The blanket is a reminder of the comfort she was given in her time of need, following a disaster.
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