“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

I love this quote! It’s so simple and yet so obvious, “anyone can volunteer” and it’s true…anyone can make a difference in the lives of others. The volunteers here at the St. Louis Area Chapter, without a doubt, have “hearts full of grace” and souls “generated by love.” I have never met a more giving, caring, and committed group of people, not to mention intelligent, funny, resourceful, good-humored and creative! We definitely have some who could explain the second theory of thermodynamics in their sleep, and others who can not only make subject and verb agree, they can get cats and dogs to agree!

I don’t think there is any way I can say “Thank You” enough to all of our volunteers. Words seem so inadequate when you’ve seen a DAT volunteer sit down with a fire victim and help them find a safe place to stay for the night, or when you see a Water Safety Instructor finally get a child who was afraid to put more than their foot in the pool to put their entire face in the water. Moment like these (and many, many more!) are what makes volunteers so vital to our mission here at the Red Cross and valuable to our community.

Thank you again for all that you do!

Click here for more information about becoming a volunteer for the Red Cross!

Mary Rosen