Don Barkley, a grandfather of five and a great-grandfather of two, started volunteering for the Red Cross after his wife, Sally, found a Red Cross advertisement in a Fairview Heights newspaper. The ad was a call for new volunteers and Don felt compelled to respond. After retiring from the US Air Force, where he worked for 45 years, Don was ready to once again serve his country, this time through the Red Cross.

Don’s first disaster assignment was in 1999 when Hurricane Floyd slammed into the east coast. Since then, he has served on a total of 24 national disaster assignments. On September 14, 2001, Don was assigned to the Pentagon to work as an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) Coordinator. He helped to provide nourishment, shelter and comfort to hundreds of emergency personnel that worked around the clock.

“I’m very proud of the work I did after 9/11,” he says. “I had a team of individuals from all over the country working with me. It was an assignment I will never forget.”

In 2004, Don served as a Mass Care Coordinator in Alabama after Hurricane Ivan struck the southeast coast. For three weeks Don supervised the relief efforts of two kitchens, several ERV’s and a shelter. With all of his experience, Don is still humbled by the selfless attitudes of those he helps.

“A majority of the people affected by disasters have an unbelievable ability to cope, and in my opinion, this is especially true of the elderly,” he says. “After Hurricane Ivan, I drove through neighborhoods to hand out supplies and to offer assistance. I asked several elderly individuals if they needed help, and they always said to first check on their neighbors, even as they sat in front of their destroyed homes. To me, the human ability to cope has always been more awe-inspiring than the disaster itself.”

Don was the recipient of the 2004 Volunteer of the Year Award, the highest award given by the St. Louis Area Chapter for outstanding service. He was nominated by Chapter staff and fellow volunteers for his level of commitment to the Red Cross, his willingness to help whenever called upon and his friendly attitude. When asked why he continues to volunteer for the Red Cross, Don’s immediate response is, “I enjoy helping people. I always have.”

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