Cross Your Heart

By Brynn R. Saltzer ’04

Chelsea Shepherd ’07 has been active with the Red Cross since high school. Here she is at her desk in the Lehigh Valley office of the agency.

Photo courtesy Janice Osborne, American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley

March is Red Cross Month. It has been since 1943, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt first dedicated this month to recognize the humanitarian services and accomplishments of the American Red Cross. Though the Red Cross is not a government organization, the President of the United States serves at its honorary chairman.

The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley, located just off Airport Road, a five-minute drive from Moravian’s campus, offers services available to more than 660,000 residents of Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton counties. Last year, the chapter provided health and safety education, training, and emergency relief services to more than 20,000 people in the area.

Red Cross Month—and any other month of the year!—is a perfect time for faculty and students to get involved.

Some Moravians already are. I have been an intern at the chapter since September. Jon Conrad, director of human relations, and Deb Evans, director of constituent relations in President Rokke’s office, are two senior staff members who support the Red Cross with works, deeds, and volunteer time.

[Editor’s note: Both are on the board of directors; Deb’s term is coming to an end this year. Jon is on its human resources committee, and Deb has served on many committees, including the executive and volunteer advisory committees.]

Chelsea Shepherd ’07, who was active in the Red Cross in her home town of Summit, N.J., is helping to develop a youth volunteer program for the chapter.

“I think it’s great for youth to learn the importance of giving back to the community,” Chelsea says. “I look forward to helping the chapter organize a solid youth-volunteer program.”

You can become a part of the Red Cross family by taking a CPR/first aid class, attending an emergency-preparedness training session, or help with disaster response. Students may wish to join the volunteer youth program, which offers opportunities with all these programs, or consider an internship at the office. Mine is in public relations.

Look for plenty of Red Cross activities this month. The largest public events are Together We Prepare Saturday, a free community-wide preparedness day March 13 at Iacocca Hall, Lehigh University; and a water-safety exhibit at the Pennsylvania Boat Show, March 19-21 at the Pennsylvania Expo Center, 501 Cetronia Road (across from the Tilghman 8 movie theaters). Our major fund-raising event, Cabaret & Cuisine, a night of fun and festivities, will be held 7:00-11:00 p.m. April 2 at chapter headquarters.

For more information about volunteer opportunities and other activities of the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley: 610 865-4400. Or stop by the Bethlehem office, 2200 Avenue A, or visit www.redcrosslv.org. Together, we can save a life.™

Brynn R. Saltzer, Northampton, is majoring in English and sociology. She works two days a week as a communications and marketing intern in the Bethlehem office of the American Red Cross. She also is a tutor with the Writing Center.