Going The Distance

Arizona Red Crossers learn how to respond to
disasters in a Yuma Public Affairs training course

Every day the Red Cross touches lives and helps people.


I hear about a mother who used CPR to save her daughter. 


I see our volunteers provide care and comfort to disaster victims when they have no where else to turn. 


I walk past a military family who needs financial support to get through a tough time.  


My job at the Red Cross is to make sure you know the impact we're having on people every single day.


One way I do that is through public affairs training.

I recently traveled 188.42 miles with volunteer, Cynthia Pullen, to facilitate a class with five Red Crossers. You might think that's a long way to go to teach a class for only five people.  I say it's worth every single mile!


When a disaster strikes, the first thing we want to do is make sure people who are affected know how to get Red Cross help. In this class, we showed them what goes into gathering and organizing the Red Cross facts. Then, sharing that information so victims get help and Arizonans see the work we're doing. They also learned the critical role our media partners play in sharing our story. Plus, we gave them tools to help them share their Red Cross story.  (Go here to view an intro on Disaster Services and how volunteers work behind the scenes!)


Every Red Crosser has a story...or two...or fifty...to tell.  


We saw a lot of lightbulbs go off. We answered a lot of questions. We had a lot of fun!  Now these volunteers can help us help Arizonans in need...and share our story with a neighbor down the street.

~ Tracey Kiest

Communications Manager