Volunteering will introduce you to people you will remember for the rest of your life, and they will remember you

by Mary Brant, Northern New England Regional Communications Manager

When the blizzard of 1978 dropped more than three feet of snow on Boston it closed the city down for days. New Hampshire resident Cliff LaPlante had recently graduated from nursing school when the American Red Cross Boston Chapter invited him and his roommate, who had a four-wheel-drive vehicle, to come to their offices to see if they could help.

Cliff was already familiar with services offered through the organization thanks to a Red Cross nurse, one of his nursing school instructors, who had previously invited the students to attend a course titled “Disaster Nursing.” Cliff had taken advantage of the offer.

Both he and his roommates’ help were welcomed that snowy week. Cliff worked in a shelter providing help and comfort wherever he could, and his roommate provided transportation for Red Cross volunteers where needed.

Fast forward a few decades - Cliff was retired from the nursing profession and “bored silly,” as he likes to say. One day he walked into his local Red Cross Chapter office and in about two hours he was signed up to help on their Disaster Action Team and he is no longer bored! His deployments to active disaster sites have included travel in 2017 to help survivors of Hurricanes Irma in Florida and to Texas to help at Hurricane Harvey shelters. In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, he recently volunteered virtually helping people hit by the Texas blizzards. When asked how it feels to provide assistance virtually, Cliff responds, “The Red Cross mission hasn’t changed what we do, we just do it a little differently.”

The work can test the resolve of the most dedicated volunteer.

“Doing volunteer work many times means working with people who are having the worst day of their lives,” said Cliff. “Knowing and seeing firsthand that you have made a difference in someone’s life is powerful. These are people you will remember for the rest of your life, and they will remember you.”

When asked about particular incidents he shares the story of a 97-year-old woman, living alone, who escaped severe hurricane flooding by climbing to the attic of her home and out onto the roof to wait for rescuers.

“When rescuers arrived on the scene this elderly woman was on her roof, by herself, clutching a box of sewing patterns,” said Cliff. “For years she had sewn clothing, using donated fabric, to help her community. She wasn’t able to save her sewing machine and was heartbroken. Learning more about her story, our volunteers worked through all channels of help available and managed to get her another sewing machine. I will never forget the joy on her face when we presented it to her.”

For more information on Red Cross volunteer opportunities go to RedCross.org/volunteer