Veterans Day: Red Cross volunteers continue Clara Barton’s spirit of service

By Jennifer Costa, Red Cross Regional Communications Director

This Veterans Day, November 11, 2023, the American Red Cross is recognizing veterans who continue their service in local communities across the country – as well as right here in Northern New England. Veterans who step up to serve their communities through the Red Cross remind us of our founder, Clara Barton.

Denise DeBlois, NH volunteer

“Volunteering with the Red Cross means more than just giving your time and energy; it means making a difference in the lives of those in our community and especially our nation’s heroes. Whether it's providing comfort and support during times of distress, offering vital resources and services, or simply lending a listening ear, your dedication and compassion have a profound impact on those who have served our country,” said Celeste Stimpson, Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces and International Services director, who served as a Senior Airman in the U.S. Air Force from 2004-2009. 

For more than 140 years, the Red Cross has served military members, veterans and their families. Throughout the many decades, veterans have stepped up to support their communities after their active-duty service ends by volunteering with the Red Cross. From the front lines of disaster recovery to service in the Veterans Administration (VA) and military hospitals across the nation and around the world, their impact is integral to the Red Cross mission.

Charles Hall, Senior DPM

THE HEART OF OUR WORKFORCE Over 20,000 Red Cross volunteers are veterans. We are proud that across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, more than 115 of our Red Cross volunteers are veterans – as well as a dozen staff members. Veterans hold many positions at the Red Cross, from nurses to logisticians, emergency management experts, project managers and preparedness experts, as well as a number of veterans in leadership roles at local Red Cross chapters across the country. 

“Today, we celebrate the brave men and women who have selflessly put their lives on the line to protect our freedom and way of life. We also acknowledge the sacrifices made by their families and loved ones. Through your work with the Red Cross, you embody the spirit of service and camaraderie that defines our veterans' community.

Volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization, and your commitment to serving those who have served us is truly inspiring. Your unwavering support and kindness have touched the lives of countless veterans and their families, providing them with hope, healing, and a sense of belonging,” Stimpson continued.

GIVE THE GIFT OF TIME Join the Hero Care Network as a volunteer caseworker and help provide the critical link for military members, veterans and their families during emergency situations. To learn more about how you can give back to your community this Veterans Day, visit redcross.org/HeroCareVolunteer.

Frank Martin, DPM Supervisor

We thank all Northern New England Region veterans who have served our country and our local communities. A special shoutout to those who have self-identified their veteran status in Volunteer Connection, including:

New Hampshire

Anthony, Paul
Attardo, Anthony
Beauregard, Roland
Clapp, Cheryl
Davis, Mike
DeBlois, Denise
Deck, Donna
Emrick, A Lance
Firth, L.
Garneau, Robert
Gentry, Norman
Giorgi, Don
Girard, Daniel
Goodman, Howard
Greenberg, David
Grower, Jason
Hall, Charles
Hebert, Richard
Heidmann, Jeanette
Heser, Sharon
Hill, James
Hodgdon, Pamela
Jean, Susan
Jobes, Gary
Kann, Greg
Katchen, Robert
Knight, Benjamin
Margrave, Thomas
Meek, Katherine
Milford, Enide
Morin, Louise
Nastasia, Martin
Nenni, Theresa
Newman, Richard
Nunes, Jeffrey
Reidy, Mary
Reilly, Michael
Reynolds, Curtis
Rocheleau, Lionel
Scott, Antwon
Sherman, Charles
Trudelle, Mark
Usman, Ashish
White, Linda
Zimmer, Steven

Maine
Autry, Rebecca
Boucher, Jason
Bouley, Brian
Brady, Philip
Brann, Fred
Burgess, Eric
Carter, Scott
Carter, Stephanie
Chicoine, David
Cibelli, Robert
Colbert, Tierra
Collin, Robert
Cox, Linda
Danforth, Wilfred
Daniels, Jerry
Dionne, Mattie
Drabek, Andrea
Duclos, Paul
Farrar, Stephen
Gagnon, Eric
Garnsey, Gil
Granados, Selena
Greenier, Terry
Hardy, Scott
Howe, Norman
Jurgen, Barbara
Karner, Sandra
Kelly, Hugh
Kennie, Donna
Lajoie, Michel
Lizotte, Scott
Mahon, Thomas
Martel, Ronald
Martin, Frank
Mellon, Anthony
Moore, Robert
Morrill, David
Mouw, Edward
Murray, Gary
Normand, Craig
Poulin, Richard
Rautiola, Ken
Ridlon, Leslie
Rivers, Wayne
Sayner, Daniel
Scholz, Patrick
Scott, Jacqueline
Skibitsky, Benjamin
St Louis, Ashley
Stimpson, Celeste
Stitham, Gordan
Sypniewski, Christopher
Thomas, John
Thomas, William
Thurston, Michael
Walker, Amber
Whitsitt, Logan
Williams, Julie
Worden, Jessica
Worden, Matthew
Young, Tashia

Vermont
Austin, Lyndon
Baruzzi, Rebecca
Bourgeois, Tim
Clifford, John
Comstock, Carlton
Knauth, Sheryl
Lang, Cliff
Leary, Barbara
Lemieux, Lisa
Merchant, Michael
Moore, Jim
Morin, Lyndsey
Nawrath, W.
Tall, Stephen
Travers, Paul
Uhlendorff, Johnna
Whelan, Ventriss