We Salute: Volunteer Colten Fox

April is Volunteer Appreciation Month. In celebration of our wonderful and generous volunteers, we’ll be featuring a cross-section of the hundreds of volunteers who contribute time to the SW Washington American Red Cross.

Today’s interview features Colten Fox. Colten is a volunteer with the SW Washington American Red Cross, and is a member of the Leadership Development Council. He is a senior at LaCenter High School.

Red Cross: What made you decide to volunteer with Red Cross? Did you look at volunteering with other agencies, and if so, what made you decide on the Red Cross?

Colten: I joined the Red Cross in April 2010 after attending the February Leadership Development Conference. I was on my high school ASB at the time and another officer was a then member of Red Cross. She brought to just one meeting and I was hooked. This April marks two years on the council for me. 

Red Cross: What has been your biggest challenge in working with the Red Cross, and what within your volunteer work with the Red Cross gives you the greatest satisfaction?

Colten: The hardest thing I have faced on Red Cross was the initial few months on the council. I am from La Center, the smallest school on the council and one that no one had heard of. It took a while to really take the initiative to get to know others on the council and become a functioning part of the team.

I received the greatest satisfaction when we handed out cookies to the POW division of the Vancouver Veteran’s Administration (VA) hospital. Men shook my hand with tears and gave me the most tremendous thank you for something as simple as a cookie. I felt like all the work we have done as a council, no matter how small, really had been making a difference in the community around us; I just had not realized it before. 

Red Cross: Do you have a favorite Red Cross story to share?

Colten: To pick one favorite memory is quite difficult, as I have really come to enjoy my time on the council. I really cannot chose between three. 

The first was last years Tea, the seniors were going to leave soon and everyone hung out after the event dancing and laughing together, and talking about memories of the year. 

Second is the cookies; the impact we made in the lives of a couple dozen soldiers combined with the hours we all spent together made it one of the most memorable experiences I take from high school. 

The most recent memory would be this year’s LDC. As a senior, it was really important to host something people would not forget, and something we were proud of. We not only accomplished that but we trained 60 kids in CPR/First Aid, got the Mayor to stop by, and we made some great videos of youth just being youth. To me, it felt like a great addition to the conclusion of my final months on the council.

 

Jason Liu
SW Washington Red Cross Media Team

Red Cross Youth Develop Leadership Agents

Using the title, “Mission: I’m Possible,” members of the Southwest Washington American Red Cross Youth Council trained 56 “agents” during the 5^th annual Leadership Development Conference held March 3rd and 4th at Thomas Jefferson Middle School.Participants and instructors were all students from area high schools. In addition to attending team-building, communication, diversity, and leadership workshops, 23 students were trained in CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED).  Another 21 students became first-aid certified. 

The Youth Council designed the two-day event around a spy theme parody of “Mission: Impossible.” Attendees were given an initial mission via video recording by Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt the morning of the first day.

Later the same day, the mayor spoke in person to all LDC participants about leadership and answered students’ questions. Each attendee was assigned to one of four teams, which were designed to mix together people from all ten high schools represented.

Students worked through assignments to earn advances in rank leading to becoming full-fledged Red Cross “agents” by the end of the second day.

Members of the Youth Council were responsible for almost every aspect of the two-day conference, including the curriculum outline, scheduling, and providing instruction to their peers.

The major event sponsor was Quantum Residential (Gary O’Connell). Other sponsors included Carolee’s Assisted Living (Carol Fox) and the American Red Cross.Participants represented the following high schools: Mountain View, Camas, Prairie, Hudson’s Bay, Fort Vancouver, Columbia River, Union, Skyview, La Center, and Benson Polytechnic (Portland).

Jim Boline, SW Washington Media Team