“Goodness Precedes Greatness”

I came across this article, written by musician Jon Foreman, on the blog of the organization Invisible Children, and thought that, in all ways, it is worth sharing. As the Red Cross is an organization that thrives of the realization of “goodness” in each of us, Jon’s words hit a spot very, very close to [...]

Tulips are good for the soul

As part of our AmeriCorps term of service, we participate in a service project each month, usually working outside the American Red Cross with another organization.  For our October Service project, one of our members found a volunteer needs posting entitled “tulip planting.”  So we piled into a van and made our way to Holland, [...]

If Dr. McDreamy Volunteers…

Now to be honest, I’m not much of a TV watcher (except for “The Office”), but I know I’m in the minority on this one.
However, I still give a huge “thumbs up” to Hollywood and the TV industry for jumping on the “let’s encourage everyone to volunteer” bandwagon.  According to this article, “For seven straight [...]

Volunteer and Get a FREE Pass to the Happiest Place on Earth!

Who knew Mickey Mouse was such a philanthropist?

(Photo courtesy of ABC News.)
Well, lucky for you volunteers out there, the eternally jolly mouse is. And he wants to give back to you for, errr, giving back. Yesterday, Disney and the HandsOn Network announced a partnership which will give 1 million volunteers nationwide a free pass to [...]

Are You Willing to Get Your Hands Dirty?

We came across this insanely cool poster, thanks to our Twitter friend @meghankraley.

Click here to see the full project — like fingerpainting in kindergarten, but SO MUCH BETTER.
(For more information about how to get your hands dirty ARCGGR-style, click here.)

Summerfest in Hastings RECAP!

Enjoy these photos, shared by our volunteers in Barry County from Summerfest a few weekends back!

Thanks to our wonderful volunteers in Barry County for representing us so well!
(And of course, thanks to “Scooter,” the Red Cross clown!)

BOO! Haunt for a Good Cause!

BOO!
(Made ya look…)
We are looking for volunteers in the Greater Grand Rapids area with a flair for drama and an enjoyment of hiding in cornfields in order to jump out and scare the pants off of innocent bystanders.

Sound like you?
Well, terrific! The Witch’s Walk Haunted Cornmaze (on Fruit Ridge, just off of 6 Mile) is [...]

Local WWII Concentration Camp Survivor Tells Us Her Story

Yesterday, we got a surprise visitor in the person of Diet Eman, a Kentwood resident and former Dutch Resistance fighter during World War II. We sat and talked with Diet for close to an hour and were simply amazed at her stories of living in a concentration camp and receiving Red Cross packages, which turned [...]

Q: Unemployed? A: Volunteer!

The buzzword around West Michigan seems to be “unemployment.” It’s not fun for anyone to be jobless — it’s easy enough for boredom or depression to set in. However, there is a way not to waste your time off and leave a big hole in your resumé.

VOLUNTEER!
Check out this great article from the New York [...]

Red Cross Rocks When It Comes to First Aid

Did you know that your local Red Cross is providing the first aid tent at all the shows at the Outdoor Concert Series at Frederick Meijer Gardens this summer?

Thanks to all our amazing ERV drivers, nurses, and highly trained volunteers who sacrifice their time to adminster first aid and endure listening to bands like Indigo [...]