By Chris Allen, American Red Cross

After retiring from a long career in public education, Henry Childress found his way back into the classroom, but this time as a volunteer for the American Red Cross in Northwest Arkansas.

Henry discovered his true love, teaching middle school science, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and it all started when he was a middle schooler himself.

“Mr. Thorn was my fifth-grade science teacher, and he let some of us stay after class to look in his telescope,” Henry said. “I got my first inkling of science in that class.”

Henry played basketball in junior high and high school and received a scholarship to Westark Junior College, now the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. He had intended to study engineering, but basketball practices and engineering classes coincided, and he switched to physical education.

After junior college, Henry enrolled in the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville to finish his degree in Phys Ed, then found a job in Shreveport. That position only lasted three years, and eventually Henry and his wife moved back to Fayetteville to be closer to family. That’s when everything came full circle and he began teaching science at the junior high where he had been a student years before. He taught and coached for a total of twenty-eight years before retiring.

After retirement, he quickly becoming bored and took a part time job. But he was looking for more. “I always had the Red Cross stuck in my head” he said. “After the 2011 tornado in Joplin, Missouri, our church drove up to help, and the devastation was overwhelming. I said then I’d like to be involved in helping people like this.”

So, after retiring, Henry became a Red Cross volunteer and began taking online classes. Cathy Battaglia from the Northwest Arkansas chapter helped him with the training, and soon he was going on Disaster Action Team calls to assist home fire victims.

“It’s never just routine with any of the calls,” he said.” It always tugs at your heart to help somebody get back on their feet.”

Recently, Henry has taken on a new role that draws on his long experience as a teacher, assuming the position of Preparedness Lead for the Northwest Arkansas Red Cross chapter.

“It’s basically teaching children and adults how to be prepared before emergencies or disasters happens” he said. “We go into elementary schools and teach the Red Cross Prepare with Pedro program. We teach in a fun way so they learn how to get ready and don’t have to panic when emergencies happen.” He hopes the children talk to their families about what they learned to make them more aware as well.

Julie Stolting, Community Disaster Program Manager for the Northwest Arkansas Red Cross chapter, said Henry’s thirty-two years of teaching make him a natural for the role.

“He has really helped build out the Preparedness Lead role,” she said. “He can navigate going to schools and agencies to set up the program. He’s been able to get out into the community to talk to superintendents and make preparedness larger than it was before. He’s just been a great leader.”

Henry also works with older kids to form Red Cross clubs. Students under eighteen get involved in blood drives, fundraising and gathering materials for comfort kits that are handed out to people who experience disasters like fires, floods and storms.

But he doesn’t just stop there, he also volunteers as part of the Red Cross Sound the Alarm initiative, distributing smoke alarms to families in Northwest Arkansas. Red Cross volunteers go door-to-door, installing smoke alarms and coaching families to have a plan ready in case of a home fire.

Henry tells anyone thinking about becoming a Red Cross volunteer, “Be ready to experience life through somebody else’s eyes. I think you’ll feel so grateful to help somebody who has nowhere else to turn. It makes all the difference.”

“I’ve been truly blessed to be able to volunteer with the Red Cross.

Want to get involved in helping others as a Red Cross volunteer? Find out more information by going to redcross.org/volunteer