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SAN JOSE, CA (May 2, 2019) — The American Red Cross of the Silicon Valley honored 13 individual volunteers, one employee, and a first-aid team at its recent Volunteer Recognition Dinner in Santa Clara County. The annual event was held at the San Jose Women's Club.
At the dinner, Peg Geringer of San Jose received the American Red Cross's top honor, the Clara Barton Award. The award, named after the founder of the Red Cross, recognizes a volunteer for service in a series of leadership positions held over a number of years.
Geringer has been a Red Cross volunteer for 48 years, serving as chair of the chapter's First Aid Services Team (FAST) for the past 10 years. Under her leadership, that team provided first-aid stations at up to three community events each weekend throughout the year. In that and other roles she has filled with the Red Cross, Geringer has been highly regarded by colleagues, partners, and clients for her leadership, compassion, and commitment to the Red Cross mission.
Dinner emcee Jonathan Bernier said the annual event, which honors key volunteers, also gives the Red Cross an important opportunity to acknowledge all of its 981 local volunteers. "Our volunteers are the core of the Red Cross mission to help prevent and alleviate suffering in our communities," says Bernier, the chapter's Volunteer and Youth Services Manager.
Ken Toren, Chief Executive Officer for the Silicon Valley Chapter; Terry Unter, Chair of the chapter's Board of Directors and chapter Disaster Chair; and Nikki Rowe, Disaster Program Manager for the Silicon Valley Chapter, were also presenters at the annual event.
In his remarks at the dinner, Toren cited the tremendous work that chapter volunteers have done responding to disasters, helping the public donate blood, teaching health and safety courses, teaching youth preparedness at schools, supporting military families, and installing smoke-alarms in local homes. "It's an impressive amount of work, and I want to thank each and every one of our volunteers for their service and dedication to the organization," Toren said. "We could not do all that we do to serve our communities without our amazing volunteers."
The following volunteers were also honored at this year's event:
In addition, a number of volunteers were honored at the event for the large number of hours they devoted to the Red Cross in service during the 2018 calendar year.
Photos from the dinner can be found on the Silicon Valley Chapter's Flickr site at: flic.kr/s/aHsmbsqVDx
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Become a Red Cross Volunteer: You can make a difference in Silicon Valley by becoming a volunteer with the American Red Cross. Volunteers constitute about 94 percent of the total Red Cross workforce to carry out our humanitarian work. Red Cross volunteers are trained to meet the needs of those affected by disasters, providing food, shelter, and comfort for families affected by major disasters such as fires, floods, and earthquakes as well as helping local residents prepare for and recover from emergencies of all kinds. We’ll find the position that appeals to you and allows you to use your skills and talents. Email VolunteerSVC@redcross.org to get started.
About American Red Cross of the Silicon Valley: With an office in Santa Clara County, the American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, visit our web site at redcross.org/siliconvalley or call us at 877-727-6771. You may also find us on Facebook and Twitter.