SAN JOSE, CA (July 9, 2018) — The American Red Cross of the Silicon Valley honored 12 individual volunteers, a regional volunteer team, and a local fire department at its recent Volunteer Recognition Dinner for Santa Clara County. The annual event was held at Testarossa Winery in Los Gatos.
At the dinner, Chris Carlton of Menlo Park 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.
Carlton has been on Silicon Valley Chapter's Board of Directors for seven years. She is described by her peers as a committed and compassionate leader, a volunteer the chapter is proud to recognize for years of dedication. Terry Unter, current board chair for the chapter, presented Carlton with her Clara Barton Award.
Emcee Jonathan Bernier said the annual event, which honors key volunteers, also gives the Red Cross an important opportunity to acknowledge all of its 976 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, and Rob Rennie, Mayor of Los Gatos, were also featured speakers at the annual event. "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 volunteers."
The following volunteers were also honored at the evening event:
• Disaster Cycle Services Award – Outstanding Support: Doug Moses-Batson of San Jose
• Disaster Cycle Services Award – Exceptional Response: Ruben Guevara of San Jose
• Disaster Cycle Services Award – Extraordinary Commitment and Dedication: Roxanne Anderson of San Jose
• First Aid Services Team Award: Michael Pollock of Campbell
• Service to the Armed Forces Award: Abha Patkar of Saratoga
• Biomedical Services Award: Charlie Lynn of San Jose
• Biomedical Services Volunteer of the Year Award: Richard Kelly of San Jose
• Administration and Support Award: Ellen Hui of San Jose
• Teamwork Award: Sandra Hayden of San Jose and Tony Fung of Pleasanton, the region's Volunteer Connection Tech Team
• Good Neighbor and Partnership Award: San Jose Fire Department, represented by Captain Bien Doan
• New Volunteer Award: Kathy Marohl of San Jose
• The Youth Services Award: Shannon Ding of San Jose
• Regional Volunteer Leadership Award: Peggy Pinarbasi of Morgan Hill
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 2017 calendar year.
Photos from the dinner can be found on the Silicon Valley Chapter's Flickr site at: flic.kr/s/aHskBLyuHW.
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.
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About American Red Cross of the Silicon Valley:
With offices 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.