Phil Rehmer is a Red Cross volunteer who time after time has demonstrated his unwavering commitment to helping others. Phil has shown kindness and compassion when people need it the most and has deployed many times to assist those affected by devastating wildfires, hurricanes, flooding and atmospheric events as well as other humanitarian missions across the country.
Phil is a member of the Red Cross Disaster Spiritual Care team who provides support to individuals and families who have been impacted by a disaster, “The Red Cross takes care of the body, mind, and spirit. When I see someone in a shelter, smiling at me, they're ministering to me. During a tragedy, I see hope. I see love,” said Phil.
Given her passion for human health and the lifesaving mission of the Red Cross, Aparnaa set out to organize and motivate college students to be blood donors with a series of blood drives that included 17 colleges and universities representing Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Aparnaa became involved with the Red Cross during her sophomore year in high school and upon entering college, was determined to continue her volunteer work with the Red Cross. Being part of her university Red Cross Club provides her with opportunities that not only serve her community and beyond but also unite her with like-minded college students.
Danny is an extraordinary volunteer, lending his visual storytelling talents to the Illinois Red Cross Communications Department. When Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina, Danny didn’t hesitate, he immediately volunteered to join the Public Affairs team on the ground, offering help just days after the storm devastated the region.
After his deployment Danny shared, “This experience allowed me to meet incredible volunteers and gain new skills. But what impacted me most was seeing firsthand how hurricanes uproot lives and entire communities, something no photo can truly capture. Hearing people’s stories of survival and seeing their resiliency moved me deeply. I am grateful for the chance to serve and I look forward to helping again when the need arises.”
Joshua Hernandez of Joliet sprang into action when he saw a mother and child in distress which earned him the Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action award—a recognition that celebrates the bravery and selflessness of ordinary citizens who step up to save a life.
“I was driving home from work after a long day, and I noticed that a woman was yelling for help as she held on to a small child. I pulled over and instinct kicked in. After assessing that the child was choking on a piece of candy, I centered myself and got to work. The first aid skills kicked on automatically—I didn’t think about it, I knew what I needed to do in a rush,” said Joshua.
Vicky’s volunteer journey with the Red Cross began as a lifeguard then on to CPR/First Aid and lifeguard instructor, to disaster response for the past 35 years and we couldn’t be prouder to have her call the Northwest Illinois Chapter of the Red Cross home.
For more than 3 decades, Vicky has dedicated her free time to responding to home fires in her community and has deployed disasters across the country. “I’ve been so fortunate to have employers who generously donated my time which allowed me to travel and volunteer to help people affected by disasters in other parts of the country–and they did this multiple times a year!”
It’s been 60 years since Claudia Blackman first volunteered with the American Red Cross, as the then-college student first spent time as a Water Safety and Lifeguard Instructor. Over her six decades with the Red Cross, Claudia has spent time teaching Swimming and Lifeguarding Classes, First Aid and CPR Courses and a multitude of Preparedness and Disaster Response Classes.
“I think because I’ve volunteered in so many different positions, I can see how in each place, a person’s life has changed,” Claudia said. “A person’s life is helped. A person can move forward because we are there.”
Tiffany first got involved in volunteering with the American Red Cross is 2008 when her husband was preparing for his second U.S. Army deployment at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. "The Red Cross was at one of the pre-deployment briefings and told us what kind of services they offered and what to expect from deployment," Tiffany said.
"They ended with saying 'And we are always looking for more volunteers.' That spoke to me, and I decided to get involved."
Over the years, Tiffany has supported multiple Red Cross regions in many roles including Blood Donor Ambassador and assisting various Service to the Armed Forces initiatives.
David's first involvement with the American Red Cross came back in 1968 when he donated his first unit of blood after having a coworker who needed lifesaving blood. This began a lifelong commitment that has spanned 50 years, two countries and resulted in the donation of over 100 total units of blood.
"I've seen blood change lives," David said. "I think it's very important. I'm glad that I was able to donate for so many years to help those in need, but now what I'm doing as a Blood Donor Ambassador, I think is incredibly important as well." After retiring in 2018, David first signed up as a Blood Donor Ambassador, a role that he's served in for the past 8 years.
As a Blood Donor Ambassador, David frequently helps blood donors get checked into blood drives, provides snacks and water to those who have donated and serves the welcoming face to those providing the incredible gift of blood donation.
"I've always liked to help out when I can and while I can't donate anymore, this is a great way to stay involved and give back to others in my community," David said.
Joining the military well into your career isn’t common, but that’s exactly what Tyra Oliver did. As a licensed clinical social worker, Tyra spent many years working with children and families. While she loved this work, she decided to extend her reach to another population she had less experience with service members.
Tyra joined the Army Reserves in 2012 to fulfill this goal. Tyra was deployed for the first time in 2014, where she discovered the Red Cross at the military base in Kuwait. “I really believe in what the Red Cross is doing and how they educate both families and service members about the support they need,” Tyra said. “Their goal is to provide education and strategies to help both families and service members navigate whatever they’re going through.”
In 2013, when the Illinois River overflowed its banks, a barge slammed into the dam in Marseilles, Illinois, raising the water level faster than anyone could prepare for.
“When my city of Marseilles was flooded, that is when I really became involved with the Red Cross,” Kent remembers. “There were damaged homes and grief-stricken people everywhere, and I just felt that I had to help. The Red Cross showed up, and I knew that I wanted to be a part of that.
For over a century, the Red Cross has recognized the unique bond between people and dogs, especially in helping soldiers and veterans find comfort and companionship during challenging times.
Logan, a 7th-grade art teacher with over 15 years in the classroom, is proud to carry this tradition through the Illinois Red Cross with his two remarkable therapy dogs, Nova and Lucy. Logan’s journey into therapy work began about three years ago, with a chance encounter that led to a calling.
For more than 40 years, Fran Lenhart has served as a volunteer for the American Red Cross. Fran’s mother worked for the Red Cross in Morgan County, Illinois and introduced her to volunteering, while Fran was a freshman in nursing school.
“My favorite parts are helping others or teaching them things that might save their life–and the people you meet, the people you work with and the people you help.”
