by Dan Dennison/American Red Cross
A trio of Hawai‘i based veterans, bring larger meaning to the concept of duty to their country and their community. On this Veterans Day, we want to honor Rodney Boucher, Mara Eck, and Jasmine Ricks. Their military and professional backgrounds are quite diverse, but they were all led to volunteer with the Red Cross. They each embody the spirit of the Red Cross, which constantly strives to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
RODNEY BOUCHER
Navy veteran and Red Cross volunteer Rodney Boucher traces his 40-years of involvement with the Red Cross to help he received decades ago. “I was stationed in Virginia, and the Red Cross helped me get back to Illinois for a family emergency and ever since then I’ve been trying to give back.” 24 years in the Navy, took Rodney around the world, working communications, electronics, and support for the SEALS, where he accumulated 89 parachute jumps. He ultimately ended up in logistics, an area where he applies his experience and skills for the Red Cross. He reflects on two things when asked what has the Red Cross given back to him. “Number one, it has helped me with my family in emergencies in different locations throughout the United States. Two, it’s helped me help others.” Working with the Red Cross Service to Armed Forces team and as senior vice commander for the state of Hawai‘i’s Veterans of Foreign Wars, Rodney has volunteered to help veterans, often simply by spending time talking with them, at two military medical facilities. His moto is, “Consider helping others,” adding, “Veterans pay it forward. That goes for the Red Cross and everything else I do for veterans. If you’re a veteran, you can help others. If you’re in a community, you can help others. There’s a volunteer position available to anyone and everyone.”
MARA ECK
Mara Eck has turned her love for man’s best friend into a vital role as a volunteer with the Red Cross Pacific Islands Region. She currently supports service members through the Red Cross’s Animal Visitation Program. Serving in the U.S. Army for 31 years, Mara retired four years ago and quickly realized she needed to do something to fill her now ample free time. Makana, her black, standard poodle, “has long hair in the front and she’s a diva,” says Mara. She adds that she is “just beautiful and she wears very fancy collars.” Makana has about 100 collars and allows Mara to coordinate her outfits. People love to stop and stare at her. “If people have a sweet, kind, gentle dog and if they have time to volunteer and give back to the military community, consider joining the Red Cross Animal Visitation Program.” She suggests getting your pet certified as a therapy dog, thus allowing both canines and their human masters to give back with what Mara calls, “one of the most amazing programs.” Mara shares Makana’s love and affection through another program called the Human Animal Fund, designed specifically for Tripler Army Medical Center. It is an extension of the Animal Visitation Program. Since Makana became a certified therapy dog, Mara has noticed the love she and her dog receive in return. “She provides so much love, care, and comfort; all those wonderful things to people all over. She loves kids and people in hospitals, just everyone.” The opportunity to work with veterans and military installations was top of her list. She feels comfortable in military settings, and this is a way to give back. “These are my people.”
JASMINE RICKS
Volunteering for the Red Cross is special in Jasmine Rick’s mind, because she says it’s a great way to maintain connections with military members and their families. “It brings me a lot of joy,” she said. An Army veteran of 12 years, she’s been volunteering for nearly ten years, and since 2023 in the Pacific Islands Region. She first started volunteering when she was stationed in Virginia and began work with the Service to the Armed Forces team when she retired. After retiring, Jasmine discovered a new calling through her volunteer work. “I recently graduated with my master’s degree in social work, and my volunteer work with the Red Cross is what led me to decide I wanted to become a social worker.” She has had different positions within the Service to the Armed Forces team. She says her main position is as an events coordinator. Jasmine frequently helps with VA food drives and at military hospital community living centers. In addition, she’s volunteered for garden clean-ups and with U.S. Veterans for holiday parties and barbeques. “Being a military member myself and knowing all the stressors folks in the service face, knowing the Red Cross is there to support them and their families, is what I get out of volunteering.” She sees her Red Cross service as a great opportunity to serve the community, to meet people, and to build on life-long friendships. For anyone thinking about volunteering, Jasmine says there are so many positions in the Red Cross, most everyone can find a role that suits them. Her message on Veterans Day is “just a simple thank you to all veterans and everyone who’s ever served. Just a simple thank you.”
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/hawaii or follow us on social media.
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