Story told by: Sophia Pahl, Red Cross Volunteer

For Robert Harris, service is not just an activity, but an important part of his identity.

Growing up in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Robert learned early on the importance of giving back. His father, a World War II prisoner of war, returned home with a deep sense of gratitude and duty. He became actively involved with the American Red Cross, and watching his father's commitment to helping others left a lasting impression on Robert.

Service would soon be an important part of Robert’s life as well.

Robert began donating blood in 1970 while he was a student at The Citadel. After a chaplain shared that a young girl with leukemia at MUSC urgently needed blood, several cadets decided to donate that same day. For Robert, it was an easy choice.

After donating, hospital staff asked if the cadets would like to meet the girl’s parents. Through a window, Robert caught a glimpse of her.

“She was about 11 or 12 years old,” he remembered, “but she looked like she was only 6. She was very, very, very sick.”

The image stayed with him long after he left the hospital.

From that day forward, Robert committed to donating blood regularly. From the 1970s all the way to 2023, he continued saving lives. Even when donation centers moved and required him to drive to Columbia, South Carolina, instead of Florence, he never hesitated. In recent years, after his doctor advised him to stop donating whole blood, Robert switched to donating platelets, a commitment he has maintained for the past four years.

Since 2019, Robert has also volunteered with the Eastern Chapter, playing a crucial role in managing compliance review cases that involve identification, address verification, and documentation processing. He also holds the positions of Regional Staff Manager and Community Engagement Partnership Lead.

In every position, as a donor, volunteer, and leader, Robert draws inspiration from his father.

When asked what Robert’s greatest fulfillment from being part of the American Red Cross, Robert says it is “still giving back to the community."

More than 50 years after his first donation as a cadet, Robert remains dedicated to service, not out of obligation, but from personal commitment to doing what he can with the resources he has. For him, donating blood instead of money was the beginning of a lifelong decision to helping others however he can.

This Red Cross Month, give the gift of time and join a community of volunteers who bring help and hope every day. Sign up to volunteer in your community: redcross.org/VolunteerToday