By: Paige Randall, Northwest Region Volunteer

There’s no better place to make valentines for veterans than on a U.S. military base, which is why Red Cross volunteers recently gathered on Joint Base Lewis-McChord to socialize and serve. With festive tablecloths, red and pink treats, and lots and lots of paper, stickers, and markers, volunteers and their families showed their appreciation for the armed forces.

While this was a great way to show a little love to veterans, the real purpose of the Feb. 8 event was to give Red Cross volunteers the opportunity to come together and connect in person in western Washington.

More events and opportunities for connection are coming for volunteers thanks to Emily Woodford and her team. Woodford is the Mobile Regional Program Manager for the Northwest Region of the American Red Cross Services to the Armed Forces (SAF) department, which means she oversees casework and various programs for military families and is in charge of volunteer engagement.

While deployed overseas with the Red Cross last year, Woodford and others were inspired to find new ways to get SAF volunteers more connected with one another.

“We really want to do more in person, and we really want people to see each other,” Woodford said.

She noted that people who work in outreach don’t always talk to caseworkers or people at Madigan Army Medical Center, which is on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, “so this is a way for us to slowly bring people together, and they can see and talk to each other.”

Out of this desire for more community came the idea to have monthly volunteer activities, and soon a plan was put together for the recent Valentine’s Day event. Woodford said it was the first of many events to come for volunteers to get together and serve veterans in a fun way.

These future events aren’t just for SAF volunteers, Woodford noted. She welcomes anyone and everyone to come get together.

“If you are talking to someone, invite them,” she said.

That includes children, family members, military personnel, and other volunteers across the region. In fact, spreading this campaign throughout the Red Cross Northwest Region is Woodford’s next goal.

“I would love to expand it and have it everywhere. Every location, every month, we have something for the volunteers,” she said.

One of the reasons behind Woodford’s passion for connectivity comes from her own experiences starting as a Red Cross volunteer during the COVID-19 pandemic. With everyone working remotely, it was hard to get to know each other. Now that in-person events are possible again, she wants to make sure that current volunteers are able to have a positive experience.

“My fellow volunteers are what kept me here,” Woodford said.

Without volunteers, the Red Cross couldn’t do much, she noted, which is why engagement events like this are also a way to show appreciation for volunteers.

For Woodford and her team, a successful event is one where people show up. The team isn’t trying to meet any metrics or get a specific amount people with these events. Even if only one person comes, the event is still an accomplishment, she said.

“In my perfect world, every volunteer is engaged every month,” Woodford said. “And this is how we start.”

If you would like to attend one of the upcoming volunteer engagement activities, you can contact Woodford at emily.woodford@redcross.org.

As for the valentines made at the early February event, they will be dropped off for folks at the American Lake Veterans Center in Tacoma to spread the spirit of love this season. Hopefully, everyone who came out to participate felt a little a bit of that love as well.