Between Heart and Hand

The Jefferson County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management recently hosted it's annual Volunteer Luncheon. The Eastern Panhandle Chapter of the American Red Cross was the big winner this year accepting the Award for Volunteer Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.

In presenting The Chapter with the award for Volunteer Partner of the Year, John Sherwood, Steering Committee Chairman, presented the following statement addressing the criteria used in making their decision concering this very prestigious award:

COMMUNITY NEEDS

In August of 2007 there was a crisis with the American Red Cross in the Eastern panhandle. The Berkeley County Chapter, serving the counties of Berkeley, Hampshire, Grant, Hardy and Pendleton forfeited their Red Cross Charter and closed their doors. That meant that there would be no blood collections, no emergency communication assistance with our loved ones in the armed forces, no CPR, first aid or water safety classes. Probably most important was the loss of Red Cross disaster assistance to the citizens of those counties. The Jefferson - Morgan Chapter of the American Red Cross had recently seen the value in merging their chapters and was prepared to step forward. Through the efforts of their Volunteer Board, many other volunteers and staff were able to establish the Eastern Panhandle Chapter. This new chapter provides a full range of services to more than 220,000 West Virginians, in seven counties, within a 3,128 square mile region. 2008 was their first full calendar year of operation. The original Jefferson County Chapter was established in 1917.

ACHIEVEMENT

The achievement of this chapter can best be summarized by the fact that they have been designated as a “Highly Performing Chapter”. Theirs is the only chapter in West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware or the greater DC Metropolitan area to earn this highest designation. There is only one chapter in Virginia so recognized. The designation is based on virtually every aspect of their operation including the quality of their services, fiscal responsibility, governance, diversity of volunteers and overall improvement of operations, clearly a monumental accomplishment for a chapter that had just absorbed a bankrupt region.

ONGOING INVOLVEMENT

In order to further enhance the emergency preparedness for disasters the chapter has also partnered with the offices of Homeland Security and Emergency Services in the counties they serve. They also work regularly with the United Way, local government agencies, and other not-for-profits to help those in need both locally, around the country and sometimes around the world. As demonstrated by their response to the bankruptcy, the chapter works diligently to see that these necessary services are provided.

IMPACT

The chapter collected over 9,000 pints of blood during 286 blood drives. They conducted 637 health and safety classes through which 6,000 people of all ages learned life saving skills. During 2008, the chapter repeatedly provided emergency communication between families and their loved ones in our armed forces. They also provided transportation 1029 times for veterans.

Locally the chapter responded to 59 local disasters. Additionally local volunteers responded to help victims of California wildfires, gulf coast hurricanes and other national disasters. The chapter shows up where they are needed, when they are needed. They help prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies and the unexpected. These volunteers are truly the life blood of the community!

INNOVATION

The volunteers and staff of the chapter faced a daunting task of forming a new chapter in very challenging times. Their success has been recognized by the American Red Cross, this nomination provides our state the opportunity to join in the recognition of this Highly Performing Chapter!

Accepting on behalf of the Eastern Panhandle Chapter from
left to right: Larry Strother, Debbi Palmer, Jeff Levesque, Jill
Randlett, Steve Rubel, and Mickey Johnson; presenting the
award John Sherwood and Terri Mehling.

This year's Volunteer of the Year was selected because of the selfless way he gives of his time and leadership to our Chapter. The letter our former Executive Director, Bill Lingenfelter, wrote on Jeff's behalf nominating for this award is re-printed below. We hope you will all join us in thanking Jeff for his service and in congratulating him on receiving this well-deserved reward!

Jeff Levesque between presenters John Sherwood and
Barbara Miller.

Tuesday evening, February 17, 2009, at 7 pm, one hundred and eight residents of Heartland Nursing home in Martinsburg were displaced by an electrical fire in the basement of the facility. The American Red Cross’s Eastern Panhandle Chapter established and managed a shelter at North Middle School for 95 special needs residents, all of whom were provided food, cots, blankets and a safe place to stay through the night until each could be placed in a more permanent facility. Our candidate, Jeff Levesque, as a volunteer chair of the Red Cross’s Disaster Action Team led the way, as he usually does.

In addition to managing the operation and providing on site support to patients, their families and the nursing home staff, Jeff as he was trained to do, provided mental health support to those who were scared from the displacement.

Jeff is truly “one in a million,” blessed with special talents, abilities, education and experiences which he willingly shares with others. He may not live in your neighborhood, or share your views, but he can save your life. He knows CPT and First Aid and he teaches health, safety and disaster-related programs and courses. And he freely gives his blood, money and precious time – and he does it 24/7, holidays and weekends.

The Eastern Panhandle Chapter of the American Red Cross is nominating Jeffery D. Levesque for the JCHSEM’s volunteer of the year!

For those whom may not know Jeff, he has resided in Jefferson County for several years and has made it a part of his life to help people in need throughout the counties of the eastern panhandle and, on occasion, across the country (where he helped victims of the 2008 California wildfires recover).

Jeff is a semi-retired health and mental hygiene worker, but spends much of his time working with local community related organizations, which is where most of us came to know him. Currently, he serves as a member of our board of directors, chairs our Disaster Action Team, and serves as a chapter instructor and mental health services worker, a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, and is a volunteer member of the Community Emergency Response Team (disaster mental health instructor), Eastern Panhandle Medical Reserve Corp. and Give An Hour where he provides pro bono counseling for veterans and their families.

The nature of Jeff’s skills as a mental health workers restrict him from sharing his individual successes with the public, but as chairman of the Disaster Action Team in Jefferson Country, he organized this group to ensure that every day throughout the year one of his group is available to assist and resident who experiences a single family fire or other emergency. His dedication in working with his peers to share the “Red Cross Way” in mental health is also great reassurance to the community now and in the future! In all, due to Jeff’s efforts, literally hundreds of victims of emergencies received assistance needed to recover from the unexpected, including food, shelter, clothing, medicine, along with mental health assistance whenever needed. People of all ages, races, cultures and social backgrounds have benefited throughout the counties of the greater eastern panhandle from Jeff’s volunteerism.

Everyone knows that if Jeff says he will do something you can consider it done! His accomplishments and dependability with Red Cross and other community groups make him a most deserving nominee and a very worthy recipient. We’re proud to have Jeff as a member and leader of our team.