Volunteers Recognized for Selfless Service in the South Plains

Volunteering is tough. I don’t necessarily feel selfish when I say that; Like many people who have to balance work, school, family and friends, the thought of giving what little of my time that is left away seems like a terrifying idea. Being as neurotic as I am, I’ve actually counted out the hours in my weekly routine and, not surprisingly, it’s hard to squeeze even a minute of something into my crazy life. Of course, I can say all this as someone who’s volunteered before. This isn’t my first rodeo - I’ve given my time to volunteer for academic clubs, charities, even as a date once. But, after meeting with the recipients of this year’s American Red Cross Volunteer Awards Ceremonies, I have this lingering suspicion in the back of my mind that I should re-evaluate what it really means to be a good Samaritan.

Of course, others volunteer for reasons much less selfish than my own; the recipients of this year’s many awards are proof of that. In total, these men and women have dedicated thousands of hours of hard work to the Red Cross with a simple end in mind - making the South Plains a safer community. It’s a calling that seems to span age, ethnicity and social status. Volunteers include retirees Gerald and Ethel Chambers, who have for years worked on the Disaster Action Team in Plainview, responding to catastrophes even at the dead of night, or Victor Martinez, who juggles presiding of the Texas Tech Red Cross Club, being a full time student, and preparing for medical school.

Volunteers and Staff, including Erin Imhoff, far right

For these volunteers, it seems like the spirit of giving is in their blood. One such volunteer is Erin Imhoff.  I had a chance to speak with Erin, recipient of both the Presidential Lifetime Service Award and the Disaster Preparedness & Response Volunteer Award. Just as fun trivia, how did she earn a award recognized by the President of the United States? Since 2007, Erin has donated over 4,000 (yes, thousand) hours to the American Red Cross. We chatted for a few minutes about the food, her awards, and then we went into the hard question. I had to know, why volunteer at the American Red Cross? I'm not sure what about her answer threw me off at first; the nobility of it or how simple it was. For Erin, volunteer at the Red Cross “because you can be someone’s hero.” In context, this week alone, four apartments in Lubbock burned, leaving eight people on the brink of homelessness; in Louisiana, communities are slowly recovering from one of the worst natural disasters in our nation’s history; world-wide, families are battling measles, a disease shockingly simple to prevent with the right vaccinations. For all of these tragedies, the Red Cross and it’s almost all-volunteer workforce have been there, giving a hero to those who need it most. Erin is one of those heroes, and to meet someone who sacrifices selflessly was a humbling experience.

Listening to these stories, of the impact that one person can have on so many lives, it’s hard not to feel motivated to do something good. Honestly, I don’t think I have what it takes to tack 4,000 hours of volunteer work under my belt, but maybe finding that hour or two won’t be so difficult next time I'm asked. Perhaps there’s a strange part of me that wants to be someone’s hero, too.

A special thanks to Rudy’s BBQ for catering the event. The food was on point.

Red Cross Staff, including North Texas CEO Keith Rhodes

2016 Volunteer Awards Recipients:

Presidential Lifetime Service Award - Erin Imhoff

Silver Presidential Achievement Award - Peter Farr

Bronze Achievement Award - Brittany Walker

Certificate of Dedication - Gerry Grant

Certificate for Outstanding Service – Stan & Betty Foster

Certificate of Appreciation - Weston Ward

Certificate of Appreciation – Miles Hardaway

Certificate of Appreciation – Ellen Wilson

Rookie of the Year Award - Peter Farr

Mentorship Award - Gerald & Ethel Chambers

Woodrow Wilson Youth Award for Exemplary Youth Leadership and Service - Victor Martinez

Administrative Support Volunteer Award- Jade Ngoc

Clara Barton Award for Meritorious Volunteer Leadership -  Dwain Cox

Community Spirit Award - Richard Alires

The Erwin Thal Philanthropic Award – Cynthia Jumper, M.D.

Disaster Preparedness & Response Volunteer Award - Erin Imhoff

Chapter Volunteer of the Year Award - Clarke Cochran

Chapter Exceptional Employee of the Year Award - John Cummins

Employee Rookie of the Year Award –  Jennifer Trengove

Employee of the Year – Judy Pevytoe

Steven Lara

Volunteer - American Red Cross

Transforming Ideas into Giving: A Conversation with Jennifer Trengove, Major Gifts Officer

I’ve always believed that a person’s office is a reflection of its occupant’s values, a glimpse into their world from an outsider’s perspective. Walking into Jennifer Trengove’s office, you wouldn’t get the

Jennifer Trengove, Major Gifts Officer

feel that you’ve walked into a typical Major Gift Officer’s work area; there’s no extravagant grandeur, no heavy set mahogany furniture and fake corner plants collecting dust. There’s also no pictures of Jennifer with high-powered people casually shaking hands or cutting a ribbon with dangerously over-sized scissors; the room is, for the most part, simple, perhaps the only vestige of splendor being a picture of a Red Cross nurse draped in the American flag that hanging on the wall unassumingly behind her desk. For other development officers, this may be too simple, but I think it fits well with Jennifer and, for an agency like the Red Cross that assists families after they have lost everything to disaster, less is definitely more.  

Jennifer is one of a handful of paid staff in the South Plains Red Cross office, a rarity in an organization that is overwhelmingly a volunteer workforce. As the Major Gifts Officer, Jennifer is tasked with soliciting and developing large donations and is an Ambassador to the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce. It’s not an especially easy job given that she covers thirty-five counties in the panhandle region. A day in her heels translates to long hours and driving. Tons of driving. Speaking with Jennifer, though, I feel that she wouldn’t have it any other way. Previously, the Scottsdalian-turned-Lubbockite worked in sales, an experience much like her current work. In fact, it's what led her to the Red Cross. “I was working for an advertising company and one of my co workers went to work for the Red Cross.’ I remember thinking, ‘The Red Cross? How do you go from advertising sales to the Red Cross?’” Fate answered Jennifer's question soon after. “In the meantime, a lady I know bought a table at the Volunteer Symposium that was hosted by the Volunteer Center of Lubbock… the center sent me a survey beforehand about our values. They made these lanyards with three organizations here in Lubbock and three causes that matched our interests. One of mine was disaster relief. I thought, how can I volunteer and go to work full time and raise my daughter, and this position popped up! It was a sign, the best of all worlds.”

Motivating people to give is never easy, though. Jennifer battles misconceptions among donors that seem to share a common theme. One is a common belief that the American Red Cross is a federal agency and doesn’t need donations. Jennifer explains: “We hold a government charter. All that means is that the government has written a specific law that makes us responsible for certain duties; service to the armed forces and disaster relief. We’re a nonprofit, we’re not part of the government.” It's not the only problem that people bring up. “Another issue is transparency; how much is what a person is giving actually going to the mission? The Red Cross, our latest statistics, show that 90% of donations go directly to the mission. That’s ninety cents for every dollar, which is amazing.”

For Jennifer, these problems detract from the positives of donating to the Red Cross. That includes huge steps on the national level. “Our new CEO, when she came into the job a few years ago, we were $600 million in debt, with a $200 million operating deficit. Today we’re debt free, we’re in budget. I think it speaks a lot about or mission and that we care about being good stewards of the donor’s money and being cognizant of how we spend money.” Most of all, she credits the weight of the mission for why people give, a spark that donor feel when they understand where their money is going to a trustworthy cause. “People are empathetic to suffering, to families whose home burns down to the ground or not having a place to live because of a tornado. They hear about our work after the earthquakes in Nepal or Haiti. They feel that connection to our mission.”

That’s Jennifer Trengove: dog aficionado, mom, Major Gifts Officer for the American Red Cross. While that seems like a full plate, it doesn’t look like Jennifer’s slowing down anytime soon; “I love working here – it’s great. It’s not just about the numbers; it’s about the people.”

Interested in giving to the Red Cross? Good idea, so take the next step. Contact Jennifer at Jennifer.trengove@redcross.org.

Steven Lara

Volunteer - American Red Cross