Welcome to the Lowell Red Cross Club: the largest club here at Lowell! We are a chapter of the American Red Cross, which is a humanitarian organization that offers services in over 150 countries. Our initiative is to work to prevent and alleviate human suffering. As a member of the club, you will have the opportunity to become CPR & First Aid certified, learn life saving skills, help host blood drives and donate blood, gain leadership opportunities and extend your work outside of Lowell, attend fun events and win prizes, and gain volunteer hours! In the past two school years alone, we have been able to fundraise a total of $7,200 for disasters and humanitarian crises, including Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Dorian, the Australian wildfires, and children in Yemen. In response to COVID-19, we have also been able to donate hundreds of masks and cards to homeless shelters and healthcare workers. If you want to make a change in your community and are looking for an opportunity to do so, we are the perfect club for you!
Overview
The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. The Lowell Red Cross Club aims to help to build each and every one of our members' current and future successes by establishing a passion for volunteer work, a network for the sharing of knowledge, and an environment for building leadership skills and developing everlasting friendships.
What We Do
Red Cross. An international humanitarian organization well known to assist those in need. Lowell Red Cross. A volunteer organization and more, geared specifically towards high school students just like you and me. It's a given that we volunteer around the community, inclusive of marathons, festivals, food banks, and more. However, there is so much beyond volunteering. Behind the volunteer work lies a passion to make a positive change in the very community we live in and save lives. On top of helping out our community whenever possible, we also host our own events in support of the American Red Cross's seven fundamental principles - humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. Here at Lowell Red Cross, we host our own events such as blood drives, CPR and First Aid trainings, fundraisers, and gift wrapping.
We often host fundraisers to help those who have suffered and survived natural disasters worldwide. In the 2017-2018 school year, LRC helped to raise around $1500.00 for Hurricane Harvey through donations collected from Lowell students in a registry competition. In the 2019-2020 school year, LRC helped to raise around $2500 for Hurricane Dorian victims and over $2700 for the Australian Wildfires victims through selling at school-wide events like Back to School Night and Co-Curricular, registry coin drive competitions, and bake sales! We even hosted a virtual fundraiser during quarantine, where we raised over $500 for Yemen!! Our 220 members helped make over 300 cards thanking veterans and blood donors. Officers are constantly researching and striving to find as many events as possible to accommodate our members. In fact, we took part in at least 50 volunteer events during the school year! Some other events we hold include Christmas gift wrapping, handing out carnations to veterans at local hospitals, bi-annual blood drives, and the Measles and Rubella Campaign (where we raise money to vaccinate children in Africa). Still not convinced? At the end of the school year, we host a final bonding event to celebrate all your hard work! Previous bonding events include a "beach clean-up" (officers bought In N Out burgers and much more food, and basically had a party on the beach!) and a picnic at Golden Gate Park (officers provided Costco pizza and snacks, and we played kickball, had a scavenger hunt for gift cards, and threw water balloons!!).
While it may seem more difficult to host events virtually, us officers, the YEB, and the American Red Cross have worked tirelessly to provide many opportunities for volunteers to earn hours at home! Our club has held and will continue to hold club meetings over Zoom, where we inform our members about virtual events such as Be Red Cross Ready online presentations, West Bay virtual liaison meetings, Pathway Cards, Cutout Clara, COVID-19 Discussion Groups, movie screenings, Missing Maps, virtual fundraisers, simulations, professional development workshops, and e-cards for blood donors, to name a few! LRC officers even started an initiative to provide support to San Francisco’s essential workers and patients amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We asked club members and members of the community to make DIY face masks, which we provided materials for, and support cards for healthcare workers and coronavirus patients!! We were able to donate almost 500 masks and cards to the SF General Hospital, HealthRIGHT360 medical clinic, and the Red Cross! We are endlessly grateful to all who participated in our initiative and are so proud of everyone who joined in our effort to slow the spread.
So come join Lowell Red Cross if you want to make a positive difference around the world, regardless of how big or small. Join if you're interested in the medical field, want to gain leadership opportunities, become CPR and First Aid certified, learn more about the Red Cross, get your volunteer hours, or just find a place to connect with others who may have similar interests! We'll support you through all your endeavors throughout high school and connect you to larger organizations who will help you get where you want to go.
We often host fundraisers to help those who have suffered and survived natural disasters worldwide. In the 2017-2018 school year, LRC helped to raise around $1500.00 for Hurricane Harvey through donations collected from Lowell students in a registry competition. In the 2019-2020 school year, LRC helped to raise around $2500 for Hurricane Dorian victims and over $2700 for the Australian Wildfires victims through selling at school-wide events like Back to School Night and Co-Curricular, registry coin drive competitions, and bake sales! We even hosted a virtual fundraiser during quarantine, where we raised over $500 for Yemen!! Our 220 members helped make over 300 cards thanking veterans and blood donors. Officers are constantly researching and striving to find as many events as possible to accommodate our members. In fact, we took part in at least 50 volunteer events during the school year! Some other events we hold include Christmas gift wrapping, handing out carnations to veterans at local hospitals, bi-annual blood drives, and the Measles and Rubella Campaign (where we raise money to vaccinate children in Africa). Still not convinced? At the end of the school year, we host a final bonding event to celebrate all your hard work! Previous bonding events include a "beach clean-up" (officers bought In N Out burgers and much more food, and basically had a party on the beach!) and a picnic at Golden Gate Park (officers provided Costco pizza and snacks, and we played kickball, had a scavenger hunt for gift cards, and threw water balloons!!).
While it may seem more difficult to host events virtually, us officers, the YEB, and the American Red Cross have worked tirelessly to provide many opportunities for volunteers to earn hours at home! Our club has held and will continue to hold club meetings over Zoom, where we inform our members about virtual events such as Be Red Cross Ready online presentations, West Bay virtual liaison meetings, Pathway Cards, Cutout Clara, COVID-19 Discussion Groups, movie screenings, Missing Maps, virtual fundraisers, simulations, professional development workshops, and e-cards for blood donors, to name a few! LRC officers even started an initiative to provide support to San Francisco’s essential workers and patients amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We asked club members and members of the community to make DIY face masks, which we provided materials for, and support cards for healthcare workers and coronavirus patients!! We were able to donate almost 500 masks and cards to the SF General Hospital, HealthRIGHT360 medical clinic, and the Red Cross! We are endlessly grateful to all who participated in our initiative and are so proud of everyone who joined in our effort to slow the spread.
So come join Lowell Red Cross if you want to make a positive difference around the world, regardless of how big or small. Join if you're interested in the medical field, want to gain leadership opportunities, become CPR and First Aid certified, learn more about the Red Cross, get your volunteer hours, or just find a place to connect with others who may have similar interests! We'll support you through all your endeavors throughout high school and connect you to larger organizations who will help you get where you want to go.
Sign up for our emailing list! Or proceed to learn even more about our club, receive contact info, and see some pictures to help you make your decision.
We send out emails to let you guys know when the next meeting is, recaps after every meeting, links to sign up for volunteer events, and reminders of what to bring for specific volunteer events. If you wish to opt out at any time, you may email us and we will take you off. Thank you for your interest in our club, hope to see you soon!
Communication
Our main form of communication is through emailing. We send out emails to let you guys know about upcoming meeting dates and what information we’ll go over, recaps of each meeting, how to sign up for volunteer events, and reminders of what to bring for specific volunteer events. If you wish to opt out at any time, you may email us and we will take you off our list. We also utilize social media (club instagram: @lowellredcross and Facebook Group: Lowell Red Cross) to advertise events and publicize important information. Email or DM us if you have any questions and feel free to contact specific officers if needed or if you feel more comfortable doing so. Thank you for your interest in our club, hope to see you soon!
Officers
President: Desmond Wong
Vice President: Melissa Gutierrez
Secretaries: Kylie Wong/Karissa Yan
Treasurer: Ashley Luu
Public Relations: Gina Wong
Historian: Michayla Gee
Vice President: Melissa Gutierrez
Secretaries: Kylie Wong/Karissa Yan
Treasurer: Ashley Luu
Public Relations: Gina Wong
Historian: Michayla Gee
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you even do?
How much commitment/dedication do I have to put in?
As much as you want! These are your personal volunteer hours, although twenty-five hours is what we require to become an official "member". Plus, these hours are logged into the American Red Cross volunteer system, Volunteer Connection! You can get national awards, feel good about yourself, and get those hours for college apps!
How do you track how many events we go to?
In the beginning of the year, you will be given a timesheet where you will write down all the events you go to. The officer in charge of that event will sign off in the corresponding section. Many of our members keep their timesheets in their wallet so they don't forget it. At the end of the year (or semester) we will collect it and input it into our database. You may also log these hours online into Volunteer Connection, the official Red Cross volunteer page.
What is offered?
Leadership positions
We officers will graduate in less than one or two years, so every year multiple positions will be available for you to step into. In order to provide better services for current and future members of the Red Cross club, you will face many challenges to uphold the club’s mission. You will be able to overcome many of these challenges and not be successful for some of them. Either, however, will benefit your leadership skills greatly. If successful, you will help uphold the mission of the Red Cross and lead this club throughout the school year. If you are not successful on your first try, no worries, you will gain the opportunity to self-reflect and figure out how to handle these challenges better. There is also the West Bay Youth Executive Board (YEB), which we have often directed our members to, many of which have successfully become officers. YEB is a direct link between the American Red Cross and the West Bay Area Chapter's Red Cross clubs. The YEB also offers several committees for high school volunteers to join, such as the Blood Services Committee, the Disaster Cycle Services Committee, and the International Humanitarian Law Campaign Team. In the summer, the American Red Cross hosts a Leadership Development Conference (a fun and interactive camp for high schoolers) in which you can participate in or volunteer as staff to develop and improve many leadership skills, meet volunteers from all over the area, and learn more about the Red Cross.
There are many more opportunities for you to exercise leadership within the vast Red Cross organization. During the summer, American Red Cross Bay Area operates the Leadership Development Conference and various summer internship positions such as Youth Event Lead Intern and Youth Volunteer Screening Team Member; during the year, there may be opportunities to intern under a Red Cross executive, join the youth Disaster Action Team, and become a professional First Aid/CPR instructor for the general public. There are even more opportunities available once you become an officer. Some opportunities include being a part of the Youth Executive Board, and although rare but has been achieved recently, being a part of the National Youth Council. Of course, the Red Cross will continue to have opportunities for you throughout the decades of your post-graduation life.
Guidance toward College/Career
Feel free to contact us officers (through email, text, Instagram, in person, et cetera) whenever you have a question regarding the steps toward a successful high school career, one that gears you toward both your future college and professional career! All seven of us officers come from different backgrounds and have been in high school for a few years now, and we are happy to share our perspectives and experiences with all of you. If the officer you contacted cannot answer your question for whatever reason, we will immediately redirect you to the officer who can best answer your question (anything we discuss will remain strictly confidential).
Strong leadership skills arise from being willing to seek resources and assistance. Powerful leadership qualities are important assets for both your college and career goals. Being involved with the Lowell Red Cross club helps you speak up and reflect on how you can grow more.
Volunteering/Fundraising Opportunities
Throughout the school year, we partner with several local organizations, such as the San Francisco Food Bank, which uphold missions similar to that of Red Cross – to prevent and alleviate human suffering. Through these events, you can elevate your passion for assistance to your community, meet new friends and bond with old friends, and gain new perspectives.
During the school year, we hold campaigns to continue to prevent and alleviate human suffering. These campaigns include the Measles Initiative that raises awareness and fundraise for the measles vaccine, and the semiannual Blood Drives that encourage donations and oversee the actual donation process. Even though the Lowell Red Cross club is a small chapter in this world, we make a lasting difference on both local and international levels.
Free First Aid/CPR/Preparedness Courses
Several times during the school year, we officers will provide many opportunities for you to become CPR and First Aid certified (certificate and all) along with many more Red Cross organized events like Homefire and Wildfire Disaster Preparedness and Raid Cross. If there are enough people, we may even bring these lessons straight to Lowell!
- School-wide blood drives
- Volunteer events (food bank, marathons, etc.)
- Thank you cards to blood donors & veterans
- Biweekly meetings w/ kahoot, icebreakers, food and prizes
- Gift Wrapping events
- CPR certification lessons
- Disaster Preparedness
- International and local Red Cross events (carnations for veterans, measles & rubella, etc)
- Club Bonding Events + Raffles!
- Many more fun events!
How much commitment/dedication do I have to put in?
As much as you want! These are your personal volunteer hours, although twenty-five hours is what we require to become an official "member". Plus, these hours are logged into the American Red Cross volunteer system, Volunteer Connection! You can get national awards, feel good about yourself, and get those hours for college apps!
How do you track how many events we go to?
In the beginning of the year, you will be given a timesheet where you will write down all the events you go to. The officer in charge of that event will sign off in the corresponding section. Many of our members keep their timesheets in their wallet so they don't forget it. At the end of the year (or semester) we will collect it and input it into our database. You may also log these hours online into Volunteer Connection, the official Red Cross volunteer page.
What is offered?
Leadership positions
We officers will graduate in less than one or two years, so every year multiple positions will be available for you to step into. In order to provide better services for current and future members of the Red Cross club, you will face many challenges to uphold the club’s mission. You will be able to overcome many of these challenges and not be successful for some of them. Either, however, will benefit your leadership skills greatly. If successful, you will help uphold the mission of the Red Cross and lead this club throughout the school year. If you are not successful on your first try, no worries, you will gain the opportunity to self-reflect and figure out how to handle these challenges better. There is also the West Bay Youth Executive Board (YEB), which we have often directed our members to, many of which have successfully become officers. YEB is a direct link between the American Red Cross and the West Bay Area Chapter's Red Cross clubs. The YEB also offers several committees for high school volunteers to join, such as the Blood Services Committee, the Disaster Cycle Services Committee, and the International Humanitarian Law Campaign Team. In the summer, the American Red Cross hosts a Leadership Development Conference (a fun and interactive camp for high schoolers) in which you can participate in or volunteer as staff to develop and improve many leadership skills, meet volunteers from all over the area, and learn more about the Red Cross.
There are many more opportunities for you to exercise leadership within the vast Red Cross organization. During the summer, American Red Cross Bay Area operates the Leadership Development Conference and various summer internship positions such as Youth Event Lead Intern and Youth Volunteer Screening Team Member; during the year, there may be opportunities to intern under a Red Cross executive, join the youth Disaster Action Team, and become a professional First Aid/CPR instructor for the general public. There are even more opportunities available once you become an officer. Some opportunities include being a part of the Youth Executive Board, and although rare but has been achieved recently, being a part of the National Youth Council. Of course, the Red Cross will continue to have opportunities for you throughout the decades of your post-graduation life.
Guidance toward College/Career
Feel free to contact us officers (through email, text, Instagram, in person, et cetera) whenever you have a question regarding the steps toward a successful high school career, one that gears you toward both your future college and professional career! All seven of us officers come from different backgrounds and have been in high school for a few years now, and we are happy to share our perspectives and experiences with all of you. If the officer you contacted cannot answer your question for whatever reason, we will immediately redirect you to the officer who can best answer your question (anything we discuss will remain strictly confidential).
Strong leadership skills arise from being willing to seek resources and assistance. Powerful leadership qualities are important assets for both your college and career goals. Being involved with the Lowell Red Cross club helps you speak up and reflect on how you can grow more.
Volunteering/Fundraising Opportunities
Throughout the school year, we partner with several local organizations, such as the San Francisco Food Bank, which uphold missions similar to that of Red Cross – to prevent and alleviate human suffering. Through these events, you can elevate your passion for assistance to your community, meet new friends and bond with old friends, and gain new perspectives.
During the school year, we hold campaigns to continue to prevent and alleviate human suffering. These campaigns include the Measles Initiative that raises awareness and fundraise for the measles vaccine, and the semiannual Blood Drives that encourage donations and oversee the actual donation process. Even though the Lowell Red Cross club is a small chapter in this world, we make a lasting difference on both local and international levels.
Free First Aid/CPR/Preparedness Courses
Several times during the school year, we officers will provide many opportunities for you to become CPR and First Aid certified (certificate and all) along with many more Red Cross organized events like Homefire and Wildfire Disaster Preparedness and Raid Cross. If there are enough people, we may even bring these lessons straight to Lowell!
Additional Info
We hope to provide every resource possible to assist you toward college and future success, and vow to constantly acquire more resources and feedbacks to enhance our performance as leaders in this club.
We very much advocate for you to explore beyond Red Cross. We can provide you with many opportunities, but there is still a limit. If one day you tell us that there is a higher quality opportunity for you to participate in, and it requires you to step away from Red Cross, we will be as happy as you are toward your decision.
To learn more about the Red Cross Organization’s Vision and Fundamental Principles, please visit this website: <http://www.redcross.org/about-us/mission>.
If you have any questions or would like to subscribe to our email list, please do not hesitate to email us at [email protected] or dm us on Instagram at @lowellredcross. Thank you for your interest!
We very much advocate for you to explore beyond Red Cross. We can provide you with many opportunities, but there is still a limit. If one day you tell us that there is a higher quality opportunity for you to participate in, and it requires you to step away from Red Cross, we will be as happy as you are toward your decision.
To learn more about the Red Cross Organization’s Vision and Fundamental Principles, please visit this website: <http://www.redcross.org/about-us/mission>.
If you have any questions or would like to subscribe to our email list, please do not hesitate to email us at [email protected] or dm us on Instagram at @lowellredcross. Thank you for your interest!
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