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 After standing in a Red Cross blood donation line for more then seven hours the day after the 2001 terrorist attacks, a Collinsville couple was inspired to volunteer.
“Working with the Red Cross is really the greatest thing we’ve ever done,” Linda Culver, 62, said. “It’s so heart filling to help someone. That’s why we do it so much: the rewards we get back, the thank-you’s, the hugs, the tears. It really feels good to help.”
Last month, Linda and Giles Culver were given the Disaster Services Award by the St. Louis Chapter of the American Red Cross for making a significant impact on the lives of disaster victims.
The retired husband-and-wife team has responded to nine national disaster assignments, helping the victims of disasters in North Carolina, Kentucky, southeast Missouri and Florida.
“We really enjoy the work,” Giles Culver, 81, said. “It gives you a feeling in your heart that you are really doing something for someone that really needs help.”
During national disasters, the Culvers help man emergency response vehicles (ERVs) that are equipped to serve up to 600 meals at a time.
The couple also is active with the Disaster Action Team, help staff blood drives, give disaster preparedness presentations, assist at the Red Cross Metro East Service Center in Fairview Heights, work with local fire departments, and helped when a tornado swept through Shiloh in 2002.
“We work with the volunteer fire departments a lot and they are always so appreciative for a cup of coffee or a cookie,” Linda Culver said. “You get to know them from going to a town over and over again responding to fires.”
Neither one ever expected to be recognized for what they do so willingly.
“It’s a beautiful award they gave us,” Linda Culver said. “It really touched us when they gave it to us. We don’t do this for the awards, but it sure makes us feel good when somebody cares about us as a team.”
It’s the team aspect of the Culvers’ volunteer work that helped get them noticed.
“They are a great team,” said Stephen Hall, a spokesman with the St. Louis Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. “This award was given to them for the unique impact they have locally and nationally as a team.”
Giles’ volunteer work with the Red Cross is slowing down a little as he puts more time into volunteering with the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He is a World War II Army veteran. Linda plans to keep volunteering for as long as she can.
“I would go out on every assignment they could put me on, national or local, because I love it,” Linda said. “You meet so many people and we’ve made so many wonderful friends.”
For more information about becoming a Red Cross volunteer, call the Red Cross at 314.516.2800 or log on to the St. Louis Area Chapter’s Web site at www.redcrossstl.org.
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