On April 21, 2012, youth from all over the Los Angeles region gathered at the American Red Cross Arcadia Chapter to participate in the annual Global Youth Service Day event.
In this annual campaign, youth volunteers from all over the world mobilize to serve their communities. Here at the Arcadia center, youth from various areas of Los Angeles gathered to attend various Red Cross mission-related workshops and participate in a direct service project related to one of the five lines of service.
The five lines of service include health and safety, which involved giving basic aid training to young Cub Scouts, disaster preparedness, which included a disaster services overview and simulation, service to the armed forces, which was mainly writing letters and making greeting cards for services members, international services, which involved organizing a Measles Initiative information and trivia table at the Santa Anita Mall, and finally Blood Services, which was holding a blood drive at the Santa Anita Mall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Youth volunteers kept busy as they enthusiastically participated in this packed day of service.
“This was a great experience, because I got to meet other volunteers from all over Greater Los Angeles, and also participate in a direct service project which I have never done before,” said Faith Cearns, a sophomore at Arcadia High School.
Many volunteers were eager to help out with whatever they could, despite the fact that it was such a long, exhausting six-hour day. With their matching Red Cross shirts, and huge smiles on their faces, the volunteers worked with each other and the adult coordinators to educate the community about disaster preparedness, thank the armed forces for all their work, collect blood from willing donors, simulate a virtual disaster, and train little children about what to do when they get a cut, burn, or other minor injury.
“I am so proud to see that so many volunteers drove all the way out here from wherever they all live to join together on this special day,” said West Valley Regional Coordinator David Tuckman.
As the number of youth volunteers continues to grow in the United States, more of them will hopefully learn about this opportunity to gather in a single area to participate in a special day of service.
