There have been many new clubs created this year, but there is one that students may not have heard of yet: the Red Cross Club. 

This is the first year of the Red Cross Club at St. Mary’s. This club aims to promote youth leadership by providing youth with the opportunity to learn life-changing skills through volunteering. 

The Red Cross Club is inspired by the organization most well known for its blood drives, the American Red Cross. The club takes its mission from the Red Cross Youth, which is helping youth “make a difference in people’s lives, maximize [their] talents, learn new skills, improve [their] resume and meet new people.” 

Hana Barber (10) is the founder and president of the club. Barber said she discovered the Red Cross Club through social media, and she believes that it could benefit St. Mary’s.

“I saw other students across the country…[are] making a difference in their communities and are taking the initiative,” Barber said. “It is an amazing way for students to volunteer and aid others in times of emergency through service and fundraising.” 

John Nichols, Global Education Director and the Red Cross Club sponsor, shares her enthusiasm. 

“I am excited,” said Nichols, “for a club that shows our students different sorts of humanitarian issues, both locally and internationally, that we can find ways to be supportive of.”

The club also has supporters in the St. Mary’s health department. Nurse Barbara Guyton looks forward to the ways the club may be able to educate the community.

“These days, the more people that are knowledgeable about ways to help and assist others…the better,” she said.

Barber hopes to host multiple different projects in the club’s future.  

“[Red Cross Club] is not just blood donations and being blood donors and hosting blood drives,” said Barber. “There are fun activities such as reading books to kindergarteners and fifth graders about how to be prepared for emergencies.”

Nichols agrees that there may be bumps along the way, but he is confident that this club will educate our community.

“With anything that you are starting,” said Nichols, “building a culture around that club, feeling like we are making a difference, and recognizing, more broadly, that health is more diverse than we think.” 

The club’s first event will be hosted on April 21st during ALAPP at 10:15 in the Morrow Room. A Red Cross Crew will come and give a presentation, serving as an intro to what the Red Cross is as an organization and what they do.