The American Red Cross Northern California Blood Services Region
presented five Gilroy women with the President’s Volunteer Service
Award, a national honor offered in recognition of volunteer
service.
The American Red Cross Northern California Blood Services Region presented five Gilroy women with the President’s Volunteer Service Award, a national honor offered in recognition of volunteer service.
Carol Jean Brittain (551 volunteer hours), Shirley Cotta (534), Patricia Birchmier (512) and Judy Filice (507) were presented with a gold level PVSA for logging more than 500 hours of volunteer service with the Red Cross Thursday. Esther Carlow (152 hours) received a silver level PVSA.
All five women volunteer at mobile blood drives in Gilroy, working at registration, where they greet blood donors and help them sign in, or in the canteen area, where they serve juice and snacks to help restore the fluids and nutrients lost during the donation process. The volunteers also provide educational information and help donors schedule their next appointment.
“Volunteering with the Red Cross is such a worthy cause,” Cotta said. “I would like to do more. The Red Cross means so much to so many people.”
