Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.
During freshman year, Hurricane Sandy hit my hometown, leaving people homeless without food and shelter. Seeing collapsed buildings and people sleeping on sidewalks stirred me to help. I decided to join the Red Cross community, actively leading my school’s Red Cross Club and the Red Cross Somerville Chapter.
In Red Cross Club, I raised cash and collected winter clothing for people affected by the storm. Over time, I gained more responsibility as publicist during sophomore year and VP of membership during junior year. In those roles, I grew the community by attracting similar-minded people.
As current VP of first-aid and fundraising, I oversee our members run and partake in events such as bake sales and CPR classes. I run successful volunteer events by ensuring all fundraising volunteers knew their roles, and ensuring the safety of participants, such as donors at a blood drive. My passion for volunteering increased as each event improved: fundraisers made more money, blood drives collected more blood units, and more people signed up for CPR classes. The increasing results meant that I was making a difference.
I sought further Red Cross involvement, joining the Somerville Chapter, where I planned and conducted CPR courses, wrote holiday cards for overseas soldiers, and made care packages for veterans. CPR courses taught me the importance of knowing lifesaving skills, and I was also able to give back to current soldiers and veterans.
As a Red Cross leader, I have grown as a caring individual and honed my leadership skills. As a University of Michigan student, I hope to continue my work through Run For the Red 5K and Red Cross Club.