Volunteer Profile: Vicki Galley
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Vicki Galley conducts client needs assessments during disaster responses. |
Vicki began her Red Cross career in 2003 as a Recovery Worker deployed to Squamish, and then Pemberton, for a month and a half to conduct client needs assessments for the flood response. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Vicki worked closely with BC residents who themselves or had relatives or loved ones impacted by the disaster.
During the Asia Tsunami response, she liaised with the North Vancouver Walmart store on setting up donation cans at cashiers. She also worked as a Red Cross staff on a one-year Asia Tsunami project, providing the same assistance she had for Hurricane Katrina to community members across the province.
“During the Lebanese evacuation in July 2006, I played a slightly different volunteer role,” says Vicki. She greeted evacuees at the Vancouver International Airport and help arranged for emergency food and lodging. She also liaised with the Lebanese community in Vancouver to find them help with permanent residence.
In 2008, Vicki returned to assisting with client needs assessments for the Chilliwack Floods. Her latest deployment to the Medicine Hat Floods in July 2010 involved client needs assessments both at the recovery centre and through outreach of evaluating damages on-site.
Although every disaster is different, and so the challenge has always been tailoring the preparation and response to suit the needs of the residents, Vicki loves and enjoys the work.
“It feels great to be able to help people in need, even if it is just listening and acknowledging their problems,” Vicki explained. “The Red Cross is there to help make the transition of recovery as smooth as possible.”
When asked what Vicki’s fondest moment is in all her volunteer and staff roles, her proudest moment was during her first response in 2003 during the Pemberton Floods response when she was invited to the Christmas dinner with the elders at the Mount Currie Reserve. The community thanked the Red Cross and Vickihe was acknowledged personally. “I felt privileged to be invited and very proud to be a Red Cross volunteer.”
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