The President of the Red Cross Ontario Zone Council, Diane Girard, recently sent the following holiday greeting with staff and volunteers in Ontario. It’s such a great message that we wanted to share it with all Red Cross volunteers, staff and supporters. Happy Holidays everyone!
This is the season of giving and being thankful. I was thinking about this in terms of the Canadian Red Cross. Internationally, medical personnel and volunteers in our field hospital in Haiti are giving care and hope to hundreds every day while locally, Red Cross volunteers drive clients to appointments, and bring hot food to those who no longer cook. 
The commitment of both volunteers and staff is seen in all areas of Red Cross life. Fire disasters call us out at all hours of the night; the elderly rely on us to help with personal support services; first aiders and emergency response workers trained in our programs save lives.
I am continually impressed by the dedication of everyone involved in Red Cross. This past year at Ontario Zone has been challenging and yet rewarding. We are making great strides in volunteer development and our various councils—branch, regional and zone—are involved and engaged.
Thank you for your service to the Society—your commitment helps move us forward while maintaining integrity, accountability, dignity and respect.
During this holiday season take time for families and friends. Stop, relax and enjoy each other’s company. We often are so involved with our daily activities that we forget to enjoy the time.
On behalf of me, my family, the Ontario Zone Council, enjoy this time of year. Here are my gift suggestions for the season:
- To your enemy, forgiveness,
- To an opponent, tolerance,
- To a friend, your heart,
- To a customer, service,
- To all, charity,
- To every child, a good example,
- To yourself, respect.
Again, best wishes to all of you and your families, now in this season and in the coming New Year.
Diane Girard
President—Ontario Zone Council, The Canadian Red Cross.