The Red Cross is an organization that relies on the dedication of committed and caring volunteers. In their 20+ years of service, Tom Hamson and Henry van Delden have proven to be emblematic of these traits time and time again.
As recipients of our highest honour – the Order of the Red Cross – both men have made an impact in each and every community they have served. As Tom and Henry wind down from their active volunteer roles with the Canadian Red Cross, we thank them for their contributions and look back on the ways they have strengthened our teams.
Tom Hamson (right)
Tom has dedicated 22 years of volunteer service to the Canadian Red Cross. Throughout this time, he has held many different roles, but one constant is the guidance and support Tom has offered with his senior leadership. He has given hundreds of hours every year to support the Emergency Management program in all phases of a disaster, from preparation to mitigation, response and recovery.
Tom embodies the work and principles of the Canadian Red Cross and is a guiding force of our provincial team. The number of hours he has dedicated to a disaster response is only matched by the number of hours he has spent mentoring other volunteers and staff. Without his guidance and commitment over the years, we would not have the strong team that we see today.
Henry van Delden (left)
Henry began volunteering with the Red Cross during Manitoba’s major flood of 1997. In the 25 years since, he has played a variety of roles. Most recently, serving as an Emergency Response Team Site Manager, and Emergency Management Senior Facilitator and a Support to Evacuation and Repatriation Team responder. Henry led the development and continued improvement of provincial plans and systems and played a key role in creating training procedures, deployment kits and a field team manual that guides our work during a response.
When not responding to emergencies and disasters, Henry also provides mentorship and training to new staff and volunteers in Manitoba. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience and has been frequently deployed throughout Canada and the United States (with the American Red Cross) to ensure that all systems and processes are functioning at a high level while in a response.
Volunteers are the fabric of the Canadian Red Cross. With Tom and Henry winding down their active roles, they are leaving big shoes to fill. If you If you are interested in making an impact, consider volunteering with the Red Cross today.