For this week, we are going to profile a veteran Canadian Red Cross volunteer, Henry Van Delden of Winnipeg.
Henry He started with the major Manitoba flood of 1997. Since then, Henry has played a variety of roles as a Red Cross volunteer.
Currently, he wears different volunteer hats with the Red Cross, including: an emergency response site manager; a member of our team that goes into communities to support evacuations and the return to the community; and a facilitator providing Disaster Management training to other volunteers.
“I am proud to be a part of the Canadian Red Cross Disaster Management team knowing that, in whatever role or responsibility I have been assigned, I am serving my neighbour in a time of need,” Henry said. “The work has been challenging at times but also very exciting for me in problem solving how to meet the needs.”
He noted that volunteering with the Red Cross has also given him a chance to work on disasters before they happen. “During non-response times I enjoy training volunteers and preparing for the next response by reviewing field operating processes.”
Henry is retired but is still very busy. Besides spending a great deal of time helping people through the Red Cross, he also does extensive volunteer work through his church.
The Canadian Red Cross is looking for more local heroes like Henry, who want to help their fellow Manitobans in need by volunteering with our organization. For Henry, there are different positive benefits to volunteering with the Red Cross.
“Volunteering is about offering your knowledge, your skills, and especially your time in helping others. It results in personal growth and development, meeting other volunteers with very interesting backgrounds, and obviously helping our neighbours in their time of need,” he said. “I don’t think of volunteers as being heroes – they are there to help when needed.”
If you are interested in helping by joining our team of local heroes, including Henry, go to
www.redcross.ca/HeroesWantedMB, email
vrs@redcross.ca or call 204-982-7330 for more details.