By Kathy Hartman, American Red Cross Volunteer
Some people dedicate their lives to helping others, and for Milly Baquero, it’s second nature. She proactively seeks opportunities to give people a hand, and her latest gig is volunteering for the Red Cross.
Milly is training to be on the Northwest WA Disaster Action Team (DAT) and, considering the passion she has for helping others, her reasons for volunteering aren’t surprising. “I just want to make an impact on my environment whenever possible and relieve someone else’s suffering when and if I can,” she explains. “If I can do that and bring a smile to their face during a disaster, then the mission chose me.”
Her favorite part of volunteering with the Red Cross is helping those in need. “I do that anyway in my own personal life,” Milly says. “I’m constantly going and constantly helping others, and that makes me feel great. And if I can make a difference in somebody’s life, that’s even greater.”
She has started encouraging others to volunteer for the Red Cross, and has already gotten one person to sign up. They went to an earthquake drill in Tacoma together, where they posed as burn victims who needed to be rescued. Milly says, “This is the greatest organization ever, and you should make a difference in this world and be proud of yourself.”
She works as a broker/real estate agent and a professional caregiver, and in her free time, she participates in sports and other physical activities. And she’s always volunteering somewhere, including a stint with Habitat for Humanity in 2021.
She says the Red Cross brings hope and security to the community, and she plans to continue supporting the organization any way she can. “The level of compassion they offer is something I want to be a part of. I want to change a life — one step at a time — and this is where I think I belong.”
American Red Cross NW Region 