FORT SILL, OK- After a nearly ten year absence, this summer marks the return of the American Red Cross youth volunteer program at Reynolds Army Health Clinic. The American Red Cross VolunTEEN Program is a six week summer program that allows military affiliated teens the opportunity to gain professional development skills while giving back to the military community by volunteering over the summer at Military Treatment Facilities.
“Previously known as the Red Cross Summer Youth Program, we have not had the opportunity to have our teen volunteers at Reynolds since 2016,” said Sandy Evans the Regional Program Manager for the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces division. “Through the combined efforts of Fort Sill Public Affairs, Reynolds Public Affairs, Lawton Public Schools, and Red Cross Volunteer outreach we were able to get the word out throughout the Lawton/Fort Sill community and we had 39 teens apply to the program from which we were able to select 19 based on the number of sections within Reynolds that were able to help with the program,” continued Evans.
“The support Reynolds Army Health Clinic has provided for the program has been wonderful,” Evans said, “we have 15 departments within the Clinic participating in the VolunTEEN program which allowed us to accept as many as we could.”
“I am very pleased that we were able to support the American Red Cross VolunTEEN program again,” said Reynolds Army Health Clinic Commander Col. Jason Ferguson. “I wanted to make sure that we were able to support as many teens as possible and I’m proud of how many of our clinics and sections stepped up to support the program.”
VolunTEEN candidates filled out the online application answering basic questions about their interests after high school and what they would like to get out of the program. The applicants also had to provide two letters of recommendation as well as submit a one minute video introducing themselves and answering two interview questions about how the military community has shaped who they are today and why they were interested in the program. “The only eligibility requirements are that they are between the ages of 14-17 for the duration of the program and that they are part of the military-connected community. This can include a parent or guardian in the Armed Services, a close relative that is a Veteran, or even a parent that is a Department of the Army civilian employee,” said Evans.
The 19 VolunTEENs will spend six weeks rotating through various areas of the Clinic that cover the full scope of operations at Reynolds, to include Pediatrics, the Pharmacy and Lab, Specialty Clinics and Physical Therapy, as well as non-clinical support services like Environmental Services and Human Resources.
One VolunTEEN started off her first week going above and beyond volunteering her time. Rinoa Fraley, a senior at Lawton High School and the daughter of Sgt. Maj. Joshua Klovstad with the 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade, has just arrived for her first day of the program at Reynolds with her mom Gina. As they were walking through the parking lot Rinoa noticed a construction worker in his vehicle that appeared to be in distress. Taking a few moments to assess the situation Rinoa said to her mother “I think something is really wrong,” and immediately ran inside to the clinic security desk and had the security guard on duty call 911. She then went back outside with a Reynolds staff member that was a former combat medic who helped stabilize the individual until paramedics arrived. “With out a doubt, Rinoa’s quick thinking and actions help to prevent what could have been a very serious medical situation for this individual,” said Col. Ferguson a few days later where he presented Rinoa a commander’s coin during a brief ceremony in front of a group of the VolunTEENS.
“I am very proud of Rinoa and all our VolunTEENs, and I am so grateful to get to work with such incredible volunteers every day,” said Evans, “Several of the teens have already expressed interest in continuing to volunteer with the Red Cross at Reynolds after the program ends. The Red Cross is always in need of volunteers, and we have a wide range of services with so many ways for someone to volunteer and give back our military community.”
For more information about volunteering with the American Red Cross please call 580-581-9950 or email sandy.evans@redcross.org
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