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July 10, 2009

AmeriCorps workers aid Red Cross

By Eric Dama

Glenn Ronning leaves the local chapter of the American Red Cross dead tired after shepherding children at a camp each day.

"The rewards are seeing the kids smile. It's tough for me to give this up," said Ronning, one of two AmeriCorps workers at the Red Cross.

"At the end of the day, you go home exhausted, but you feel like you've done something."

Ronning, 42, and Josh Bridges, 28, have been working at the Red Cross through the AmeriCorps program since August of last year. They are in charge of a summer day camp this week that allows kids ranging from 5-year-olds to 10-year-olds to do fun activities while learning important health and safety information.

"We're basically teaching the children mini-versions of the programs offered by the Red Cross," Ronning said. "One day we have fire safety day, the next it's stranger safety. We teach everything from first-aid to water safety."

The AmeriCorps program functions much like a domestic Peace Corps, focusing on public education and community service at both the national and state levels.

As such, Ronning and Bridges help out with anything the Red Cross is involved with, such as providing aid to families whose homes have burned, or constructing shelters in various communities.

"The way the [AmeriCorps] program is set up, it's sort of geared for people just coming out of college, mainly because of the education stipend," Bridges said. "We really enjoy doing this. It's a lot of work, but it's fun."

This week's summer camp is actually a near-perfect combination for the pair.

Ronning's main passion lies in teaching, as he plans on using the AmeriCorps' education stipend to finish his degree in elementary education in the coming months. Bridges plans to attend graduate school next year in hopes of becoming a physician's assistant.

At this week's summer camp, both men have the opportunity to do what they enjoy most, as the two interact with the campers while teaching them how to be health and safety conscious.

"The things they do would not be done without those guys and the AmeriCorps program," said Robin Outland, executive director and CEO of the Norman chapter. "We wouldn't be able to function at the level we function without them."

For questions or more information about the AmeriCorps or the Norman Chapter of the American Red Cross, call 321-0591, or go online at www.redcrossheart.org.

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