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With determination and dedication, disaster volunteer Mary Roche is committed to ensuring that the Red Cross is in the present and future of Dodge County.

She is a member of the local Disaster Action Team, ready to respond to help families affected by fires or other disasters throughout the county. As a Disaster Services Instructor, she introduces residents to the Red Cross with the hopes that they will become volunteers.

Beyond her volunteer hours, Mary is also making sure the Red Cross is in the community through her latest endeavor, as a Clever Container consultant.

“Part of having this business is to give back to charitable causes,” she says. “So far I have given $350 back to various causes.”

Her party line is simple: host a Clever Container party at your house, and I will donate $50 to the charity of your choice. Giving back and enjoying yourself is a natural choice, and no one knows that better than Mary.

Mary’s involvement with the Red Cross started in the 1970s, when she volunteered to be part of a fundraising campaign in her town. At the time, campaign workers went door to door, collecting funds in an envelope.

“The best part of the campaign was when a goose grabbed the envelope from one my volunteers,” she laughs. “She had to get it back.”

From there, Mary was asked to join the Red Cross Board of Directors and eventually became Chairwoman. Once her term was over, she took a break from volunteering until she saw the devastation of Hurricane Katrina on the news.

“I thought ‘I like volunteering for the Red Cross. I want to go back,’” she says.

Her call to the Red Cross led her to Florida in 2005, as part of the Red Cross relief effort to help those affected by Hurricane Wilma, and to Illinois to help with flood efforts in 2008. Though willing to help wherever needed, Mary’s heart is always at home in Dodge County.

“We need everyone’s support---both through volunteering and financially,” she says. “The Red Cross is so vital to our community.”

The American Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin relies on donations of time and money so they can provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies in Dodge, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth and Waukesha counties. To donate your time, please visit our Volunteer page. Financial donations can be made online through our secure contribution site.You can also support the Red Cross online by becoming a fan on our facebook page and following us on Twitter.