This holiday season, the Red Cross is saying 'Thanks for Giving' by highlighting our volunteers. We hope you will visit our website each day until Thanksgiving, as we share inspirational stories about our volunteers, their contributions and reasons for helping our community through the Red Cross. To support their work, make a donation today.

“I spent 20 years on the ski patrol. For 17 years, I came to the Red Cross for my CPR refresher course,” Front Desk Volunteer Ric Haise laughs. “I got to know Anne quite well.”

Ric’s annual brush with the five-foot manikin was immeasurably useful as he monitored ski hills in Wisconsin and Michigan. His memories of caring for skiers through the years, and his annual trek to the Red Cross to renew his skills, have stuck with him, and led him back to the same place where he first learned to give CPR.

With the same vigor as he put into his training, Ric has now embraced a new role at the Red Cross, as the face and voice of the organization at the Milwaukee office and supporter of the Red Cross.

“I enjoy sitting at the desk. I especially enjoy two things: the people and their volunteer group. The effort they put into their work is fabulous,” he says with a smile.

His dedication is as strong as the people he admires. Ric answers every call that comes into the Red Cross on Tuesdays and Thursdays with enthusiasm, and goes to great lengths to make sure that every inquiry from the public is answered. He ends every call with “thank you for thinking of the Red Cross.”

It’s a phrase Ric has taken to heart. Every day he is at the Red Cross, Ric is continually learning more about what the Red Cross does and is always looking for ways he can ensure that the Red Cross will always be there. Today he is a huge advocate, and has attended the Red Cross signature events, Brave Hearts and the Rubber Duck Regatta.

“I want to support the Red Cross. I think it’s a fantastic organization,” he says.

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.