BY RACHEL DOVE
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
WARFIELD — Countless hours of dedication to assisting when disasters occur has garnered a Warfield man the prestigious Red Cross Volunteer of the Year award.
Jamie Taylor has almost seven years to his credit as a volunteer for the Red Cross Eastern Kentucky Chapter. He has been deployed on nearly 70 disasters throughout the United States.
“It’s truly an honor and a privilege to perform this service,” Taylor said. “There’s no feeling quite like the one I get after I help someone in need. I know this is what I am supposed to be doing. It’s a huge part of who and what I am, and I hope to be able to continue this journey with the Red Cross for many years to come. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for bestowing this award on me. It means more than words can say.”
Taylor has supervised shelters during wildfire responses in California and the middle Tennessee floods, worked as part of the feeding team during the Western Kentucky tornado response, and distributed emergency supplies while responding to the Oklahoma tornadoes. During the summer flooding in Eastern Kentucky, Jamie cut his vacation short to return to Kentucky to help with sheltering his community. After that, he raised his hand to help people in Florida by distributing emergency supplies after Hurricane Ian.
Taylor also single-handedly developed and grew the Eastern Kentucky Chapter Logistics team, working through training and in-person responses to become the Chapter Logistics Lead. He volunteers to showcase Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle at local festivals and parades and supports additional volunteer recruitment efforts. He also regularly volunteers at all the local blood drives and recruits for the Disaster Action Team while volunteering.
Taylor first became a volunteer after offering to travel with Red Cross members who were here locally to provide assistance after a flooding event but were unfamiliar with the area. Taylor acted as their guide. After seeing the essential role in recovery the Red Cross provides, he knew it was something he wanted to be a part of.
“It’s a little hard to explain at times, especially when you’re talking to someone unfamiliar with what we do and why it’s so important,” said Taylor. “You are seeing people at their lowest. You witness firsthand the devastation around them, see the look of helplessness on their faces and watch the tears flow. That’s when they need you the most. They need a kind word as much as they need assurance that help has arrived and that we are going to do everything within our power to alleviate some of their concerns.”
This year alone, Taylor has completed six deployments that kept him away from home for weeks at a time.
“I work with a fine team of volunteers,” said Taylor. “None of us can do this alone.”
If you would like information about becoming a Red Cross volunteer, contact Taylor at 606-939-2085.
