Helping Behind The Scenes

Jonah Thompson

Volunteering in the field isn't the only way to get involved with Team Rubicon. Read about how David is able to make a difference from his home.

If you can’t deploy with TR to a disaster site, you can still make a difference from home.
Take me for example. In Vietnam 1969, I was exposed to Agent Orange which later in life caused neurological problems. So I seek out less strenuous roles and making donor calls is a perfect fit.
 
I had the great pleasure of being able to call a bunch of people who donated to Team Rubicon in support of the Hurricane Harvey recovery effort. My mission was to say thank “you for being in partnership with us.” I quickly learned that everyone has a different reason for donating. Everyone I talked to oozed with pride over how Texans jumped in and did what they could for their neighbors. “We are Texans and we take care of our own.”

Some responses to my calls were humorous:  “my boss promised me a bottle of whiskey if I donated $100. I plan to collect this Friday night!” Others were practical: “My garage is flooded. Don’t hurry though, because I want to let everything get wrecked so I can get new stuff!” Many were emotional: “My dad was in Vietnam. This is for him.” And the rest were all a bit surprised at hearing from TR. “I’ve donated many times to different organizations, and this is the first time someone has reach out to me with a personal call. Thanks for what y’all are doing. You can count on me for future support.”
Not all of us can be on the front line with a rake in our hands, but we can ensure TR’s future success with something as simple as a phone call to a donor.
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