Community Corner

Making Your Life Count: One Volunteer's Experience

April is National Volunteer Month. Here's one of our stories; share your own.

Editor's note: This story was originally published in June 2011. It's National Volunteer Month and we're looking for folks to feature. Got a great volunteer for us to spotlight this month? Email LisaB@Patch.com.

From Katrina relief to Japan tsunami fundraisers to blood drives whenever a shortage is reported, Ada Angarano has never hesitated to answer the call when others are in need.

But she was still surprised when she received a call earlier this spring informing her that she had been chosen as a Red Cross Community Hero.

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"I thought it was a joke," Angarano said. "I'm saying 'who is this person'."

The Red Cross honored Angarano with the community impact award on June 23 for her work helping neighbors both nearby and around the world. She was selected as one of ten people who have helped their community with life-saving heroics, bravery or dedication to charity.

Find out what's happening in Harrisonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Those who have met Angarano will tell you why she fits right in with this kind of group. Angarano has organized countless blood drives over the years and has used her connections in town to put together fundraisers to support relief efforts following several major disasters over the last five years.

Her reward for this work was a breakfast with the other award recipients at the Rye Town Hilton. It was an event well-attended by politicians, friends and notable members of communities all over Westchester County.

"It was just a beautiful thing to see that there are so many people that want to help others and help communities," said Angarano. 

Angarano has worked with the Red Cross since 2005, when she helped with fundraising for relief efforts in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Since then she has continued to help out in other areas, organizing everything from blood drives to a tag sale raising money for families affected by this year's tsunami in Japan.

Before that she was instrumental in local fundraisers dating back to the '90s.

"I will help whoever needs it," Angarano said. "I just can't see why not, why can't you share goodness and happiness around—why can't you spread love? To me it's a beautiful thing."

As president and CEO of the Harrison Chamber of Commerce, Angarano works with a variety of local businesses, many of whom she says have never hesitated to help a good cause. At every blood drive local businesses donate food and other help is often provided by whichever business has the tools to lend a hand.

Very often fundraisers organized by Angarano will bring several different parts of the community together for a common goal.

"The people who help me are also local heroes," Angarano said. "I've got certain ones that will come, I'll send an e-mail and they are there the next day."

Angarano has already scheduled another blood drive this fall. She takes pride in how many members of the community have become regulars at these blood drives and is quick to point out that Harrison, where she was born and raised, is the type of community where people are always willing to help.

It is also a town lucky to have someone who gives so much of her time bringing all of that good will together.

"I try to do the best I can," Angarano said. "You come around once in this world and you've got to do your best." 


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