TimesLeader.com

September 6

Volunteering runs through county woman’s veins

Clara Stubbs helps out where she can, but especially sees importance of blood drives.

By Shelby Fisk sfisk@scrantonedition.com
Scranton Edition Staff Writer / Photographer

For people like Clara Stubbs, helping others is an expected gesture.

Stubbs, of Madison Township, is retired and spends a lot of her time volunteering, primarily working with blood drives for the American Red Cross of Lackawanna County and distributing meals at the North Pocono Food Pantry at St. Catherine’s Church in Moscow.

She also cooks bereavement meals for families in her community and is a Red Hat Society member.

Stubbs said volunteering comes second nature to her and is simply the right thing to do for those in need.

Volunteering, she said, was something she learned from others.

“My mother always volunteered,” Stubbs said. “I grew up with my mother volunteering.”

And when her husband, Bill, was in the military, she said, “He gave gallons of blood.”

In those days, she explained it was through direct, person-to-person transfusions. Today, that method is no longer employed because of elevated health concerns. Stubbs will work at various area blood drives, wherever she can to help out.

Her primary responsibility with the Red Cross is directing people who come in, providing them food if they seem weak from the ordeal, and watching for anyone who looks like he or she may pass out.

Stubbs said those who pass out are usually “kids who didn’t eat.”

“With older groups, we hardly have anyone pass out,” she said.

But she said she likes knowing that she’s there to keep an eye on everyone. In addition to helping keep donors safe, she also strives to make them comfortable.

For example, she likes to bake homemade cookies for the Red Cross drives and also prepares meals at drives in Madison Township. Blood drives aren’t complete in Madison Township without snacks, soup, hot dogs and hamburgers, Stubbs said.

She also helps out with other blood drives in the area, getting to at least three a month.

At the beginning of each month, she receives a listing of scheduled area drives from the Red Cross. Then she reviews them, checks her schedule and plans to participate accordingly.

“I look forward to going,” she said about the blood drives. “It’s not a job; it’s more of a social day. I’m here in the house, and when my husband’s cutting grass, it gives me something to do.”

And when it comes to handing out meals at the North Pocono Food Pantry at St. Catherine’s Church, she said that she admittedly volunteers every Thursday, arriving before lunch meals are being handed out to help prepare for the rush.

“I just feel so sorry for families with children who have lost jobs. I have a soft heart,” she said.

Stubbs encourages those who can to donate blood.

“Try, it’s not hard. It’s painless,” she offered.

Usually, she said that there is a strong group of, what she termed, “regular” donors.

“It’s like a little family,” she said.

Drives held at high schools and area colleges are often successful. However, more efforts are needed to impress the importance of donating blood to people out of college and young adults, she said.

“Life gets busy with work all day, but there are later drives,” she said, noting that changes are being made to scheduling to accommodate people who work outside of the standard 9-5.

She encourages that people are the life blood of their communities and they need to get involved, all ages, she said.

“Don’t hesitate. If you even think about it, do it,” Stubbs said. “You’ll get more out of it than you ever put in.”

Clara Stubbs

Town of residence: Madison Township

Occupation: Retired for 15 years, previously worked at Schott Glass Technologies in the accounting department for eight years.

Charities, volunteer work: American Red Cross of Lackawanna County, member of the North Pocono Blood Council since 1996; volunteer, North Pocono Food Pantry at St. Catherine’s Church, Moscow, for six years; cook of bereavement meals; Red Hat Society member

Family: Husband, Bill; daughters, Lisa and Carol; son, David; grandchildren, Sara, Andrew, Julie, Nicholas, Matthew and Sam

Education: North Pocono High School graduate

Hobbies, Interests: Baking pies, knitting, crocheting, tatting and other crafts

Volunteer of the Week is a regular feature in The Times Leader Scranton Edition that recognizes individuals, businesses or other organizations for their volunteer efforts and contributions to their communities. To nominate someone to be considered for this feature, e-mail mondrako@scrantonedition.com or call 558-0113.