Around the office, we’ve been busy spreading the word about Buy A Blanket to our friends, families and total strangers. We’ll talk about it with anyone and everyone and we’re not above trying to tempt you with ice cream if you sign up for a volunteer shift.

In any case, I wanted to share an e-mail I received from a co-workers that I think captures the “why” of the campaign. Here you go:

“Today I sent out the Buy A Blanket e-mail to my personal address book of friends, family and colleagues. My godmother wrote back right away that my note was ‘timely’ and she was signing up right away for the Seattle area. She followed up with this note…

‘The reason reading your invitation was so timely is that yesterday I was talking to a sweet young lady about a benefit event that she had to change my beauty appointment to be able to attend. One thing led to another and I learned that her boyfriend of five years had lost five family members in an apartment fire in June. A mom, just 31 years old, lost three children and a sister and brother. They lost everything. I dove for my checkbook, but have been perplexed for the last 15 hours about how it was not enough…puts things in perspective. The job you are doing [with the Red Cross] is magnificent.'”

This story captures what Buy A Blanket is all about — a chance for Oregonians (and Washingtonians and Idahoans and Alaskans) to help out their friends and neighbors that experience a disaster by supporting the Red Cross.

Helping out with Buy A Blanket means that — even if you’re not up at 2 a.m. responding to a fire like many of our volunteers — you’re still making a big difference and allowing us to fulfill our work of rebuilding lives.

Please consider signing up for a two-hour shift. Help us help others by volunteering today.