John Ang came to Springfield in 1990, by way of Ohio.

�So what�s so �diverse� about that?� you might ask.

John is originally from Singapore.

His background is in missions. He�s a minister and served as a campus pastor at Ohio State University and is now a campus pastor at SMSU. He�s also a police chaplain�and has been for 12 years. He says he has a heart for people who are hurting.

�I wanted to do something for the larger community�for more than my own people (those of the same culture). I�m able to share a different perspective. It�s wonderful to learn together and serve together at the Red Cross.�

He came to the Red Cross at one of its greatest times of need � immediately following the May 2003 tornadoes that devastated so many of our neighbors.

Ang volunteers in Disaster Services as Disaster Action Team member, where he responds to local fires (when called) and is �on call� every other week. He also drives the ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) when needed�for example, when emergency workers are out for long period of time responding to brush fires, apartment fires, stand-offs, etc.

�John brings diversity to the table�and a tremendous amount of dedication� says Chris Harmon, Assistant Director of Emergency Services.

Governed by volunteers and supported by community donations, the American Red Cross is a nationwide network of local community supporters -- volunteers, blood donors, and financial donors -- organized into nearly 1,000 chapters, Blood Services regions and field units dedicated to saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Led by 1.2 million volunteers and 36,000 employees, the Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to families affected by more than 67,000 disasters, trains nearly 12 million people in lifesaving skills and exchanges more than a million emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products to more than 3,000 hospitals across the nation and also assists victims of international disasters and conflicts throughout the world.