Volunteering with the Red Cross--including for Florida hurricane relief--has become a way of life for Decorah resident Janice Halsne

Jan Halsne on Sanibel island viewing damages as result of Hurricane

Decorah resident Janice Halsne recalled a friend giving her the advice, "Everyone will call you when you retire. Take a year to see where your interests lie." Janice took that advice to heart.

After attending an American Red Cross meeting, she knew she had found a good fit. Janice assumed she'd be working locally with blood drives. Little did she know, seven years later, she would have traveled all over the country aiding people who had been through natural disasters.

When she first began volunteering with the Red Cross, Janice spent a couple years taking courses, training and learning about helping individuals, families and communities to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. When the topic of client case work came up during her training, Janice found her niche. "I enjoy the one on one time with clients. We deal with people who have lost everything. We provide support while trying to get people moved back to their home, or to another place. Trying to accomplish that when they have no money, and no insurance is the biggest obstacle we try to overcome," she shared.

Janice has been deployed seven times with the American Red Cross in the last seven years. Her travels have included Colorado after the state had massive fires, Baton Rouge after flooding, and Florida after Hurricane Irma. The longest she has been deployed was for three weeks after Hurricane Sandy hit.

Janice has great respect for her fellow volunteers. She shared, "The Red Cross volunteers are so willing, efficient, and caring. They want to be there and they are first class people. You have to be dedicated to go. The volunteers are so caring."

Volunteers spend 12-14 hour days, and those hours take their toll. After fires, the air quality is almost unbearable with the wind, smoke, and ashes. Janice also remembers the smell from receding floodwaters being strong with mold and mildew.

Having just gotten back from Florida after Hurricane Irma's devastation, Janice had to turn down a couple deployments as she needs time to recover and recuperate before her next adventure.

Clients waiting for assistance at American Red Cross at Sebring, FL

Clients lined up for assistance in Sebring, Florida