by Mari Radtke
The Red Cross Pacesetter award recognizes volunteers for their strong commitment and dedication to their volunteer responsibilities. The “Pacesetter Award” is an honor given to a volunteer who demonstrates exceptional leadership and dedication to the organization, often recognized for consistently exceeding expectations and setting a high standard for other volunteers within their local chapter or area of service; essential, they are considered a “pacesetter” for their outstanding contributions to the Red Cross mission. Recipients are recognized because they are exceptional volunteers who go above and beyond their Red Cross responsibilities and contribute significantly to their community; Use their ability to motivate others, spearhead initiatives and achieve results or a local chapter recognizes outstanding volunteers within their community.
Norene Bunt of Marcus was among 68 individuals honored by the Nebraska-Iowa American Red Cross Region on Monday November 4. She was one of Pacesetter Awards recipients.
Bunt says, “It was no big deal.” Her humility underestimates the hours of learning and work she has given to the Red Cross mission.
While she says she wasn’t quite sure why she was given the recognition, she did think it may have had to do with the many hours she has given to becoming a more skilled Red Cross volunteer. Most the training she has acquired was online. She too many short online training sessions called GAPs, or Group/Activity/Position. She also acquired training in DAT – Disaster Action Team.
DAT trained volunteers respond to local fires or other disasters. Bunt has responded to 7 or 8 area fires in the past year. While there, she identifies the needs of the victims, and provides appropriate assistance. For example, if residents of a home fire needs shelter, clothing, personal care items, medicine, glasses or other life supporting goods, she can provide the client with a client assistance card. This allows those people to get immediate relief for immediate needs. “It’s very rewarding,” Bunt says.

Other GAPs she has taken training in the last year are to be a Shelter assistant/Mass Care assistant and a feeding assistant. She is now Red Cross certified to go to the scene of a large scale disaster where dozens, hundreds or more need shelter, food and other care. A hurricane is an example. Norene went on to take her Mass Care interest and is now qualified as a Supervisor at a Mass Care event.
She drives an ERV, an Emergency Response Vehicle and she is also certified to provide through windows from an ERV to disaster victims. In 2003 she went to the floods in California and worked as a feed worker. More recently, in North Carolina she did the same work, drove and ERV and feed hungry Hurricane Helene victims.
“I can’t say enough about Red Cross. They do such important work,” she said. She added, “It’s so rewarding. The people are so grateful. You can see it on their faces; some even say so.” Norene recounted her recent experience of a lady in North Caroline who was in line for food and crying and clearly devastated. The woman spoke a little about how she had lost so many family members. Describing the setting, Bunt said, “Its damaged like a tornado only buried in mud.”
Norene also serves as the president of Marcus Food Pantry. She earned a doctorate and spent her career in education. she has written a book on illiteracy published by Learning Tree.
Red Cross Volunteers can choose from a wide variety of volunteer activity where disaster strikes. Shelter volunteers assist with persons displaced from their homes from natural disaster; health care professional volunteers provide hands-on care and education to those affected by disasters; a blood mobile ambassador works with donors from greeting through the recovery process; transportation specialists deliver donor blood products to hospitals; disaster action team members provide emotional, financial and information to families in the midst of disaster and a blood collection support person supports blood collection in a community.