Monique Gooch, American Red Cross of South Central Kentucky, Bowling Green

Monique Gooch enjoys giving back to others, especially as an American Red Cross intern.

I just really love to volunteer and give back. I know this sounds pretty clichéd, but it's the truth. I'm in my final year of college, and I really want to work in the non-profit world after I graduate. So when I got the chance to intern at my local Red Cross chapter in Bowling Green, Kentucky, I thought it was a perfect way to gain experience in the non-profit world.

At the Bowling Green chapter, I worked on a fundraising public art project called "Vettetastic." I contacted local businesses and asked them to participate and donate money towards the project; then, those participating businesses would select artists to revamp old Corvettes to create a car that best represented their company or the local community. The people were so nice and easy to get along with.

At the time, I was an executive officer in my school's (Western Kentucky University) Public Relations Student Society of America chapter (now I’m president), so I got the chance to help design the "Vettetastic" brochure as well. I had such a wonderful time interning at Red Cross that I told my PRSSA chapter we should intern for them again.

If I can make a positive impact on someone else's life, then I feel like I'm doing my part because there is no greater joy than feeling like you've changed or helped someone's life. When I was worked on the Red Cross "Vettetastic" project, I often got the chance to help others as they walked through the door seeking assistance. Giving back has always been a part of my character, but working at the Red Cross chapter has made me even more passionate about it.

 Read more "Why I Help" stories
 Read about the 2008 American Red Cross ad campaign, "Change a Life"