Tag: writing

See the Need, Meet the Need

The Inspiring Story of June (Ahlfs) Qualy

Growing up, I was always very close to my grandmother, June (Ahlfs) Qualy. She taught me to read by the age of three embroider by the age of seven and the importance of helping those who need the most help by 12, at which time she encouraged me to take my first Red Cross class in babysitting. While most pre-teens spent their time at the mall or playing with makeup, I was busy learning the basics of survival skills and how to properly tie a makeshift sling in case of a broken arm. By 16 I was in Red Cross lifeguarding classes and became First Aid and CPR certified via a college class at 21. June was always a beacon of light in my life, modelling what a responsible, compassionate person in our society looks like.

  • Young Sarah Qualy with her grandmother June Qualy.
    Sarah Qualy (left) sharing a moment with her grandmother June, Summer 1991.

It wasn’t until I joined the American Red Cross in 2022 that I started learning more about June’s time serving with the Red Cross in World War II. She had just graduated from St. Catherine University in 1945, where she was an active member of the League of Women Voters, and then entered the nursing service of the Red Cross. June was deployed to Hiroshima and Tokyo, Japan, where she witnessed firsthand the devastating aftermath of the war. Her experiences there shaped her perspective on human suffering and the power of compassion to heal.

Red Cosser June (Ahlfs) Qualy, 1946.

June served with the Red Cross until she decided to marry and start a family in 1949. However, her commitment to helping others didn’t end there. She went on to have a wonderfully impactful career at Saint Mary’s in Minneapolis as a chemical dependency counselor at their inpatient rehabilitation facility. June was known to be the toughest counselor on staff, often assigned the patients who were least likely to recover. Her approach was firm but compassionate, believing in the potential for change in even the most challenging cases.

“June always said, ‘see the need, meet the need’ and that keeps me going every day.” – Sarah Qualy, June’s granddaughter

Image of cover of book, "Saint Mary Blue" by Barry H. Longyear

June’s dedication and unique methods led to an alarming success rate despite the odds. Her work was so influential that former patient Barry B. Longyear wrote a book about her in the 1980s called “Saint Mary Blue.” This book not only chronicled June’s methods but also highlighted the lasting impact she had on countless lives.


When I think about June, I think about the tenacity of what it means to be a woman in times of crisis. Much like our Red Cross matriarch, Clara Barton, June embodied the spirit of humanitarianism that requires not only compassion and philanthropy but also courage and defiance. In this spirit, I’m reminded of my favorite Clara Barton quote: “I have an almost complete disregard of precedent, and faith in the possibility of something better. It irritates me to be told how things have always been done. I defy the tyranny of precedent. I go for anything new that might improve the past.”

While my Grandma June is no longer with us, having passed away at almost 90 in 2013, I know that I carry her light within. There’s a fire inside me that I learned from her, to step up for our community in times of tribulation. To not fear the emotions of disaster, but to use them to alchemize into action. June always said, “see the need, meet the need” and that keeps me going every day. Her legacy lives on through the countless lives she touched and through those of us who continue to serve in the spirit of the Red Cross.

By Sarah Qualy, proud Red Crosser, following in her grandmother’s footsteps

As we celebrate March as both Red Cross Month and Women’s History Month, honor June’s legacy by joining the American Red Cross in our mission to alleviate human suffering—whether it’s through volunteering, donating blood, or making a financial contribution, your support can make a difference in your community and beyond. Visit RedCross.org/MNDAKS to get involved.

My Blood Donation Story – The Power of Red

By Mary Patterson, Minnesota and Dakotas Region digital communications volunteer

When I first started high school, a banner in our cafeteria for the school’s fall blood drive caught my eye. I wasn’t old enough to donate, and I wasn’t yet part of the student groups organizing it. By my junior year, all that changed.

In the fall of 2021, I joined the Student Council and become a member of the National Honor Society. My math teacher, Ms. Arnold, was the advisor for both of these groups. On the agenda of the first student council meeting was the topic of the fall blood drive. Ms. Arnold shared her personal story about donating blood in memory of her father, who had been a lifelong blood donor after receiving a blood transfusion following a motorcycle accident.

I had volunteered in various ways before but never felt a spark or drive to a specific cause. However, I was eager to complete my service hours, and the blood drive sounded like a great way to get started.

Mary Patterson gives a thumbs up during a successful blood donation – December, 2024. (Photo submitted.)

Having turned 16 in 2020, I had to ask my parents’ permission to donate at the drive. Minnesota is one of 37 states to allow 16-year-old blood donors! With their blessing, I registered to donate and signed up to volunteer at the drive.

I woke up nervous the day of the drive. I had made sure to sleep well the night before and eat a good meal before heading to school. But what if the needle hurt a lot? What if I fainted? In the end, I felt completely well after my donation. We wrapped up the day with 71 donors and 217 lives saved!

“Besides the ‘good feels’ of being a teacher, this is one of the things I am most proud of – teaching the next generation to help people around them, even those they don’t know, is so important,” said Ms. Arnold. “Donating blood is something almost everyone can do so I encourage all my eligible students to do it. I know some students volunteer just so they can get out of class, but hopefully a habit is starting to form.”

I was eligible to donate again at the Spring 2022 blood drive, no longer requiring parental permission at age 17. This time, however, I ended up on a mat on the gym floor, dizzy and pale. A few weeks later, a letter from the Red Cross arrived in the mail explaining that I had an iron deficiency and was now ineligible to donate for one year. While this did explain the drastic difference in my donations, I was incredibly disappointed, as I had just been eligible to donate a few short months before. Not only that, what if this deficiency lasted so long I couldn’t donate again? Despite this, I knew how it had felt to give my time as well as my blood, so I was determined to remain involved in the school drives, taking volunteer shifts during my lunch hour at the sign-up table and helping donors at the drives feel at ease both during and after donating.

From my first two donations, I learned three valuable things: I had a health condition, but it was treatable, and, most importantly, I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t tried to donate blood. I was committed to donating again: I adjusted my diet to include higher iron intake, got cleared by my physician, and fulfilled the one year waiting period, I signed up to donate again, and was successful! I was so relieved to know I was healthy enough to donate again, as I went into this donation attempt even more nervous than my first. Since regaining eligibility, I donate close to every 56 days as possible.

Miss Dakota County volunteers at the University of Minnesota Red Cross Club blood drive, lending her support to this important cause. (Photo submitted.)

In my first year of college, I got involved with the University of Minnesota Red Cross Club as a blood donor. In my second year, I got more involved by volunteering at four on campus drives in the fall semester. Then, in October 2024, at age 19, I ran for a local title to the Miss Minnesota Scholarship Program, through the Miss America Opportunity. As a contestant, I needed to create a Community Service Initiative to focus on during my candidacy and potential year of service. For me, it was a no-brainer: my passion for blood donation had only grown since I started. After seeing the critical need for blood in our nation, having learned from the representatives that spoke to my school and from Ms. Arnold, I was finally feeling that spark towards a cause. To run for Miss Dakota County, I created The Power of Red: Blood Donation and Blood Health Awareness.

The Power of Red aims to enhance donor accessibility as well as create awareness about the critical need for blood. This is accomplished through my social media campaign that features weekly blood drive locations, fun facts about donation and blood health, and provides resources to help individuals schedule and prepare for donation appointments. This platform shows the benefits to both the donor and recipient: the urgent need for blood is combined with the knowledge that donors receive about their health. My personal experience showed me that blood donation has benefits beyond saving others: it just may help you save yourself.

Miss Dakota County, Mary Patterson, shares exciting news on Instagram: she’s now a Red Cross digital volunteer! Mary is using her platform to raise awareness and educate her followers about the critical need for blood donations.

Today, at age 20, I am honored to share that I won the title of Miss Dakota County 2025 this past October. I’ve started 2025 by becoming an official American Red Cross volunteer. I am eager to take The Power of Red to the Miss Minnesota stage this summer and show this great state the impact we can make by rolling up a sleeve to give the gift of life! I will be continuing my work by keeping my social media campaign up to date, continuing my volunteering with the U of M Red Cross Club in addition to regular donation, and finally, hosting my first blood drive in early June.

I recently asked Ms. Arnold what she would say after seeing me go from a first-time blood donor to an advocate volunteering with the Red Cross, and raising awareness for this cause on a state level as a Miss Minnesota candidate. She replied, “Thank you! Any way to bring attention to this lifesaving opportunity is a great one!”

Blood donation appointments can be scheduled by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).