By Denise Nordell, Volunteer
Modesto office coordinator Kayla Jones was raised to be thrifty and resourceful, and to fix it yourself whenever possible. So, when vandals recently broke into one of the ERVs (Emergency Response Vehicle) in the Red Cross parking lot, Kayla rolled up her sleeves and got to work.
The would-be thieves had broken one of the ERV’s wing windows. After searching for the replacement parts online and at the local pick-n-pull, Kayla contacted an auto repair shop and asked for the name of their parts dealer. After some more “smiling and dialing” she was able to order the part and received it the next day.
As Kayla, a Modesto native who has been with the Red Cross since March 2016 says, “I care immensely about saving the Red Cross money by avoiding large repair bills that are unplanned.” So instead of transporting the ERV to the shop for repair, “I just went on Youtube and went through the steps of replacing the window.” It took about an hour from start to finish, but everything went smoothly, the window was fixed, and Kayla had the satisfaction of a job well done.
Kayla comes from two generations of successful construction workers and company owners, so she was taught to never throw anything out if you think you can fix it. “And definitely, never waste of penny – if you can help it!” she says with feeling.
Unfortunately, not a week later, another break-in occurred on the same window. But as Kayla knows, practice makes perfect. “I went through the same steps, but this time it only took my about 30 minutes!”
In appreciation for Kayla’s efforts, the Modesto volunteer staff presented her with her own Red Cross tool kit so she’ll be ready for the next fix-it challenge that comes her way.
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