MidAmerica Blood Services Praises Partnership

Amy Gardner-Nummer from the MidAmerica Blood Services Division reports that the unit is enjoying a terrific partnership with HOPE worldwide. Amy writes: “I am honored to work with Brian Bragg and HOPE worldwide here in Chicago. We in Blood Services started our relationship with them at the February Chicago Auto Show. They made an amazing impact through their support of recruitment for blood donors on the floor of the Chicago Auto Show for 10 days. We have been working on the Music Saves Lives program, again with the support of HOPE worldwide, covering 15 locations over 40 days, including the sites supported at the Sam’s Clubs in the area. This is a partnership continues to only show more and more opportunity.”

Chicago Chapter Wins Three Communication Awards

The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago (Ill.) won in three Hermes Creative Awards categories:
• A Gold award to the Disasters Don’t Take a Holiday campaign which garnered over 92,000,000 impressions and contributed to tripling on-line donations.
• A Gold award to the Through Their Eyes video project in which volunteers speak poignantly about how they help. Find these in the “ACROSS the Web” tab on the chapter Web site.
• An honorable mention for the new Spanish Web site, in the Web Site Overall category.
There were about 4,000 entries, with only 18 percent winning a Gold award. The awards recognize “outstanding work in the industry while promoting the philanthropic nature of marketing and communication professionals.”

Greene Completes Cross-Country Ride for the Red

Springville, N.Y. native Jeff Greene has successfully completed a 4,500 mile, cross-country ride in support of the American Red Cross. He raised a total of $13,616, which is being split between the Heartland Chapter (Omaha, Neb.) and the Greater Buffalo (N.Y.) Chapter. Along the way, staff from several Red Cross chapters met with Jeff, providing him with much-appreciated hospitality and support. As Jeff rode the last few miles, he was escorted by a Red Cross ERV. Hundreds of students from schools he previously attended, many dressed in red, cheered him on. Three network affiliates and several local newspapers covered his return home.

North Carolina Shelter Simulation Fosters Team Effort

The Moore County Chapter (Southern Pines, N.C.) held a shelter exercise at Southern Middle School. Thirty seven chapter volunteers were joined by the Department of Social Services, Health Department, County Emergency Management, County Animal Response Team and Amateur Radio Team for a simulated Hurricane event. The shelter was set up with registration, health and mental health services, staff services, mass care and client services. Amateur Radio staffed the shelter; the chapter and the EOC provided communication services as needed. Exercise supervisors interjected scenarios throughout the event, such as problem clients, power outages, lost relatives, pets in the shelter and diet concerns. The CART brought their CAMET (trailer with pet sheltering supplies) to the event and were able designate an area for a pet shelter. This was the first attempt at setting up a co-location shelter in Moore County and it was a huge success.

High School Students Set Record

During the 2007-2008 school year, the North Central Blood Region set a regional record. It collected red blood cells by automation (a procedure commonly called “double red cell” collection) from 980 17-18 year olds high school students. Of the 980 students, 575 were first-time donors.

Fire Prompts Dance Center to Make Red Cross Contribution

The North Central Wisconsin chapter (Stevens Point, Wisc.) received a check for more than $11,000 from the Dance Education Center. Each year the center names one local charity to benefit from ticket and flower sales during their Spring Showcase dance recital. Last fall the Dance Education Center experienced a tragic fire that completely destroyed their dance studio and as a result of that experience, the Red Cross was selected to benefit this year. Red Cross volunteers were on hand throughout the event serving as theatre ushers and selling bouquets of flowers. Tori Roguski, center owner, shared drawings for the new studio that will soon be in place at the old site, stating, “out of the ashes, we will soon have a new home.”

Recognition for Volunteer Instructor

Geraldine Coughlin, problem investigator associate at the Penn-Jersey Blood Region, writes: “I recently had the opportunity to complete the course for wilderness training. The instructor was Mike Bernard from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter (Philadelphia). I would just like to let everyone know what an outstanding job he did. He was informative, highly organized and brought a sense of humor to the to long eight-hour days. The hands-on scenarios were a good learning experience which was enriched by his insight into the different situations. Too often Red Cross volunteers go unrecognized and I wanted to thank the chapter for this great instructor.”

Hundreds of Smoke Detectors Provided Through Chapter Program

York County Chapter (York, Pa.) funding in the amount of $10,000 from the United Way of York County Special Response fund was provided to support the free smoke detector program component of the Red Cross 2008 Save Neighborhood Awareness (SNAP!) events. 2,000 smoke detectors and 1,000 10-year batteries will be available. In 2007, thanks to a Red Cross grant and partnership with Lowe’s, 1,029 smoke detectors with 10-year lithium batteries were installed, free of charge, in city homes. Currently, 20 families are on a waiting list for smoke detectors. Over 1,000 underserved families received information on disaster preparedness, obtaining renter’s insurance, putting together a disaster kit, making a family plan, crime prevention and drug awareness.

School Gives Time, Money and Blood

Lake Noxen Elementary School Principal Debbie Demming performed a tandem jump as part of her commitment to her students regarding a Red Cross fundraiser and blood drive sponsorship. The school parent-teacher organization sponsored a blood drive collecting 44 units of blood. In addition, the students raised over $550 for the Wyoming Valley Chapter (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.).

Sessions Introduce Local Media to the Red Cross

The American Red Cross of Central Florida (Orlando) held Red Cross Media Sessions for local print, broadcast and online media. The sessions were designed to give news gatherers a better understanding of the Red Cross community role before, during and after a crisis.