The Thaxton was a happening place Friday night as almost 200 people celebrated the launching of Club Red, the Red Cross Connection for the young and hip. Being slightly older, but arguably still hip, I had a fabulous time, and I was so excited by the interest and energy all our young visitors displayed. Huge kudos to Shelby Shire and her team for pulling this together and getting the word out about this exciting new volunteer and social networking opportunity. The desserts were to die for, the information timely, and the potential for our next generation of volunteers, boundless.

Let's keep it going!
Mary Jo

Mary Jo Blackwood is a Board Member for the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter.

It has been three weeks, nearly a month, since the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti. Since then, More than 500 Red Cross workers from around the globe (100 from the United States) have descended on the country, providing food, water, medical care and so much more.

Nearly all of the Red Cross workers are volunteers - people who put their own lives on hold for weeks at a time to help those in need. They don't get paid, the hours are incredibly long, and the conditions often difficult even in the best circumstances. Yet time and again, when there is a crisis, there is a humanitarian spirit that bonds us all to work together to help.

Volunteers at the St. Charles County Center have been offered an open mic to share the many different services and programs the American Red Cross has to offer. Mike Thomas of KWRE invites all listeners within ear’s reach to sit back, relax and hear to what we have to say. Sometimes nervous about being on the radio, Mike’s kind and relaxed approach seems to calm our Volunteer’s minds and causes them to almost forget they’re ‘on-air’!

We’re there to share our lives within this amazing organization, hoping to educate those listening about what the American Red Cross really is. We know there’s no better way to get this information out to those we live around than to send someone to share from the heart.

Therrrre baaaack!!

Did someone say they saw the St. Louis Cardinals in Haiti? Well, not quite, but it’s pretty close…

During her deployment to Haiti, American Red Cross Volunteer Winnie Romeril snapped a photo of a Haitian man receiving aid. A local radio station handed out emergency hand crank radios from the American Red Cross, and this particular gentleman was a lucky recipient. But what really caught my attention was what the gentleman was wearing…

On February 5, 2010 the St. Louis Area Chapter of the American Red Cross will launch its newest group, Club Red. Club Red is a group for young professionals to learn how they can be more involved with the mission of the Red Cross.

I have to build on what Deane has said, what a wonderful time to be a part of the American Red Cross! I too was able to visit a “crazy hat” relief drive held by school children. Their concern for a country few had even heard of before the earthquake is astounding! A local school is beginning to collect 1,000,000 pennies! That’s not a typo – one million! School children are showing they are today’s leaders, taking action to support disaster response and recovery efforts. Efforts that even adults have a hard time understanding. Community response to support the relief work following the tragic earthquake in Haiti has been great, with every part of the community getting involved. 

Almost $ 3,500… Wow! I am blown away by the generosity of the students in the St Louis area. Yesterday, I went to three schools (Mason Elementary, South Technical High School and Kennard Classical Academy) to accept checks on behalf of the American Red Cross for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. One absolutely adorable little kindergarten girl from Kennard Classical Academy pulled me aside and said, “I gave all my money in my piggy bank to help the people from the earthquake.” Some of these kids created and sold beautiful pins in the shape of a house, some paid $1 to wear baseball caps and some very creative hats. In some schools, the faculty and staff even got in on the action by paying $5 to wear jeans to school. We also received checks from the parents of these students. I wish everyone could see the look on the faces of these kids when I tell them how much the Red Cross appreciates their help and especially how much the people of Haiti will appreciate their help. I have four more schools to visit this week. I can’t wait! This has become my favorite part of working at the Red Cross.

As relief supplies continue to arrive in Haiti, although significant bottlenecks remain, The Red Cross is continually assessing the disaster relief operation. Not only is The American Red Cross assessing current needs of the Haitian community, but also long-term care.

As of today, the American Red Cross has spent or committed more than $67 million to meet the most urgent needs of earthquake survivors. During this emergency phase of the relief operation, the American Red Cross is focusing its resources on in several areas:

Today we had the opportunity to sit in on a phone call with American Red Cross volunteer Winnie Romeril. Currently, Winnie is on the ground in Haiti working alongside a team of 430 International Red Cross volunteers to provide relief to Haitian earthquake survivors.

Between the phone cutting out, wind humming in the background, and noisy diesel trucks kicking up dirt and causing her to cough, Winnie was able to briefly update us on the situation in Haiti. The noisy scene was a strong reminder that the images I have seen on TV are still very much a reality for those involved. At the same time, it was also a very encouraging reminder that the donations and support of the American public is getting to the Haitian community, one meal, hygiene kit, and medical treatment at a time. Which definitely adds up; The American Red Cross and its partners are distributing relief items – such as hygiene kits, blankets and water containers – for up to 1,000 families (6,000 people) each day.

Ten days after the Haiti earthquake, logistical bottlenecks remain, but American Red Cross volunteers on the ground say that “Haiti is coming back to life.”The pipeline to get resources into Haiti was a straw following the earthquake; it’s now a garden hose, but we are still waiting for it to become a fire hose. But even despite all of the logjams, supplies are slowly getting through.

In just the first week of the Haiti response effort, the American Red Cross has already spent or committed $34 million; 50% of which is being used on food and water, 30% on purchasing and distributing relief supplies (like blankets, soap, first aid supplies, etc), and 20% on logistics and items needed to keep the relief operation moving.
 

The American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter is about to launch a new club – Club Red! Designed to attract the next generation of supporters, donors and volunteers, Club Red officially launches on Friday, Feb. 5 – just two weeks from now! 

On Friday, Feb. 5, Club Red will celebrate its launch with a cocktail soiree themed “Flirting with Disaster.” Planned well before the Haiti earthquake, the event will bring awareness of the Red Cross to young people across St. Louis.

“Slow but determined” is the best way to describe the movement of relief supplies into Haiti and on the ground. The existing infrastructure has simply been stretched to its limit. Still, help is getting through. This is remarkable considering that the Haiti relief effort is the largest operation undertaken by the International Federation of the Red Cross in its 90 year history. Red Cross national chapters from as far away as Japan and Russia, and nearly every national Red Cross in the region surrounding Haiti have been mobilized. And bear in mind; the Red Cross is but one of many international organizations on the ground in Haiti. So, one can imagine the enormous logistical challenges.

Despite news of enormous logistical challenges and another, larger aftershock striking Port-au-Prince this morning, Red Cross aid is still making it onto the streets of Haiti. Red Cross responders from seven countries are treating injuries and performing surgery at hospitals and medical centers throughout the capital city. In addition to Port-au-Prince, Red Cross volunteers have even been able to reach survivors outside the capital city, providing first aid in camps and prioritizing the need for food, water and other basic supplies.

Today marks one week since a series of earthquakes shook Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Since then the American Red Cross has been working diligently to put aid in the hands of earthquake survivors.

Today, American Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern is on the ground in Haiti visiting relief operations and helping to coordinate the distribution of aid. Gail joins a team of more than 400 Red Cross workers from around the world in Haiti as well as thousands of local volunteers. While in Haiti, Gail is meeting with the Haitian Red Cross, local government, and USAID in addition to Red Cross leaders from around the world. (And speaking of leaders from around the world, check out this video to see President Obama’s visit to our American Red Cross Disaster Operation Center in DC yesterday).

I found this story on the American Red Cross National Blog and thought I would share.This post, "Still Open for Business," was written by Winnie Romeril, an American Red Cross volunteer in Haiti and was originally posted on redcrosschat.org January 18, 2010 by Wendy Harman. 

After a tiring day of travel from Santo Domingo, I arrived at the American Red Cross office. The structure is visibly unstable but the open air office is abuzz with activity. All salvageable furniture is on the lawn, the front gates are open, and the street is orderly. It’s friendly, full of humanity. Red Cross flags hang on the walls.

After this weekend, there is significant progress to report in terms of the American Red Cross response in Haiti. Right now, more than 400 Red Cross workers from around the world as well as several thousands of local volunteers are addressing urgent needs and mobilizing a massive operation in Haiti.

I know there have been many news reports about the "bottleneck" effect of having only one operational runway at the airport in Port-au-Prince. While those reports are true, I can tell you this weekend several Red Cross planes and trucks landed in the region, delivering a field hospital and much needed materials such as tarps, blankets, hygiene items, buckets, shelter supplies and more. Three more shipments are expected today and tomorrow in the Dominican Republic before being trucked into Haiti.

I wanted to share with you some photos we've received from our staffers in Haiti, documenting the situation on the ground following Tuesday's earthquake. The photos help to bring home the magnitude of the tragedy, and the importance of our ongoing support of Haitians in this time of crisis. 

Take a look and, if you haven't yet, consider making a contribution of any size to help fund relief efforts. The earthquake victims need all the support we can give.

Click here to view photos

It is Day 3 of the Haiti earthquake relief effort, and I have a few updates to report:

• The Red Cross now has dozens of disaster specialists in Haiti, assessing the damage, addressing urgent needs and establishing the foundation for a long-term recovery plan. Today six disaster responders arrived in Port-au-Prince, and are joined by the 15-person staff we already had on the ground, and the 12 Red Cross teams that arrived from other countries yesterday. Among them are engineers, surgeons and family linking specialists. These teams will establish field hospitals, restore water and sanitation systems, distribute supplies and restore family links facilities.

Here is an update for Thursday January 14, 2010:

American Red Cross Support
Today, The American Red Cross released an additional $9 million for earthquake relief in Haiti, bringing our commitment to $10 million. In addition, disaster management specialists are arriving in the Dominican Republic today and will travel by land to the disaster zone. These individuals join the 15-person staff we already have on the ground in Haiti as well as thousands of local Red Cross volunteers. As airports begin accepting relief shipments and more commercial flights, tarps, cooking sets, hygiene items and other supplies from the American Red Cross warehouse in Panama will be distributed to an initial 5,000 families. We have been told that the Red Cross presence has been very reassuring.

Many people are wondering if the American Red Cross is sending blood to Haiti as part of its disaster relief.

Here at the St. Louis Red Cross, we have received a lot of phone calls from people wanting to know more information about the Haiti Earthquake and what they can do to help. So I’ve been gathering as much information as possible to keep our Red Cross friends informed. Below is a summary of the most up to date information. In addition, the St. Louis Area Chapter has created a Frequently Asked Questions page which has everything you need to know about making donations, volunteering, and getting in touch with loved ones. And as always stay tuned to the National Disaster Online Newsroom for the latest information straight from the front lines.

Calling all O-negative blood donors! An announcement yesterday from the Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region says the need is urgent.

Here's the reason:

Low holiday donor turnout and harsh winter weather have severely impacted the supply of Type O-negative blood.

Here and in much of the Midwest, the O-negative blood supply has gotten very low, and it’s expected to drop to even lower levels in the coming days and weeks.

It started as a pretty much normal Disaster Action Team run. The scanner reported a house on fire, and we were on our way.  We happened to be only a mile or so from the fire, so we got there as the firefighters were still battling the blaze which seemed to be contained to the attached garage. 

The homeowner was there and we immediately got him a hat and some gloves.  As we were watching the firefighting operation, he told us his story.  He took a break from working in his workshop in the garage, which was heated by a wood-burning stove, to fix lunch. After he popped the pizza in the oven and did a few other in-the-house chores he went back to the shop to find it filled with smoke. He got the neighbor to call the fire department - they arrived, and we arrived minutes later.

I don’t want to point fingers, but it would appear that while welcoming in the New Year someone left the door open too long and let Cold Weather sneak in with 2010. Now, I’m not angry, but if the responsible party would be so kind as to clear this mess up and get back to tolerable winter weather, it would be greatly appreciated. It was fun while it lasted- the cold temps gave me a nice excuse to stay home this past weekend, wrap myself in a warm blanket, sit by the fire, and sip my hot chocolate. But when I realized this morning that I would have to face the brutally cold temps and- dare I say- leave the house, reality set in. It’s miserable. We’re seeing below-average temperatures nationwide, and with snow predicted for the St. Louis Area later this week, it would appear there is no escape.

I’ll admit- I’m a sucker for snow, so in order for me to be able to enjoy it, I’m going to have to get past the cold temperatures first. So with a few Red Cross tips, I’m tackling the cold temps head-on this week. Here’s how:

What a busy weekend for Red Cross "Disaster Action Team" volunteers! I counted no less than six fires where the Red Cross provided assistance for 17 adults and 14 children. And that doesn't include the fires where there were no clients affected, but Red Cross responded to help provide food and warm cocoa for the firefighters in the cold temperatures.

Check out this story on the Post-Dispatch's website on Sunday about several of the fires. And in case you missed it, last week, a feature profile on the Red Cross DAT teams made the front page of the Post-Dispatch (there are also some great photos of the volunteers in action)!

If you saw me today, chances are, I was grinning ear to ear.  I’m generally a happy person, but today was special. Why you ask??? Because today, the greater St. Louis community (my hometown!) got to learn a bit about the Red Cross Disaster Action Team (a group I’m passionate about) and the assistance they provide to disaster clients (another group I’m passionate about).

A couple of weeks ago, St. Louis Post Dispatch reporter Greg Jonsson and photographer Laurie Skrivan did several “ride alongs” with the Disaster Action Teams who respond in St. Louis City and St. Louis County. They got to see Red Cross volunteers, on the front lines, providing for the immediate emergency needs of families affected by disaster. They did an outstanding and accurate job documenting what they saw and they share the DAT story in today’s Post Dispatch.  If you haven’t seen the article yet, here’s a link.

It’s the last week of 2009…a time to remember the year that was, and look forward to a new beginning with the turn of a calendar page.

It’s also a time to make donations to charity, so you can get that last-minute deduction on your taxes.

I know, it sounds kind of selfish for only giving away money during the last week of the year, knowing it will come back to you in the form of a reduced tax bill (or in some cases, an increased tax return!) But many charities, including the Red Cross, rely on these end-of-the-year donations.

In that spirit, the Red Cross is making it even EASIER than EVER to make that tax-deductible contribution – through your cell phone.

I came across this posting on the national Red Cross website, and just had to share:

Social worker and Red Cross leader Emily Bissell designed the first Red Cross Christmas Seal in 1907. Bissell hoped the stamps could be sold to raise funds for an experimental tuberculosis (TB) hospital in Wilmington, Delaware.

The stamps were a success—the first supply sold out in two days. The tradition of an annual, nationwide campaign against tuberculosis began. Beautiful stamps were created by many of the nation’s best-known artists and illustrators.

On Wednesday, December 2^nd we at Metro High School held our 5^th blood drive. This blood drive was a huge success. We had a goal of 23 units and exceeded that goal by collecting 27 units of blood. Since each donation saves 3 lives, we are going to be able to potentially save 81 lives. WOW!

YouthCorps has been organizing blood drives at Metro for the past two years and this will be our third year. We have established a tradition of doing two blood drives each school year, one in the Winter and one in the Spring. We feel that this is especially important now with the current shortage in the blood supply.

Here's a look at our recent Holiday Mail for Heroes card sorting event. The St. Louis Area Chapter had some 2,000 cards to sort through! (Photos after the jump!)

Holiday Mail for Heroes was slowed down a bit because the volunteers were eager to share messages added to cards for the active duty and veterans. The cards from children seemed to catch everyone’s eye. Some were simple, some quite detailed, but all were from the heart. Cards came from all over the country for sorting by St. Louis Chapter Volunteers. 

Hello all!

I’ve become a bit addicted to flu updates over the last several months. As a part of my job I have stay on top of any updates or changes to the flu information, so I know the most up-to-date information that’s out there when I speak to the community.

Needless to say, there’s not a lot in the flu arena theses days that excites me. Don’t get me wrong, there is lots of really good information, but reading articles about the flu and how to avoid getting it gets a little dry after a while. Recently though, on my daily visit to flu.gov I found something that got me really excited. It’s an episode of Sid the Science Kid all about the flu. I wasn’t familiar with Sid before I saw this, I don’t have any kids, nieces, nephews, etc., but Sid is a riot. In the special  episode called Getting a Shot: You Can Do It! there is a virus wearing a chef’s hat, a rocking nurse grandma, vaci-zations (or something like that), lots of fun colors and you learn a lot too! I was definitely sitting at my desk laughing.

My wife and I spent yesterday morning at the Jefferson Barracks Hospital.  The project of the day was to prepare gifts that were to be given to each of the patients at a Christmas party this Friday, December 18.

The gift was a nice duffle bag that held several smaller gifts that needed to be wrapped and then inserted into each bag.

The American Red Cross office in Afghanistan is a popular place. So popular, in fact, that they were running out of room.

Around 200 troops come through the office at Bagram Air Base each week, taking a welcome break to savor hot coffee and cold drinks, watch some TV and open care packages from home.

The Red Cross staff at Bagram, “Team 19,” talked about how nice it would be to have a deck on the back of the office so that there would be ample room for troops stopping by. The Air Force’s 624th Civil Engineer Squadron heard this wish and said that if the Red Cross could get the materials, they would build it. The 624th (now the 755th), is based out of Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. They arrived in Afghanistan in September and are billeted around the Red Cross office.

For most of us, a bicycle is nothing out of the ordinary. We see them daily on the streets, in the parks, and in our neighborhoods. They are transportation, recreation and sport. Many of us had bikes as children, first with training wheels and then without. Our families taught us how to ride and put bandages on our knees when we fell. My uncle taught me how to ride a bike and we still talk about it to this day.

Some of us rode our bikes to the soda shop and candy store “way back when” while some of us relied on them in college to get from class to class. Some of our bikes had baseball cards tucked into the spokes, some were accessorized by baskets and horns, and nowadays, some bikes are fancier than your first car.

Walt Ducker is a Red Cross Disaster volunteer who served during Hurricane Katrina.

It was August of 2005 and Walt was moved by the suffering Hurricane Katrina left in her wake. He signed up for Red Cross training and became an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) driver in Gulf Port, MS. Walt reports there were about 40 ERVs in the Long Beach area, each carrying 200 to 500 meals per trip, making two trips each day. “As we went further inland, the devastation became merely severe instead of total,” he said, “driving was difficult. People had lost everything.”

Picture if you will, a young soldier, away from home for the first time. His wife has just given birth to their second child- another beautiful boy. While there were no complications during his wife’s delivery, a minor situation, causing a significant breach in the health of this young soldier’s newborn son, was detected just moments after his birth.

Knowing that the American Red Cross provides connections during emergencies to military personnel, the soldier’s mother-in-law phoned her local Red Cross and requested her son-in-law call home immediately. As this young man was stationed in Korea, a long long way from his home in Warren County, he used a phone card that had been sent to him by a friend. While he was glad to learn of his son’s arrival, he was worried about his health, so he spoke with his First Sergeant and discussed the possibility of taking emergency leave. Within 24 hours, the young soldier had been granted leave, and was already off on his journey home to investigate the well-being of his family thanks to the connection made by the Red Cross.

Winter is in the air. I love the colder temperatures and snuggling into a warm fuzzy blanket on a cold winter day. Like Linus in the Peanuts cartoons, my blanket provides me a sense of security.

However, as a member of our local Disaster Action Team (DAT), I know the colder temperatures often mean more house fires. While responding to these house fires, I give blankets to our clients. Sometimes, if their coat was destroyed in the fire, a client might use a Red Cross blanket to keep warm while they talk with the Firefighters and the DAT. If the family plans to stay with friends or relatives while they repair their home, we give them Red Cross blankets to use there. Many times a Red Cross blanket is the first “new” possession for a client who has lost everything. When I wrap a client in a Red Cross blanket, I am wrapping them in the compassion and comfort of donors like you. 

Susanne Harlandt grew up as the daughter of a career Army officer during a tumultuous time in our country"s history – the Vietnam War. She saw first-hand how a war affected those who served in it and wants to dedicate her life to providing support to the members of the armed forces.

For the past four years, Harlandt has worked with men and women in the military as part of the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) program. She has helped the men and women serving in the military in Korea, Iraq, Germany, and her current assignment at Fort Carson, Colorado. She has been with the Red Cross since 2001, first as a volunteer for the Mt. Baker Chapter in the state of Washington, and, for the last four years, as a member of the SAF staff.
 

If you knew that a $1.00 vaccination could prevent your loved ones from contracting a deadly disease like Cancer or Heart Disease, what would you do to help? For many around the world, this isn’t a hypothetical question, but a reality. Measles is among the world’s most contagious diseases and one of the leading causes of death among children worldwide. A $1.00 vaccination is often the difference between life and death.

While $1.00 may seem like spare change to Americans, the change it can make in a child’s life is priceless. 

Being new to the Red Cross and the Disaster Action (DAT) team I didn’t knew what to expect when riding the DAT truck. One particular night we were called out to a fire with a single family who was affected. When we first arrived at the fire seen I didn’t realize the impact of the fire until I saw the family sitting on the porch of their neighbors house utterly devastated. Looking across the street to where their house of 20 years once stood, all I could see was 3 walls and the darkness of the charred interior fill the space. My team and I knew that the family was going to need more than comforting words.

It was a blistery cold, snowy winter night in February 3, 1991 when my mom had the gumption to host an overnight birthday party for her second-grade girl and five of her friends. My friends and I roller-skated in the basement, played pin-the-tail on the donkey and lots of other games. When it was just about time for cake and ice cream, the cold temperatures mixed with the snow and ice around the electric lines caused the power to go out. We were left in the dark. Of course, all of us girls started screaming and gathering around one another, but my mom was as a cool as a cucumber. She lit the candles on the cake and told us we better hurry up, sing Happy Birthday and eat or the ice cream was going to melt. As an eight-year-old trying to celebrate her birthday with close friends, my hopes of a perfect birthday came crashing down.

Cindy Redmond, a Red Cross volunteer at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, tells of a young wounded patient arriving from Ramstein, Germany. The young man was very worried about making a phone call to his parents who did not know he had been shot.

Once he was settled, Cindy obtained a phone card and helped the young man dial home from his wheelchair. When the wounded soldier told his mother the news, she would not be calmed. The young man asked Cindy Redmond to reassure his mother, and handed her the phone. After a reassuring conversation, the mother asked Cindy to say with her son until he fell asleep.

A story of global compassion:

At the time of Peru's deadly 2007 earthquake, 20-year-old Milagros of Condorillo Bajo was at work inside a textile factory.

“We were startled, and started to think about our other family members. We wondered if everyone was OK; it was terrible day,” she explained.

Fortunately, her older sister Rosario, who was miles away inside their adobe home, safely evacuated with her two small children, grandmother and aunt. While they were relieved no one was injured, the family was overwhelmed by grief as they looked at their crumbling house. For the next month, they slept outside, taking turns on a couch they pulled from the rubble, fearful of aftershocks and afraid to leave behind everything they owned.

In the blink of an eye, a person’s life can be altered. The roof could be gone, power could be out, and in seconds a person can lose everything. I remember the Florida hurricanes of 2004 very well. Three of them went over our house causing the well to contaminate, roof needing to be replaced, and we had many days without power. There were so many people needing the basic essentials of life. Recovering after one hurricane is tough enough but after the second one, the food stores couldn’t even recover- then came the third hurricane. People lined up waiting for the National Guard to hand out ice, MRE’s, and water. A lot of people did not want to stay in shelters and bared life without air conditioning at home, afraid of looting. Shortly after, I moved and made Kirkwood, MO my new home.

The American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter works hard every day to reach into the community with our messages of HIV/AIDS Education. From guest speaking in schools, to working with AIDS Service Organizations incorporating HIV+ peers into their care programs, the St. Louis Area Chapter delivered messages about HIV and AIDS to over 31,000 individuals in the St. Louis area last year.

You know that feeling you get when you’re just about to give someone a gift that you know they’ll love? They carefully inspect the package, give it a gentle shake, and wrinkle their nose as they try to guess what it could possibly be. You giggle in anticipation. If they don’t open it soon, you will be forced to rip the paper off for them. They carefully lift the tape from the packaging and remove the box lid, but your eyes are fixed on their reaction. And in a split second, all of the squirming, the countless hours, dollars, and brain power you spent searching for the gift are all suddenly worth it just by seeing the look on their face.

More than ever, women nationwide are taking an increasingly prominent role in philanthropic investments in their communities. That’s true here in St. Louis, where I am proud to be one of seven Founding Members of the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter Tiffany Circle.

Oh, Thanksgiving. Pumpkin pie with whipped cream, family gathered around, the beginning of the holiday season, Black Friday shopping, flaming turkeys… Well, we hope that you have all those except the flaming turkeys! Every year around this time a video from the Underwriters Laboratories emerges showing how not to use a turkey fryer. Needless to say every year people across the country try out the fryer and don’t follow those instructions. Not following proper precautions when using a turkey fryer can lead to serious injury and damage to homes. If you decide that frying is the way to go please remember the following rules:

Santas around the country want to be put on the priority list for the H1N1 vaccine, since they are around children all day including those who are sniffling, sneezing and coughing (and maybe not covering those coughs and sneezes!) Unless Santas get added to the priority list, though, most are going to have to depend on good old fashioned good hygiene to stay healthy for the big night. Many Santas are reviewing the steps they can take to prevent getting the h1n1 or the seasonal flu, so they can make it through the season merry and bright! Now we all hope that our children have learned their hygiene lessons and practice them all the time, but all good little girls and boys should review before they go visit Santa this year to keep themselves and Santa flu-free:

Monday, October 26, 2009

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Dear Volunteers:

In March 1951, Private First Class Green Finley Jr., died in North Korea. He joined the Army in 1950 and nearly 60 years after he left home, Private First Class Green Finley Jr. is finally home

To honor PFC. Finley and to show support to his family during this difficult time, the American Red Cross will line the entrance of Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery while his family and friends enter to attend his service.

We are asking that any volunteers, their family, and friends who would like to attend and pay respects gather at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on Friday, November 20^th, beginning at 12:30 p.m., but no later than 1:00 p.m.  We will be lining the road to show our support and at the same time not be intrusive to the family during their time of grief.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

One of the perks of my job is getting to work with businesses and organizations around the St. Louis Community who generously support the Red Cross. A perfect example is Maritz.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Sunday, October 11, 2009

This Veteran's Day, we salute all those who have worn a U.S. military uniform. Through the Red Cross emergency messaging program, 475 times a day a Red Cross worker connects a deployed service member with his or her family. Here's one story:

When Milissa was 24 weeks pregnant, she made what she considers one of the most important phone calls of her life. It was to the Red Cross.

During a routine ultrasound, her doctors told her there were complications with the baby. All she could think about was how badly she needed her husband, Juancarlos—but he was stationed in Iraq, thousands of miles away.

Growing up, I can still vividly remember so many of the lessons I learned from my pals on Sesame Street: the difference between near and far, how crayons were made, and even more serious topics like death. As PBS marks the 40^th anniversary of the show that has educated several generations of children, I took a stroll down memory lane (via youtube) to see how those shows of the 1970s and 1980s have stood the test of time, and what the two and three-year-olds of today are watching.

The Sesame Street of today is a bit different than the version I grew up with:

I just came across this story on the National Red Cross Blog and I thought I’d pass it along to all of my St. Louis Area friends. Now you have a really really good reason to spoil yourself this holiday season…   -Lindsey

The Red Cross Club at Parkway South High School recently had a fundraiser for our local Red Cross chapter.  The goal: Sell “Spikeyz” toys for $1 each, raising $150 and awareness about the Red Cross club.

The result? So far, they’ve raised almost $200! A big thanks to Jennifer M, Laura, Meghan, Sanjana, Ratna, Sarah, Poornima, Hima, Yousra, Shivi, Brittney, Robert, Lisa and Jennifer C!  Way to go, Parkway South!!

It’s funny to me that the word “google” has become a verb. When I don’t know something, I simply say, “I’ll google it and find out.”

So, I guess it isn’t surprising that when a new strain of the flu developed and people were unfamiliar with it that they began to google it. In fact, Google believes that they can show a close relationship between the number of flu cases and the number of times the word “flu” has been searched for. They are so sure that they have a whole website devoted to Google flu trends and have had their results published in the journal Nature.

If you haven't encountered the flu yet (sick kids at school, co-workers coughing near you, long lines for flu shots) chances are - you will eventually. And as we continue to hear national news reports about the spread of the H1N1 virus and the limited availability of a vaccine, it can be easy to "tune out" some important information.

So take a half-hour tonight to really explore the issue of the flu (seasonal and the H1N1 variety) with an in-depth special called "Living With the Flu" on KETC Channel 9 at 7 p.m. KETC is using its capabilities on-air, online and in the community as the region’s trusted public media organization to connect residents to H1N1 prevention and immunization resources through a network of trusted community agencies - including the American Red Cross.

American Red Cross Volunteers support our community in many different ways. Many give their time in areas that are closest to their hearts.

Halloween is all about extreme makeovers- the chance to take your normal self and transform into something scary, cute, ridiculous, or laughable. For instance, at the Red Cross office today, I saw a Lawn Gnome in Pay Roll, Snow White in Health and Safety, and a Vampire in Volunteer Resources. I’m pretty sure I even witnessed Germ-X fighting off the Swine Flu down in the Disaster Department.

Trivia time! What do the BeeGees, Matt Lauer, and the Red Cross have in common? Give up? For one man these things were a matter of life and death.

I love falling back! Getting that extra hour of sleep makes my day (actually, let’s be honest, it makes my month!) I know it’s hard to believe it’s that time already, but November 1^st is Daylight Savings time, and it’s important to remember that, in addition to changing your clocks, it’s time to change the batteries in your smoke alarms. You should change the batteries at least once a year, but for everyone who needs an easy ways to remember things, Change your clocks, change your batteries- it’s a perfect tool to act as a trigger! Changing your smoke alarm battery on November 1 is also a great way to cap off Fire Prevention Month (which was October.)

Every so often, I think it is interesting to see what other Red Cross chapters and volunteers are doing in their communities. So when I came across this blog post from a Red Crosser in Kansas City, I just had to re-post. Please enjoy!

By Sherri Odell, Greater Kansas City Chapter Leadership Volunteer
Originally posted to her page on Sat., Oct. 17, 2009

I like my life very planned…I like order…I like to KNOW what is coming up…What I don’t like are surprises. As a volunteer with the Red Cross, it would really be ideal if we could plan when a disaster was going to happen, so I could schedule it accordingly on my calendar. You know, as in, “Oh, lunch next week? Let’s see - I have the dentist on Monday, a disaster on Wednesday – which will probably take at least 2-3 days – but Thursday works for me!”

Trick or Treating is one of my kid's facorite nights of the year. Running from house to house in the dark filling their trick or treat bag or pillow case until it is overflowing with goodies. Then they rush home to drop off their loot - and start the process all over again collecting more treats 'til all the porch lights go out. As a parent, I worry about them being safe out in the dark tripping or falling. I just purchased the American Red Cross LED Glow Stick for my 10-year-old daughter and her friends for piece of mind.

The Glow Stick is great. This 200-hour LED Glow Stick combines an emergency flasher, flashlight and emergency whistle, all in one lightweight, compact device. It is a great item for Halloween, but would also be great to keep in your car, kitchen or bedroom for wasy access in case of an emergency.

It’s refreshing to see that most Americans are taking the flu seriously. According to an recent Red Cross survey, 78% of adults are washing their hands more carefully and frequently compared to only 55% in May. (Remember 20 seconds!) Also 75% of adults are taking more care in making sure they are covering their coughs and sneezes. Women are more like than men to be taking these steps, for instance women are almost 20% more likely than men to be cleaning surfaces with disinfectant at home and at work than men (72% of women and 53% of men.) One thing that may not surprise American men is that women are also 20% more likely then men to be giving others advice on how to avoid the flu (58% of women are giving out advice, compared to 38% of men.)

October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month. I’ll admit, it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. If you’d asked the average person what Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) was, their answer would likely be "a heart attack." But comparing SCA to a heart attack is like comparing apples to oranges.

• Heart attack: A circulation problem in the heart, when arteries supplying the heart get blocked. Oxygen in the blood cannot reach the heart muscle, and the heart muscle becomes damaged. Generally, there are symptoms prior to a heart attack like difficulty breathing, numbness in arms, tightening of the chest or upper back pain. These symptoms help to recognize the emergency and get medical help on the way.

Have you ever wondered what the Fire Department is all about? What's it like to be a professional firefighter? Do you know how to use a fire extinguisher? In September, my husband and some of our very own American Red Cross staff and volunteers got to experience a small taste of what it’s like to be in a firefighter’s shoes.

I was happy to arrive at another shift of the Disaster Action Team on the Sunday four to midnight shift. I had thought, driving in, that it would have been a very quiet night, however when I arrived that was not the case. I learned that there was a very large apartment fire that happened in the morning, which the morning team, as well as a back up team, was helping. When we arrived we did our best to get ready for the night shifts. However, shortly after we had our DAT truck ready, we had a fire involving a family to go to. This family’s story stuck in my mind most of the night and continuing through the day. We arrived at the house shortly after the firemen had put out the fire; however, the house was completely destroyed. We saw the house first and the family sitting on a neighbors porch second. It was very heart-wrenching sight. The owners were utterly devastated.

Fall makes me nostalgic for my college days, and particularly the weeks surrounding Homecoming. As a student at Mizzou, and a member of the Greek system, Homecoming was more than just a tradition – it was practically a religion. Mizzou stakes claim to creating the “Homecoming” concept back in 1911 for the football rivalry between Missouri and Kansas. Today, football still reigns strong. But beyond the game, months are spent strategizing plans for a float, house decorations, a skit and, of course – the annual Red Cross Blood Drive.