November 3, 2009
November 2, 2009
Be Prepared: Get a Kit
At a minimum, have the basic supplies listed below. Keep supplies in an easy to carry emergency preparedness kit that you can use at home or take with you in case you must evacuate.
- Water—one gallon per person, per day (3 day supply for evacuation, 2 week supply for home)
- Food—non perishable, easy to prepare items (3 day supply for evacuation, 2 week supply for home)
- Flashlight
- Battery powered or hand crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
- Extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Medications (7 day supply) and medical items
- Multi purpose tool
- Sanitation and personal hygiene items
- Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
- Cell phone with chargers
- Family and emergency contact information
- Extra cash
- Emergency blanket
- Map(s) of the area
Consider the needs of all family members and add supplies to your kit. Suggested items to help meet additional needs are:
- Medical supplies (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, cane)
- Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)
- Games and activities for children
- Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)
- Two way radios
- Extra set of car keys and house keys
- Manual can opener
Additional supplies to keep at home or in your kit based on the types of disasters common to your area:
- Whistle
- N95 or surgical masks
- Matches
- Rain gear
- Towels
- Work gloves
- Tools/supplies for securing your home
- Extra clothing, hat and sturdy shoes
- Plastic sheeting
- Duct tape
- Scissors
- Household liquid bleach
- Entertainment items
- Blankets or sleeping bags
Send a Touch of Home to Those Who Serve Our Country
Send a touch of home to the real heroes of America and their families! Holiday Mail for Heroes is back again!
For the third year in a row, the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are working together to collect, sort and distribute holiday cards to service members, veterans and their families.
The Red Cross and Pitney Bowes will begin accepting cards on November 2, 2009. So get your pens and postage stamps ready and watch for the address in the coming weeks on RedCross.org.
All cards must be postmarked no later than Monday, December 7, 2009. Cards postmarked after December 7 will be returned to the sender. This deadline ensures enough time to sort and distribute cards before the holidays.
Every card received will be screened for hazardous materials by Pitney Bowes and then reviewed by Red Cross volunteers working around the country.
If you would like to begin working on your cards now, here are some quick guidelines to ensure your cards makes to a hero as quickly as possible:
Do…
- Ensure that all cards are signed.
- Make cards more meaningful to a wide variety of recipients by using “Dear Service Member, Family or Veteran” rather than any more specific language. You are encouraged to send holiday-neutral cards rather than religious-themed cards. Note: Cards addressed to specific individuals cannot be delivered through this program.
- Limit the number of cards to 15 from any one person or 50 from any one school class, business or group. If you are mailing a large quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes. Each card does not need its own envelope, as envelopes will be removed from all cards before distribution.
Do not…
- Send letters. Only cards are being accepted.
- Include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.
- Include cards with excessive amounts of glitter. Because cards may be received by wounded service members and veterans in hospitals, large quantities of glitter could aggravate existing health problems.
- Include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing
October 26, 2009
American Red Cross Offers “Trick” to Safety this Halloween
Everyone Should Follow the “Lucky 13”
Ghouls and goblins will take over the night. But even scary creatures need to be safe and celebrate Halloween right. Halloween’s greatest hazards aren’t vampires and villains, but falls, costume mishaps and automobile collisions. Local Red Cross Chapters want your family to have a safe Halloween so we’re providing these tips, the lucky 13:
- Map out the route that you plan to roam, so adults are assured you will find your way home!
- From the bravest of superheroes to the noblest of knights, everyone should remember to bring their flashlights!
- If you visit a house where a stranger resides, accept treats at the door and, please, don’t go inside.
- When you get ready to put on your disguise, use face paint instead of masks, which will cover your eyes.
- Always remember, before you embark, to wear light-colored clothing to be seen in the dark! (And remember to use reflective tape, even on bikes, skateboards and brooms!)
- Whether you walk, slither or sneak, do it on the sidewalks and not in the street.
- As you roam through the neighborhood collecting your treats, please look both ways before crossing the street! (And cross from the corner!)
- Wigs, capes and costumes are flammable attire, so avoid open flames to prevent a fire!
- Use a glow stick instead of a candle so your jack-o-lantern isn’t a safety gamble!
- You may fly on a broom or a space ship from Mars, but please be on the lookout for drivers in cars! (And don’t hide between parked vehicles).
- Monsters and zombies should stay off the lawn, and only visit homes with their porch lights turned on!
- You may be dressed as a werewolf, a cat or a frog, but be cautious around strange animals, especially dogs.
- Have a grown-up inspect your candy when you’re done trick-or-treating to remove open packages and choking hazards before eating.
For a detailed list of Halloween safety tips for motorists, parents and homeowners visit www.redcross.org.
October 20, 2009
2010 “Dancing with our Stars” Lineup is announced at Kick-off Event!
American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter Announces Dancers for the 2nd Annual Dancing with Our Stars Fundraising Event
On Wednesday, October 14 the ten celebrity all-star dancers were announced for the 2nd Annual
“Dancing with Our Stars” fundraising event sponsored Oneida Nation and Nicolet National Bank. This event will be held on Sunday, February 21, 2010 at the Radisson Hotel, Green Bay, program beginning at 5:30pm.
The 2010 “Dancing with Our Stars” celebrity line-up is:
- Mindy Bennett, Balance for Body and Soul, Owner
- David Burns, WIXX Midday personality, Music Director and Assistant Program Director
- Michael Frohna, The Bellin Foundation, President
- Crystal Holtz, Oneida Nation Tourism Department, Marketing Manager
- Julie May, Chestnut Gallery & Gifts, Proprietress
- Chris Roth, WBAY, Sports Director
- Diane Roundy, Schenck Business Solutions, Director of Business Development
- Sarah Thomsen, Action 2 News at Four, Anchor/News Reporter
- Dana VanDen Huevel, Marketing Savant, Director
- Eric Witczak, Nicolet National Bank, Retail Banking Manager and American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter Board of Directors, Vice Chair
These ten Northeast Wisconsin celebrities will be participating in this fundraising event. Celebrities will be trained in two ballroom dances by DanceSport of Green Bay under the direction of Janet Gollnick, former Midwest champion. Their dance partners will be accomplished and skilled college-aged dancers from DanceSport.
Winner of the dancing trophy will be the dancer who scores best on the dance floor and who is supported by public and event votes. Votes will be in the form of dollars donated in support of the star dancer, both at the Dancing with Our Stars event and dollars pledged in the name of the Dancer prior to February 21.
We are honored to have Ivan Seleznev of New York City, an eight time Russian champion, Rebecca Messenger, nationally acclaimed Ballroom Judge and Dan Messenger, former National Champion and Ballroom Judge both of Milwaukee.
All proceeds for the event go to support local programs and services for the American Red Cross.
Tickets for the event will be on sale at the American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter, starting January 4, 2010.
October 15, 2009
Sarah Thomsen, Chris Roth Named to “Dancing With Our Stars” Lineup
By Cami Rapson
Earlier this year, George Graphos and I had the chance to test our dancing skills, and now it’s time to pass on the dancing shoes.
We’re proud to announce that Action 2 News anchor Sarah Thomsen and Action 2 Sports director Chris Roth will take part in the American Red Cross’s second annual Dancing With Our Stars event.
The celebrity dancers met their dancing partners Wednesday night.
Tune in to WIXX’s morning show Thursday to hear the full line-up.
The pairs will put months of lessons to the test in February, and of course we’ll be cheering them on.
Click here for link to WBAY: http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=11317568
Dancers Announced!!
Dancers for the 2nd Annual Dancing with Our Stars benefit for the American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter will be announced tonight….watch WBAY TV-2 and listen to WIXX-Murphy in the Morning Thursday, for the full line up!
October 7, 2009
Green Bay Press-Gazette Story on Teens Donating Blood for the Red Cross
Click Here To Read Full Story To find a blood drive near you www.givebloodgivelife.org or call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE
Jean Goffard, right, and her daughter, Sarah Perrigoue, 17, give blood on Monday at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in De Pere. Perrigoue, who was donating for the first time, is being tended to by phlebotomist Kelly Allport. M.P. King/Press-Gazette
October 5, 2009
15 Years of Making Volunteer Service a Part of Her Life
Val Szymanski lived through not one but two fires in her lifetime. For the past 15 years she has been on the disaster action team helping others. As a member of the disaster action team, Val has received specialized training to provide relief to those affected by disaster. She has helped those in the Lakeland Chapter’s eight county jurisdiction and also represented the Lakeland Chapter during national disasters. Having lived through tragedy herself Val says, “It made me appreciate what I could do for someone else in that situation.”
Val and her son JJ cheering on the Packers in a box seat donated by the Green Bay Packers.
15 years ago the Red Cross came to Val’s employer and provided a learning session for the employees, describing the unique services the Red Cross provides and offered to train the employees on-site so they could help their neighbors. “For me something struck home when they talked about what they did in disaster services,” says Val. “I was there. I remember the feeling of watching your home burn and being lucky to have the clothes on your back.”
“I thought if I could help one or two people in that situation, I would feel like I was making a difference,” says Val. The learning session by the Red Cross hit home and Val received continued training. She has now helped many fellow citizens during hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and fires, as part of the team of dedicated volunteers.
The company, now known as Humana, has changed hands over the past 15 years but Val is still there as an IT Manager. She says the company is very supportive of her volunteerism. They allow her to leave work when a national or local disaster occur without losing compensation.
Val says volunteering is an internal need and when it’s something you feel like you want in your life then you fit it into your life no matter what the obstacles are. Val and her husband, Geno, tried to have a baby for five years. During the tragedy of 9-11, Val felt like she had to help out despite the fact that they were going through fertility treatments. Val went to the Red Cross Headquarters in Virginia to assist with the Family gift-giving program. While there she assisted by helping families from 9-11 tradegy emotionally and finanically with the donation from the American people but she had to return home early when she discovered she was pregnant with their first child.
Geno and Val now have two children and still try to make volunteerism an important part of their lives. Her husband Geno has been a volunteer fireman for Little Suamico for twenty-four years. Val hopes their children pick up some of their core values. “There is more than just yourself. There is community and volunteering is a good thing.”
“You can give them food, shelter, and clothing but you’re not replacing what they lost.” Val says working on the disaster team is not always easy because you are helping people at their worst moment. It’s hard but it’s important to walk away knowing you made a difference.
Val says one of the reasons she has been a volunteer for so long is that she found a way to help people she can relate to their loss and has the skills to do so. She says there are so many ways to help out at the Red Cross because they perform so many important functions but it’s important to find your niche. “You have to do it for yourself, not anybody else. That’s what volunteering is about and how it becomes a part of your life.”
October 3, 2009
National Fire Prevention Week October 4-10
Community Fire Prevention Events:
- Saturday, October 10, 10:00am-1:00pm
- Saturday, October 10, 10:00am-3:00pm
- Monday, October 5, 10:30am
- Wednesday, October 7, 6:30pm
- Wednesday, October 14, 10:30am
