Lakeland Chapter sends volunteer nurse to assist with North Dakota Floods.

Bonnie Chapman (left - red shirt, white sweatshirt) with other members of the Disaster Team showing supplies given to families.

The American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter has dispatched Disaster Volunteer, Bonnie Chapman, RN of Green Bay, WI to Fargo, ND to assist with the 2009 Red River Valley Floods.

Chapman will be flying out Wednesday, March 25 at 3:00pm to Fargo, ND. She will be assisting in the area of Health Services. Chapman will be using her skills as a Registered Nurse to provide health care assessments to people affected by the floods staying in Red Cross shelters. If someone needs additional medical assistance that the shelter can not provide then they would be taken to a medical facility to get the care they need.

This is Chapman’s seventh national relief operation. She assisted in 2005 for Hurricane Wilma, Floods in Union Grove, WI in 2007, California Wildfires, Floods in IL and WI in 2008 and her last assignment was for Hurricane Ike.

American Red Cross Response Efforts:

As North Dakota residents prepare to fight potentially record flooding, the American Red Cross is digging in with them and getting ready for what could be a long disaster relief operation. The Red Cross is in a race against the clock to move food, workers, cots and blankets into Fargo before the floodwaters on the Red River crest as early as the end of this week.

“This disaster is not a surprise; it has been coming and we have been working with local Red Cross chapters and with the Canadian Red Cross,” said Joseph Becker, senior vice president of disaster services for the Red Cross. “But what’s not known is how fast the water will rise.  When it does, it could stay up for a long time and we want to be ready.”

Nearly 100 Red Cross workers are already on the scene in the Red River Valley to offer care and comfort.  Eleven mobile feeding trucks are providing thousand of meals and snacks to sandbagging volunteers. Another 20 feeding trucks will arrive over the next 48 hours.  More than 50,000 ready to eat meals are also on hand to feed sandbagging crews.

In addition, 12 volunteer teams will arrive in North Dakota by Wednesday to operate shelters, which could begin opening within the next 24 hours. Those teams consist of seven people specially trained in the logistics of running a shelter and providing health care and mental health counseling. Neighboring chapters are also sending trailers full of cots and blankets to help supply those shelters.  The Red Cross is coordinating all of these efforts with the governor’s office, as well as state and local emergency managers.

Lakeland Chapter sends two volunteers and emergency response vehicle to assist with North Dakota Floods

The American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter has dispatched Disaster Volunteers, Diane Knutson of Sturgeon Bay, WI and Jan Traversa of Pulaski, WI to Fargo, ND to assist with the 2009 Red River Valley Floods.

Knutson and Traversa will be leaving Tuesday, March 24 at 8:00am and will be driving a National Red Cross Emergency Relief Vehicle (ERV) from Green Bay to Fargo. They will be assisting as a mobile feeding unit providing nourishment and support for the many volunteers and emergency personnel helping with sandbagging efforts and for those displaced.

This is Knutson’s sixth national disaster assignment. She has assisted for Hurricane Wilma, Wildfires in California, Tornadoes in Arkansas and Lakewood, WI and last year helped with floods in East Central and Southern WI.

 This is Traversa fourth national disaster assignment. She has assisted for 

9-11, Hurricane Katrina and last year helped with floods in East Central and Southern WI.

 

Dee Knutson, talking with WFRV-TV 5 about her up coming deployment

Jan getting emotional when talking to the report about her prior relief experiances

American Red Cross responds to house fire in Downtown Green Bay

The American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter responded to a house fire that occurred on Monday, March 20, around 7:30am, in Downtown Green Bay affecting seven people.

Eleven American Red Cross Disaster workers assisted at the scene by providing immediate shelter for those displaced at St. Willebrords Church and provided water, coffee and snacks to the 40 emergency personnel.

Volunteers met with each client to assess and assist with their immediate emergency needs. Six of the seven clients were assisted with lodging and the other client had other accommodations. All clients received monetary assistance for clothing, meals and were provided comfort kits (which include soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloth, comb, facial tissue, deodorant, razors, shaving cream and lotion) and homemade quilts. We also assisted some clients with medications and eyeglass needs.

Red Cross disaster assistance is free and is made possible by community donations. You can help individuals of this disaster and others by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter’s local disaster relief fund. For information call the Lakeland Chapter at 920-468-8535 or visit www.arclakeland.org.

Thank you to the Pulaski FFA

Thank you to the Pulaski FFA member that helped make blankets
for the American Red Cross. These blankets will be given out to local families affected by disasters.

Pulaski FFA

Red Cross Honor Guard

 

With the support of Lyndahl Funeral Home, the American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter introduces the Red Cross Honor Guard. This group of 45 volunteers was established to pay final respects to any Red Cross volunteer who has given of their time and talents to the organization.

“I can’t think of a better way to show our respect to a member of our Red Cross family than by being all together.”  Jody Weyers, Volunteer Director.   

We thank Lyndahl Funeral Home for their support of the program by purchasing red sweater vests for the group and by providing training for the honor guard members.

Pictures from the Heroes Breakfast

Thank you to everyone who came out on Thursday, March 5th for the kick-off to the Heroes Campaign. We appreciate your support in helping us reach our goal to continue programs and services in the Lakeland Chapter.

Heroes Event Kicks Off

• Reporter: Monica Landeros, Fox 11 News

GREEN BAY – The American Red Cross is looking for “Heroes,” people in the community to help them collect thousands of dollars as part of a new campaign. The non-profit organization is already getting help from a local singer, firefighters in Brown County, and area businesses.

The billboards have begun popping up around the Green Bay area, encouraging people to “Do Something Positive.”

“We are trying to create heroes. These are individuals or companies who can generate a thousand dollar donation,” said Barbara Behling with the American Red Cross.

The Heroes campaign is being kicked off this month, which is also American Red Cross month. Soon, public service announcements will begin running on TV stations in Northeast Wisconsin. They will feature a man who is being reminded to donate to the Red Cross by a piggy bank.

Appleton singer/songwriter Rob Anthony is already raising money for the campaign.

“I’m donating proceeds from my CD sales for the Heroes campaign,” said Anthony.

Fire departments in Brown County will also come together for a fundraiser later this month. The firefighters said the Red Cross provides crucial services to many during devastating fires.

“In a long range event, there’s often food needs and comfort needs and the Red Cross provides that for firefighters,” said Don Phillips, Green Bay Assistant Fire Chief.

Red Cross officials said the campaign will last until mid next month, but won’t announce just yet how much they hope to raise.

“With the economy, things have gotten a bit tight. In essence, that creates more demand on Red Cross services. So our goals will need to be increased,” said Behling.

Click on the link for the video news story: http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/wluk_news_green_bay_american_red_cross_heroes_200903051352_rev1

March is Red Cross Month.

We’ve been celebrating each March for 66 years. This year, we’ll be highlighting one Red Crosser’s personal story each day.

Today we commemorate Mary Hannick, a WWII volunteer who is still giving her time today.

How did your life first intersect with the Red Cross?
During World War II, I got the bug I wanted to do something overseas. I went to the Red Cross and made application to go overseas and they sent me for my physical. I weighed 98 pounds; I got a letter back from New York headquarters saying that I couldn’t go overseas unless I weighed 108 pounds and I should let them know if I ever gained weight. So I drank a lot of milkshakes, ate a lot of food and finally got up to 105 pounds. I wrote and told them that I had gained weight – I didn’t say how much. They wrote and invited me to come down to New York for an interview. So I went down on the train to New York and stayed at the Commodore Hotel. The next day I was supposed to have my interview with the Red Cross. I stuffed my pockets full of stuff in case they weighed me again. They never weighed me again. They accepted me immediately. I took my leave of absence from Kodak and they trained us in Washington, DC as hospital staff aides.

What is your current role at the Red Cross?
Today I go to events and participate in An Afternoon at the Canteen and visit with senior citizens at different centers and homes and tell my stories. I have hundreds of stories I could tell!

How has the Red Cross changed your life?
I ask myself “Are we better than we were when I came into this world?” From my parents I learned the love of people – its people that we love – it’s the human race that we love. I truly believe that was why I was able to do some of the things I did. I don’t think I could ever re-pay the Red Cross for the experience I had the two years that I was overseas. If I stayed at Kodak, financially I would be much better off, but I wouldn’t be half as rich as I am in people.

Red Cross Responds to Fire on West Side of Green Bay

The American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter responded to a house fire that occurred on Saturday, February 28, around 3:30am, on the west side of Green Bay effecting two adults and five children.

Two American Red Cross Disaster workers assisted the family with lodging, monetary assistance for clothing, seasonal garments, baby items and meals. We also provided the family with comfort kits (which include soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloth, comb, facial tissue, deodorant, razors, shaving cream and lotion) and homemade quilts.

Red Cross disaster assistance is free and is made possible by community donations. You can help individuals of this disaster and others by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter’s local disaster relief fund. For information call the Lakeland Chapter at 920-468-8535 or visit www.arclakeland.org.

 

About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross provides relief to victims of disasters at home and abroad, collects and distributes nearly half of the nation’s blood supply, teaches lifesaving skills, and supports military members and families. The American Red Cross, a charity and not a government agency, depends on voluntary contributions of time, money and blood to perform its humanitarian mission.