American Red Cross Participates in Careers on Wheels Fair

Bob DeGroot holding some of the thank you letters from the students at Pioneer Elementary School in Green Bay

The American Red Cross took part in the annual Partners in Education Program of the Green Bay Chamber of Commerce Careers on Wheels Program.

Careers on Wheels is a unique and exciting program for third or fifth graders. Cars, trucks, tractors, emergency vehicles and people representing a variety of careers visit the school, giving students an opportunity to examine, explore and learn about a variety of careers “on wheels.”

Volunteer driver, Bob DeGroot visited three elementary schools in the area and shared with the students his role as a volunteer driver, how the transportation program helps people in the community and students were allowed to go on the bus.

Contact Brian Johnson, Partners in Education Career Education Program Manager, at 593-3408 or bjohnson@titletown.org to learn how your organization can participate in this program.

When There is a Need there is a Way

 To View Photo’s of the event go to click HERE!

Fire Fighters and American Red Cross Partner to Invest in the Positive

 May 27, 2011 – Firefighters and American Red Cross volunteers came out in greater force this year as the fundraiser grew to 21 locations acrossNortheast Wisconsin. The need was also much greater this year as increased need for disaster response exhausted the disaster relief budget just 7 months into the fiscal year.

The dedicated partners, that support their neighbors in times of disaster, partnered up again to ask their community to be Heroes during the Firefighters’ Bucket Brigade to benefit the American Red Cross and to help sustain disaster relief operations. The community answered by contributing an estimated $16,000 during the Fire Fighters’ Bucket Brigade.  

“The Red Cross is an organization that provides so many services for people in need at unexpected times,” says Matt Weissman, Firefighter, andVillage of Howard.  “At the same time they help make our jobs as firefighters easier by supporting us while we do our job and continue to take care of those family’s external needs.”

Trained Disaster Volunteers are ready to help at a moment’s notice. Red Cross disaster relief focuses on enabling individuals and families affected by disaster to independently resume their normal daily activities by meeting their emergency disaster-caused needs. When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, clothing, food, and health and mental health services to address basic human needs.

The Red Cross also feeds emergency workers, handles inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, provides blood and blood products to hospitals treating disaster victims, and helps those affected by disaster to access other available resources.

“People count on the American Red Cross to prepare them for disasters and emergencies. We work together by teaching lifesaving skills such as CPR and First Aid, providing preparedness education addressing a wide range of hazards, developing community response partnerships, and training volunteers,” says Steve Hansen Executive Director.  “A successful Heroes Campaign supports our common goal of helping people reduce their risk of injury or loss in the event of natural or human-caused disasters.”

Outagamie, Waushara, Waupaca, Winnebago, Sheboyganand Marinette counties had fire departments participating. Fire fighters from the many participating departments along with Red Cross volunteers were stationed locations acrossNortheast Wisconsinto collect donations and talk about their partnership.

Our heroes were at locations across these counties making their support apparent and collecting donations in red buckets between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Thursday night. All locations featured the life-saving equipment used by fire fighters and our heroes available once again in a time of need.

The Northeast Wisconsin Region is a grouping of four chapters serving 20 counties with a mission to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters. To learn more about Red Cross programs, volunteer opportunities, and how you can help, contact the Northeast region at 920-231-3590 or visit www.NewRedCross.org

Social Media Sites:

Blog: www.newredcrossblog.org

Facebook: newredcross 

Twitter: newredcross

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

 

Firefighters’ Bucket Brigade Spotlight: Cleaning the Fire Hoses

Thursday, May 26, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m 

Today at the Firefighters’ Bucket Brigade for the American Red Cross you will get to meet Northeast Wisconsin firefighters and American Red Cross disaster volunteers who will tell you about their partnership and the firefighters’ lifesaving equipment. We know that when thefire fighters leave a scene of a disaster their work isn’t done but even here at the American Red Cross we learned something new this year about the work our firefighter partners do.

The Disaster Team is hard at work when they are not on the scene with many hours of training and preparation just like the hardworking firefighters but something we never had to think about is how to clean the fire hoses. Thanks to Lt. Nick Craig from the Green Bay Fire Department we learned a little bit more a firefighters’ work back at the station and he showed us how the fire hoses are cleaned.

To find where to spot one of our heroes, at a Firefighter’s Bucket Brigade location, please visit www.newredcross.org.

Support the Bucket Brigade: Thursday, May 26th, 4-7 pm

Firefighters throughout Northeast Wisconsin will be armed with red buckets to show their support for the Red Cross and collect much needed funds for Red Cross Disaster Relief.

You can help support this effort by stopping by one of many convenient collection sites and donating your spare change or better yet, a check to help people down the street, across the country and around the globe affected by disaster.

 

Brown County Fire Departments

• Ashwaubenon Fire Department -Bay Park Square Mall, 2250 West Mason St., Green Bay
• Bellevue Fire Department – Festival Foods, 2534 Steffens Ct, Green Bay
• DePere Fire Department – Festival Foods, 1001 Main Ave, De Pere
• Green Bay East Fire Department – Copps Food Center, 1819 Main St., Green Bay
• Green Bay West Fire Department – Festival Foods, 2250 West Mason St., Green Bay
• Howard Fire Department – Olsen’s Piggly Wiggly, 2465 Lineville Rd., Howard
• Suamico Fire Department – Festival Foods, 2348 Lineville Rd., Green Bay
• Pulaski Fire Department – Super Ron’s, 960 County Road B, Pulaski

 

Marinette County

• Marinette Fire Department – Angeli’s Country Market, 2301 Roosevelt Rd, Marinette

 

Oconto County Fire Departments

• Abrams Fire Department – Abrams Shell Station, County D and Sampson Rd

 

Outagamie County Fire Departments

• Appleton Fire Department – Festival Foods, 1200 W. Northland Ave, Appleton
• Grand Chute Fire Department – Copps Food Center 2400 W Wisconsin Ave, Appleton
• Greenville Fire Department – The Meat Block and The Stone Yard, N1739  Lily of the Valley Dr, Greenville
• Kimberly Fire Department – Pick’n Save, 850 E Maes Ave, Kimberly

 

Sheboygan County

• Sheboygan Fire Department – Wal-mart Supercenter, 3711 So. Taylor Dr, Sheboygan

 

Winnebago County Fire Departments

• Oshkosh Fire Department – Festival Foods, 2415 Westowne Ave, Oshkosh

 

Waupaca County Fire Departments

• Iola Fire Department – Iola IGA, 125 Meadow Rd., Iola
• Ogdensburg–St. Lawrence Fire Department – Ogdensburg-St Lawrence Fire Station, 502 Main St., Ogdensburg

Waushara CountyFire Departments

• Wautoma Fire Department – Copps Food Center, N2573 Plaza Rd, Wautoma & Stoneridge Piggly Wiggly, 975 E. Main St., Wautoma
• Wild Rose Fire Department – Larsen Co-op, 1010 Main St., Wild Rose

Firefighters’ Bucket Brigade Spotlight on Brenton Ward

When local fire departments heard the American Red Cross needed help raising funds they stepped up to support the efforts again. This year increased need has exhausted the disaster response budget so their efforts are much needed. Local firefighters and American Red Cross volunteers have partnered together to ask the community to “invest in the positive” at the Firefighter’s Bucket Brigade for the American  Red Cross – TODAY!  Thursday, May 26, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. These dedicated partners, that support their neighbors in times of disaster, are partnering up to ask their community to be Heroes during this fundraiser.

We always want to know more about our heroes and partners so this year we are spotlighting supporting firefighters and  Red Cross Disaster volunteers. You might only see these partners together during a disaster response or during the Firefighters’ Bucket Brigade for the American Red Cross so we are happy they  took the time to answer our questions.

Brenton Ward is the Manager of Public Relations/Public Education with the Suamico Fire Department and was kind enough to answer our questions. 

When did you know you wanted to be a firefighter? Since I was a little kid.

What do most people not know about your job? The amout of time, planning and coordination that goes into making PR/Pub Ed events a success.

What are you most proud of?  That is a hard question.  I would have to say my girlfriend Kim and her Son, Trent.  They put up a lot of time taken away by me doing this.

Why are you volunteering to participate in the Firefighters’ Bucket Brigade? To give back to my community.

What have you learned about the Red Cross by working with them? Nice people, easy to work with.  They really do what ever they can to help people.

Who’s your Hero? And why? My Hero…..  Hmmmm….. That would have to be my Dad.  He has always been there and formed me to be the being I am today.

For more information and a list of Bucket Brigade locations across northeast Wisconsin, please visit http://www.newredcross.org.

National CPR and AED Awareness Week is June 1-7

National CPR and AED Awareness Week is June 1-7 and spotlights how lives can be saved if more Americans know CPR and how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). 

It is especially important to arm yourself and your employees with the ability to save lives by getting trained in CPR and the proper use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Want to learn more? Attend one of our CPR and AED Awareness Week Seminars.

• Learn about how you can benefit from specialized training provided by the American Red Cross including First Aid, CPR, and Automated External Defibrillator training courses.
• Learn about the NEW “Citizen CPR” course, a 30-Minute skills training that teaches “hands-only” CPR. 
• A representative from Cardiac Science will also be on hand to present valuable information about Automated External Defibrillators!
• Register to win a FREE AED courtesy of Cardiac Science.

 Wednesday, June 1 , 2011

Fond du Lac, WI

7:30 a.m.    Breakfast

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.  Presentation

272 N. Main Street — Fond du Lac, WI

R.S.V.P. by 5/30/11  by calling 920-922-3450. Space is limited 

Oshkosh, WI

11:30 a.m.     Lunch

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.  Presentation

Tower West Building, 515 S. Washburn Street — Oshkosh, WI

R.S.V.P. by 5/30/11 by calling 920-231-3590. Space is limited.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Green Bay, WI

7:30 a.m.    Breakfast

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.  Presentation

2131 Deckner Avenue — Green Bay, WI

R.S.V.P. by 5/30/11 by calling 920-227-4290. Space is limited. 

Appleton, WI

11:30 a.m.     Lunch

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.  Presentation

1302 E. Wisconsin Avenue — Appleton, WI

R.S.V.P. by 5/30/11 by calling 920-733-4481. Space is limited.

For additional information go to www.newredcross.org

Heartbreak for Hope Telethon Continues……

The Heartbreak for Hope telethon kicked off at Noon and we are going strong into the 6:00pm hour. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far. We can’t begin to thank you enough!

There is still time to make a financial contribution.

Call 920-436-9027 (local) or 888-769-5511 to donate. Our volunteers are standing by waiting for your call!

Thank you to the WBAY anchors and crew for your support in helping raise the needed dollars to provide support for people down the block and across the country who have been impacted for disasters.

HEARTBREAK to HOPE TELETHON

Volunteers are ready for your call!!

Whether it’s a national disaster or a family emergency, the American Red Cross is always there to help.

And on Tuesday, May 24, WBAY-TV is asking its viewers to be there for the American Red Cross.

WBAY-TV is devoting the afternoon and night to promote the Red Cross and all it does locally and nationally.

Find out what you can do, how you can donate your time or money, to bolster local Disaster Relief funds and help the thousands of victims here at home, and across the country.

This special coverage begins with Action 2 News at Noon and a special half-hour program at 12:30.

We’ll have live reports every half-hour and throughout Action 2 News at Four, Five, Six, and Ten.

Please help us on this mission to turn HEARTBREAK to HOPE.

To make a donation call:  Call 920-436-9027 (local Green Bay) or 888-769-5511 to donate.

Abrams Firefighter asks Northeast WI to Invest In the Positive

With the recent storms across the nation and an unprecedented number of local disasters, the American Red Cross needs financial support and Rick Race, Assistant Chief and Training Officer with the Abrams Fire Department, is one of many stepping up to help. Last year the local firefighter and the Abrams Fire Department joined the Firefighters’ Bucket Brigade to Benefit the American Red Cross as several fire departments asked their neighbors to invest in the positive.

The Abrams Fire Department was the only fire department with a collection site at a gas station and they took advantage of their unique location by pumping gas to increase donations. This year Abrams Fire Department is offering its support again and so is Race.

He will be assisting both  WBAY’s Heartbreak to Hope Telethon on Tuesday, May 24 and The Firefighters’ Bucket Brigade to Benefit the American Red Cross on Thursday, May 26 in an effort to ask the community to come to the aid of the American Red Cross so it can ensure programs that help individuals and families in times of disaster are appropriately funded.

Last year, we asked the Abrams Firefighter a few questions to learn why he supported the important fundraiser. Race has been a volunteer fire fighter in Northeast Wisconsin for 14 years. The first ten were with the Village of Howard Fire Department and now he is with the town of Abrams Fire Department.

When did you know you wanted to be a firefighter?About 14 years ago, after talking to a friend about his experience with the Howard fire department.

What do most people not know about your job? The amount of hours of training it takes to be a volunteer fire fighter.

What are you most proud of? The fact fact that I give back to the community by being there when they need me. Also, the training we do in the local grade school.

Why are you volunteering to participate in the Firefighters’ Bucket Brigade? The Red Cross is always there when we call for the victims and for us so its my way of giving back for all they do.

What have you learned about the Red Cross by working with them? That there is a lot more going on behind the scene than anyone knows. Like the amount of time the volunteers put in to help people they don’t even know.

Who’s your Hero? And why? My dad, For teaching me to be a person and helping when needed.

Watch for Rick Race on WBAY’s Heartbreak to Hope Telethon. You will also find Rick Race and our other heroes at  the Firefighters’ Bucket Brigade for the American Red Cross on  May 26, 2011 – 4p.m.-7p.m.  

For more information and a list of Bucket Brigade locations across northeast Wisconsin, please visit http://www.newredcross.org.

Invest in the positive. Indulge in helping others

Disasters and the American Red Cross Bring the World Closer

By Marcie Kobriger, WBAY-TV 2 – Click HERE to see video of story

This most recent rash of severe weather has put an additional strain on an already strapped American Red Cross.

Although it’s hundreds of miles away from any recent tornado touchdowns, the Lakeland Chapter of the Red Cross is anticipating its response to the disasters.

Jody Weyers knows well, in times of disaster the world becomes a little smaller. As volunteer and communications director at the Lakeland Chapter, she’s been fielding phone calls from people ready to answer the call to volunteer and from local people worried about loved ones in areas devastated by recent severe weather.

While the situations in Joplin, Missouri, and Minneapolis are still unfolding, the local chapters are in a holding pattern.

“The American Red Cross is assessing exactly what the situation is, and then from there communication will go out to the chapters throughout the United States and we’ll determine what the needs are,” Weyers said.

With the death toll in Joplin rising, its already been determined a number of mental health workers will be needed on-site.

Two local volunteers who had been deployed to flooding in Louisiana are already on their way.

“Some of us will also be going into the neighborhoods to provide emotional support where the people are,” Shirley Senarighi told us by phone.

The Lakeland Chapter expects to mobilize more volunteers soon and is asking the people of Northeast Wisconsin to give – in order to help people here and those who may be closer than you think.

“People have loved ones all over. You think it’s so far away but it’s really not,” Weyers said.

The Heartbreak to Hope telethon for the American Red Cross starts on WBAY-TV 2 at noon and runs through 10:30 Tuesday, May 24.