Q90 Pints of Summer

Are you up for a challenge? Help save lives this summer and take part in the Q90 Pints of Summer challenge by donating blood or platelets with the American Red Cross.

The Q90 Pints of Summer kicks off just after Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day. Record your donation on behalf of Q90 FM when you donate blood or platelets at any Red Cross blood drive or donation center. The goal is to collect 90 donations before Labor Day!

Donors in Brown County, Wis. are asked to
sign the One-A-Week Blood Donor Club sign-in sheet (located in the refreshment area) to indicate that they’re donating on behalf of Q90 FM. Tune in to the Q Breakfast Club with Kid and Scotty every Monday beginning on June 3rd, at approximately 7:50 a.m. as they’ll announce the names of local lifesavers and interview a Red Cross representative.

Team up with friends and family to make it more fun and exciting. Who’s ready to kick start this summer challenge?

To find upcoming donation opportunities in the Q90 FM listening area, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org.

American Red Cross Featured on CW 14 Focus

Click HERE for video of program.

Sunday, May 19 on CW 14 Focus host Robert Hornacek was joined by two guests from the American Red Cross.

Bob Mayer, health and safety logistics coordinator, and Jody Weyers, regional director of volunteers and communications, both from the American Red Cross, appeared on the program.

Mayer and Weyers spoke about the mission and work or the American Red Cross, including the group’s disaster relief services, blood donations program and community education programs.

• Click here for more on the American Red Cross including ways you can help

They also spoke about the need for volunteers and about the many different types of work volunteers can do with the Red Cross.

CW 14 Focus is a weekly, half-hour interview program that focuses on the issues important to people in northeast Wisconsin. Each week, Robert Hornacek will sit down with a different guest and go beyond the sound bites. The program will highlight the people making a difference in the community and give viewers an opportunity to get in depth perspective. CW 14 airs Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

Resources for the Hilltop Place Apartment Fire

Thank you to the generosity of the community to help those impacted by the Hilltop Place Apartment fire in Allouez. As of tonight, Friday, May 24 we have assisted 56 adults and 12 children.  We will continue to contact and work with clients to meet their emergency needs through the weekend.

Here is a list of ways people can help and resources that are available to those impacted:

1. American Red Cross of Northeast Wisconsin 

If you have been displaced:  Contact our office at 920-468-8535.

If you would like to make a monetary donation:

• Call 1-800 Red Cross (1-800-733-2797)
• Go online to: http://www.redcross.org
• Mail/drop off check to:  2131 Deckner Ave, Green Bay, WI 54302

2. Donations for clients/drop off site

St. Matthews Church at 2589 S. Webster

Tuesday, May 28 and Wednesday, May 29

1:00pm-3:00p and 6:00pm-8:00pm

For additional information contact Penny Dart at 920-639-6870

3. Donations/Drop off site 

Resource One Realty in DePere at 1740 E. Matthew Dr, De Pere

Call Amanda Thompson at 920-471-3875 for drop off and pick up times.

Safety Tips for Memorial Day!

The long Memorial Day holiday weekend is on the horizon and for many, plans will include taking to the highway, pulling out the grill and having a backyard barbecue. The American Red Cross has steps everyone can follow to stay safe whatever their plans include.

DRIVE SAFELY

With more people on the roads, it’s important to drive safely. Be well rested and alert, use seat belts, observe speed limits and follow the rules of the road. If plans include drinking alcohol, designate a driver who won’t drink.

Other tips for a safe trip include:

• Give one’s full attention to the road.  Avoid distractions such as cell phones.
• Don’t follow another vehicle too closely.
• Use caution in work zones.
• Make frequent stops.
• Clean the vehicle’s lights and windows to help the driver see, especially at night.
• Turn the headlights on as dusk approaches, or during inclement weather. Don’t overdrive the headlights.

GRILLING SAFETY

The Red Cross offers these tips to stay safe while cooking those tasty cookout treats:

• Never grill indoors – not in the house, camper, tent, or any enclosed area.
• Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use, and make sure everyone, including the pets, stays away from the grill.
• Keep the grill out in the open, away from the house, deck, tree branches or anything that could catch fire.
• Keep the chef safe by using the long-handled tools especially made for cooking on the grill.
• Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.
• Be ready to close the lid and turn off the grill to cut off the fuel if necessary.
• Keep a fireproof pan under the grill to catch any falling ash or grease.
• Trim excess fat from meat to avoid flare-ups.
• Wash one’s hands in hot soapy water before preparing food, after touching raw meat and after any interruptions such as using the bathroom, handling pets, stopping to do something with children.

DOWNLOAD FIRST AID APP

Another thing people can do is download the FREE Red Cross first aid app which puts expert advice for everyday emergency at someone’s fingertips. The free app is available for direct download from Apple or Google Play for Android app stores.

Your Top Three Disaster Related Questions Answered

In times of disaster people have many questions on what is the best way to help.  Here are the answers to the top three questions we are receiving regarding the tornadoes in Oklahoma.

If you have additional questions, please let us know by calling 920-468-8535.  

Q: How can I volunteer and help the tornado victims?

A: We appreciate the offers to volunteer, but right now we have enough trained disaster workers in Oklahoma to help. Please consider, contacting your local Red Cross chapter to get trained so that you might be able to help in the future. Please visit www.redcross.org/support/volunteer/disaster-volunteer for more information.

Q: Why won’t the Red Cross take small quantities of donated goods?

A:  After a disaster, financial donations are the quickest and best way to get help to the people who need it most. The Red Cross isn’t equipped to handle a large influx of donations like household items, clothing or food that may or may not be useful to victims. It takes time and money to sort, process, transport and then distribute donated items—whereas financial donations can be accessed quickly and put to use right away. Plus, financial donations allow us to be flexible in the help that we provide and ensure we can provide what people need most. As an added benefit, financial donations allow the Red Cross and disaster victims to purchase items locally, stimulating the economy of the disaster-affected area.

Even a small financial donation can go further than you might think. For instance, $2 can provide a snack to a child who just lost his or her home, and $10 can provide a hot meal to that same child. You can help people affected by disasters by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Q: Does the Red Cross need blood donations?

A: The Red Cross stands ready to help meet the blood needs of patients in and around Oklahoma City if needed. There is currently enough blood on the shelves to meet patient demands. However, those with type O negative blood are encouraged to give blood when they are able. The role of Red Cross Blood Services in this response is as a secondary supplier of blood products to area hospitals.

All eligible blood donors can schedule an appointment to give in the days and weeks ahead by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or visiting redcrossblood.org. With many people scheduling appointments to give blood, redcrossblood.org may run slower and wait times on 1-800-RED CROSS may be longer than usual. No Red Cross facilities were affected by the storms, but some blood drives may be canceled as recovery and clean-up begins. To find out if a blood drive has been canceled or to reschedule an appointment to give blood or platelets, call 1-800-RED CROSS.

Red Cross Helping Oklahoma Tornado Victims With Shelter, Food, Relief Supplies

The American Red Cross is working around the clock to help people in Oklahoma after Monday’s devastating tornadoes with shelters, food, water and supplies, and more workers, supplies and equipment are moving into the area today.

“Our thoughts and sympathy are with all those impacted by these horrific tornadoes,” said Trevor Riggen, vice president of Disaster Operations and Logistics for the Red Cross. “Specialized Red Cross disaster teams are helping now and will be helping for weeks to come as people in Oklahoma recover from these storms.”

from twitter account of: @redcrossokc – Red Cross Oklahoma

The Red Cross deployed almost 30 emergency response vehicles to distribute food and relief supplies and more are on alert. Two Southern Baptist Convention kitchens and kitchen support trailers will join the relief effort with the ability to serve tens of thousands of meals a day. Emergency aid stations will open where people can get food and snacks, mental health and health services and information about what help is available. The Red Cross is supporting first responders and working with local and state officials to make sure people get the help they need. Meanwhile, the Red Cross continues to provide shelter in Shawnee and other parts of the Oklahoma City area following storms over the weekend.

SAFE AND WELLThe Red Cross has several ways people can let loved ones know they are safe. They can register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website by visiting www.redcross.org and clicking on the “List Yourself or Search Registrants” link under “How to Get Help”. Those who can’t access a computer can call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) and a Red Cross operator can help them register. Disaster victims can also update their Facebook and Twitter status through the Safe and Well website or visit www.redcross.org/safeandwell on their smart phone and clickon the “List Yourself as Safe and Well” or “Search for friends and family” link.

DOWNLOAD TORNADO APP. If someone has the Red Cross tornado app on their mobile device, they can use the “I’m Safe” button to let loved ones know they are okay. The app can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Androidby searching for American Red Cross. It includes a high-pitched siren and tornado warning alert that signals when a NOAA tornado warning has been issued, as well as also an all-clear alert that lets users know when a tornado warning has expired or has been cancelled. Content is preloaded so users have access to critical information even without mobile connectivity, including locations of open Red Cross shelters and the one-touch “I’m Safe” messaging to let loved ones know they are okay through social media outlets. More than a million alerts were sent from the Red Cross tornado app with 340 separate tornado warning/watch notices on Sunday and Monday as tornadoes hit in Oklahoma and other states.

HOW TO HELPThose who would like to help people affected by disasters like tornadoes, floods and other crises can make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. People can donate by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. These donations help provide food, shelter and emotional support to those affected by disasters.

BLOOD SUPPLIESThe Red Cross stands ready to help meet the blood needs of patients in and around Oklahoma City if needed, and there is currently enough blood on the shelves to meet patient demands. The Red Cross is a secondary supplier of blood products to hospitals in the affected area in Oklahoma. People with type O negative blood are encouraged to give blood when they are able. All eligible blood donors can schedule an appointment to give in the days and weeks ahead by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or visiting www.redcrossblood.org to help ensure blood is available when people need it.

CORPORATIONS HELP The Red Cross is able to respond quickly when emergencies like this happen with the help of corporations who are members of the organization’s Annual Disaster Giving (ADGP) and Disaster Responder programs. Program members pledge donations on an ongoing basis to allow the Red Cross to pre-position supplies and be ready to take immediate action when disasters occur.

Current ADGP members are:

3M; Altria Group; Aon; AT&T; Bank of America; BNY Mellon; Briggs & Stratton Corporation; Caterpillar Inc.; CHS Foundation; Cisco Foundation; Citi Foundation; The Clorox Company; Community Safety Foundation funded by AAA Northern California, Nevada and Utah Insurance Exchange; ConAgra Foods Foundation; Costco Wholesale Corporation; Darden Restaurants, Inc.; Dell Inc.; Discover; Disney; Dr Pepper Snapple Group; Edison International; FedEx Corporation; GE Foundation; Hewlett-Packard Company Foundation; The Home Depot Foundation; Humble Bundle; jcpenney; John Deere Foundation; Johnson Controls; Kimberly-Clark Corporation; Kraft Foods Group; Lowe’s Companies, Inc.; Medtronic; Meijer; Merck Co. Foundation; Mondelēz International; National Grid; Nationwide Insurance Foundation; Northrop Grumman; Optum; PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation; Southwest Airlines; Sprint; State Farm; State Street; Target; Texas Instruments; The TJX Companies, Inc.; UnitedHealthcare; University of Phoenix; UPS; US Airways; Walmart; WellPoint Foundation; Wells Fargo.

Disaster Responder members include:

American Express; AstraZeneca; AXA Foundation; Delta Air Lines; Farmers Insurance; Ford Motor Company; General Motors Foundation; H&R Block; Ingersoll Rand; Morgan Stanley; New Balance Foundation; Northwestern Mutual and the Northwestern Mutual Foundation; PuroClean; Ryder Charitable Foundation; Starbucks Coffee Company and Starbucks Foundation; Sunoco; Tyson Foods, Inc.; U.S. Bank; Western Union Foundation.

About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visitredcross.orgor visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

Red Cross Helping Tornado Victims Across the Midwest

Our thoughts and concerns go to everyone in Oklahoma following this horrific tornado.

The American Red Cross has one shelter open in Moore and is working on locating others; we continue to operate three shelters that were opened Sunday in the Oklahoma City area following the storms on Sunday.

Red Cross volunteers are out tonight with food and supplies supporting first responders.

More than 25 emergency response vehicles are positioned to move at first light Tuesday, and we expect that the number will increase. The Red Cross is also sending in kitchen support trailers to support the upcoming operation to provide meals to those forced out of their homes.

People in Oklahoma near the tornado area are encouraged to connect with one another and let loved ones know that they are safe. This can be done through the I’m Safe feature of the free Red Cross tornado app. In addition, if you have access to a computer, go to redcross.org/safeandwell to list yourself as safe. If not, you can text loved ones or call a family member and ask them to register you on the site.

This has been a major disaster, and the Red Cross will be there for the people in this state and this community. People who wish to make a donation to support the Red Cross response can visit redcross.org, dial 1-800-REDCROSS or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

DINE-OUT TO SUPPORT DISASTER RELIEF

Local Restaurants & Patrons Pair Taste-buds and Disaster Relief Together

Now in its sixth year, more than 100 participating eateries will participate in Dine for Disaster throughout Eastern Wisconsin, from the Illinois border, to Upper Peninsula Michigan communities. On Thursday, May 16, 2013, participants will donate a portion of sales to benefit their local American Red Cross disaster relief and community disaster prevention & education.

While the Red Cross responds to big disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes each year, the most frequent threat people face is a fire in their own home. In fact, Disaster Action Team workers respond to an emergency every nine minutes around the United States. Locally, it was nearly 500 last year!

Just this past weekend, it was seven fire calls!  Red Cross responders turn compassion into action. They form a dynamic team that is empowered to deal with crises throughout our communities. When a disaster strikes, we provide a place to sleep, warm meals, clothing, emotional support and hope. Through the support of our communities, we can offer individuals and families basic emergency needs to recovery guidance.

Dave Jones, Director of Operations for McDonald’s in Racine and Pat Beimborn, co-owner of Los Banditos in Green Bay are co-chairing Dine for Disaster 2013. Both have a personal reason for supporting the organization. WI.  “Many years ago, my family had an emergency.” Dave Jones continued, “The Red Cross was there for me when I needed it and now I will always try to be there to help the Red Cross when I can.” During college Beimborn started donating blood and was later on the volunteer Board of Directors. He had a front-row seat to the depth of commitment and passion the staff and volunteers have for the mission. “They set an example for the spirit of caring for others, most of whom they will never know, that is so much a part of the culture of this area. Whether it’s a fire, a blood drive or a natural disaster, Red Cross volunteers are always ready and willing to lend a helping hand. Those volunteers aren’t looking for recognition. They just seem to know that it’s the right thing to do and they’re glad to do it.”  Beimborn continued, “…and for local restaurants to recognize their commitment to the community is a natural fit.”

For the third year, Society Insurance is the corporate sponsor for Dine for Disaster. Their financial support provides promotional materials for the participants.

Check the website for a list of participating restaurants: www.redcross.org/dinefordisasterwisconsin

About Local Chapters:

The Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter of the American Red Cross serves eight counties with a goal to prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. To learn more about Red Cross programs, volunteer opportunities, and how you can help, contact the Chapter at 414-342-8680 or visit redcross.org/sewisconsin on the web, twitter.com/RedCrossSeWi and facebook.com/RedCross.SoutheastWI and our blog redcrosssewiblog.org.

The Northeast Wisconsin Chapter serves 20-counties throughout northeast Wisconsin and the Michigan boarder communities. To learn more about Red Cross programs, volunteer opportunities, and how you can help, contact your local office or the regional headquarters at 920-231-3590 or visit  http://www.redcross.org/newisconsin, on Facebook (American Red Cross – Northeast Wisconsin Region), Twitter (NEWRedCross) and our blog (newredcrossblog.org).

You’re Not Going to Want to Miss This: Trace Adkins Teams Up with American Red Cross!

Wow! What an end to All Star Celebrity Apprentice. The last two contestants are standing and it’s Trace Adkins and Penn Jillette! Penn’s a great competitor, but we love Trace and the voice he’s given to disaster victims the last several weeks. All of us at the Red Cross are so proud of Trace and what he’s accomplished on behalf of our organization and all the people we serve. He’s represented the Red Cross with integrity and lots of heart and we’re cheering him on to the finish line.

We’re not just cheering him on, we’re ready to put our money where our mouth is-literally-and we hope you will too. This week’s task involved Trace and Penn developing custom ice cream flavors for the Walgreens Delish brand. Team Trace developed “Maple Macadamia Mash Up“, based on his favorite candy flavor-maple nut. (Team Trace also had to create a commercial for the ice cream, which featured Gary Busey busting a move because the ice cream is so good. I can’t wait to see the final product next week.)

If Trace’s flavor is the top seller this week, he’ll win an extra $100,000 for the Red Cross and disaster victims around the nation. That’s 10,000 meals for disaster victims or 20,000 blankets for people who stay in our shelters. That also means you don’t have to ask me twice to buy ice cream.

(Green Bay) Kace, Nevaeh, and Cienna enjoying their Maple Macadamia Mash Up ice cream!

So get yourself down to a Walgreens store this week and pick up Maple Macadamia Mash Up. When you do, make sure you tweet some photos of yourself enjoying that creamy goodness. Not only will you help the Red Cross and propel Trace to the top of the boardroom, but you can also rest assured that, somewhere in America, Gary Busey is doing a happy dance. That should make everyone smile.

A Simple Message of Thank You…….

By Lisa Stanchfield, Program Services Specialist

Thursday, May 2 we responded to a fire that displaced 30 people in Fond du Lac.

On Friday, during the day we had about half of those people, adults and kids in our back room until we could work with the family on where we were putting them for the weekend.

We gave the children coloring books to use, I rented some movies, but one of the things they like was drawing on the dry erase board. I found the message that one of the children left on the dry erase board rather touching.

These are the moments I really appreciate working for such a great organization.