Success at Club Red of NEW Kick-off event!

Club Red of NEW Executive Board (L-R): Erin Thayse, Jennesa Heiting, advisor Jody Weyers, Jenny Haas and PaKou Lee.

What a great start for Club Red of NEW! We had roughly 30 guests attend. The night started off with socializing and networking. We also had great catering services from The Marq which included delicious tomato soup shooters, barbecue meatballs, cheese spread with crackers and pita chips plus more. We heard the barbecue meatballs were a hit!

Mike Gallagher, Chairman of the Board for the Northeast Wisconsin Chapter, spoke a few words of support for the club and introduced exec member, Jenny Haas. Jenny did a great job of presenting Club Red’s mission, purpose, benefits and requirements. Jody Weyers, club advisor, also shared an inspiring quote from a new book she received that day.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman

We also gave Jenny a surprise birthday cake and sang “Happy Birthday” to her. Luckily for her, she did not get caked. Rob Anthony was the entertainment of the night. The weather was so beautiful, he played outside on the patio for us. We continued the night with exec member PaKou choosing the lucky winners of the raffle drawings and Erin, Jennesa and Jenny reading off the winning tickets. Many of our guests took home awesome prizes that included salon services, a variety of great wine bottles, cookbooks, Packers and Brewers items and more! Guests also went home with swag bags filled with Red Cross post-it notes, disaster and emergency plans, new volunteer application instructions and a Club Red calendar of events.

To view photos from the event, click here.

How to Join:

To join Club Red of NEW please register in the American Red Cross Database system: Volunteer Connection.

Instructions:

1. Register at Volunteer Connection as a new volunteer.
2. Go to: http://www.redcross.org/newisconsin
3. Click on “Volunteer” on the left-hand side of the screen.
4. Click on “Apply to Volunteer”
5. Choose the appropriate application: Adult (25+), or Young Adult (18-24)
6. Complete and application and click “submit.”
7. Check your email inbox for a welcome message as a prospective new volunteer. You will be asked to click a link, which will take you to your “Volunteer Connection” profile page. Once you successfully access your account, you will be asked to complete a series of steps to complete the registration process.

If you have trouble registering or questions, please contact Volunteer Director, Jody Weyers at 920-227-4287 or jody.weyers@redcross.org.If you are already a Red Cross volunteer, please let Jody know you are interested in joining and she will add you to the Club Red group in Volunteer Connection.

First Club Red Meeting:
Our first club meeting will be on Wednesday, October 29th at 5:30p.m. in Green Bay*. Place of meeting is TBD. We will be discussing:

• Upcoming events
• Leadership/mentor and networking opportunities
• What you expect to get out of Club Red
• Volunteer Connection navigation

*Please note that our meeting locations will rotate between the Green Bay and Appleton area so others can attend.

Special thanks to:

• Our kick-off sponsor, United Healthcare
• Food catering and event location, The Marq by Festival
• Music artist, Rob Anthony

 

Thank you to everyone who attended the event! We had a great turn out!

Give. Guide. Provide.

Welcome Americorps Member: Caitlin Schenck

By Caitlin Schenck, Americorps Member 

My name is Caitlin Schenck and I am a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay where I completed two bachelor’s degrees in three years’ time.  I received a B.S. in Environmental Policy and Planning, a B.A. in Political Science and my minor was Public Administration.  As the mother of a toddler, I was unable to become as involved as I would have liked to be during years at UWGB, I was able to gain some amazing work and volunteer experiences when my schedule allowed me to do so.  The last nine months of my college career I interned with the blood services department of the American Red Cross.  When the opportunity presented itself to me, I was really excited because the Red Cross is an organization I have held near and dear to my heart for years.

Originally, I come from a small town near Wisconsin Dells, Reedsburg.  I graduated high school in 2006 and moved to Madison almost immediately after.  In 2008, what has been referred to as the 2008 Midwest Flood happened where several states including my hometown had a flood that almost bankrupted the town’s economy.  Many of my close friends lost their homes and were forced to rebuild.  The Red Cross was the first organization in town after the first responders.  All of the roads were closed for a few weeks and so much traffic was rerouted I couldn’t make it back right away to help, and to this day, I am so thankful those volunteers in the community were there to help all of my loved ones when I couldn’t.  So when I was given the opportunity to become a part of the Red Cross team here in Green Bay, and given opportunities to volunteer as well, I jumped on board and I can happily say they’ve gained a lifer out of me.

In my time as an intern, I enjoyed the work I was doing, helping out at blood drives, but the chapter end of the Red Cross and disaster services was something I was much more interested in.  Then, I got a tip from a friend that there was a part time AmeriCorps position open in Green Bay working in Disaster Preparedness.  I applied, interviewed, and have become a member with AmeriCorps.  Once again, I have the opportunity to work with the Red Cross in Disaster Preparedness and I could not be more excited for this amazing experience!  Now, I will be reaching out to community members and performing preparedness presentations, recruiting new volunteers, and assisting in the Red Cross’ Pillowcase Project which is geared toward 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th graders.  I just cannot express how excited I am to watch this next year unfold and to be able to be a part of the Red Cross family once again, gain new experiences, spread the word of the importance of preparedness and hopefully make an impact in the process.

Let’s give a warm welcome to Michelle Lippart!

We are delighted Michelle Lippart has joined our team as a Major Gifts Officer! She will have her hands full as we are responding to disasters multiple times a week, supporting our military members stateside and abroad, training thousands and saving hundreds of lives with the gift of life!

Making friends in Jamaica.

Ah, but she isn’t afraid of a challenge or to getting her hands dirty! Twice this past year, she traveled to remote areas of Jamaica and Panama to build water systems and even roads. Her passion for the volunteering brought her professional skills to us. As she says, “the non-profit world is close to my heart. So ‘why not’ make it my work too.”

While recently employed at Ripon College she raised $4 million dollars! She will focus on the greater Fox Valley philanthropic efforts and co-lead the Major Gifts Committee with Pat Exarhos. Her goals for the year include building relationships, generating partnerships and raising funds to support local initiatives and national disasters.

Michelle graduated from UW-Oshkosh and earned a master’s degree at Marian University. While she grew-up in Markesan she now resides in Neenah.

Michelle working hard at building a dam in Panama. How cool is that?!

Colorado Floods – One Year Later!

By Jody Weyers, Volunteer and Communications Director

It is hard to believe one year ago today, I was boarding a plane for Denver, CO to help tell the story of so many that were impacted by the devastating floods. Here’s a look back at the many faces who touched my life and the stories I wrote about during my deployment experience.

Monday, September 16, 2013. Red Cross shelter at the YMCA, Boulder, Colorado. Esther Peter, of Boulder, Colorado, shares her heroic story with Dr. Kathy Palakow, Psy.D., LPC, Red Cross Mental Health Worker of Boulder, CO. Photo by Hector Emanuel/American Red Cross

Monday, September 16, 2013. Red Cross shelter at Niwot High School, Niwot, Colorado. Donna Hitz, 81, of Lyons, Colorado, shares with Red Cross worker Jody Weyers of Green Bay, Wisconsin, her experience of being airlifted by a helicopter from her property to safety. Her neighbors knocked on her door to alert her to the evacuation and the next thing she knew, a helicopter was landing in her pasture. Photo by Hector Emanuel/American Red Cross

Deployment – Day 1 

Colorado Floods – Telling our Story: Part 1

 

Click HERE to the American Red Cross one year update report.

Never Forget

We all remember where we were on this day 13 years ago. It is a day that will live in our hearts and minds forever. Thoughts of comfort and support go out to the many families that lost loved ones on this tragic day.

To look back, and to never forget, here is a story from Carl Ducharme, of Green Bay, who was deployed to Ground Zero as an American Red Cross volunteer. We thank Carl, and all the volunteers who gave of their heart and soul to help those in need.

The American Red Cross Releases the Blood App

You Hold the Power to Save Lives

The American Red Cross is happy to introduce a first-of-its kind Blood Donor App that puts the power to save lives in the palm of your hand. Through the app, users can schedule appointments, track total donations, earn rewards and invite others to join them on a lifesaving team. The Blood Donor App is a great new way to help meet the constant need for blood.

The app has many exciting features including:

• Find local blood drives and donation centers quickly and easily;
• Convenient, easy appointment scheduling and rescheduling;
• Receive appointment reminders;
• Keep track of total blood donations;
• Receive special blood shortage alert messages;
• Claim rewards from participating retailers for donating blood or platelets;
• Join or create a lifesaving team, recruit other blood donors and view rankings on the Blood Donor Teams Leaderboard;
• Rate the blood donation experience;
• Follow the user’s blood donation journey from donation through delivery, when available.

This new and exciting app is free and available for download on iPhone® and Android™ devices.

September is National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month and the American Red Cross urges families to develop an emergency plan to be ready for the next emergency or disaster.

Things can happen very quickly and sometimes there are only minutes to react. Planning ahead can help keep households safe. Having an emergency plan helps families be prepared for an emergency or large-scale disaster. You can visit the Preparedness section of redcross.org to learn what steps your family can take when emergencies strike.

RED CROSS APPS Several free Red Cross mobile apps offer help creating emergency plans. Use the ‘Make a Plan’ feature in the apps to create an emergency plan and then share it with loved ones. The apps can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for Android by searching for ‘American Red Cross’. A Family Disaster Plan Template is also available for download to help make or update the plan.

HOME FIRES The most common disaster threat people face across the country is a fire in their home. National Preparedness Month is a good time to develop a fire escape plan and practice it with everyone in the household. When developing the plan, walk through the home and look at all exits and possible escape routes, including windows. List two ways to get out of every room in case fire blocks one of the paths. Pick a place to meet outside, a safe distance away and – no matter the circumstances – stay out of the home until fire officials say it is okay to go back inside. All households should practice their plan at least twice a year.

You should also install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Test the alarms monthly, replace the batteries at least once a year and replace them every ten years.

READY RATING Businesses and schools face a number of emergencies that could disrupt their operations, ranging from natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes and floods to outbreaks of illness such as the flu. The program features a website,readyrating.org, that enables businesses and organizations to measure how ready they are to deal with emergencies – and then gives instant customized feedback on how to improve. A free, self-paced membership program, Ready Rating begins with a comprehensive assessment of whether a business or organization is prepared to handle a disaster. Members score themselves on how prepared they are and receive steps they can take to improve their readiness planning. The assessment covers items from hazard vulnerability to continuity of operations and employee readiness.

 

Don’t wait! Take action this month to prepare you, your family, community and workplace!

Back to School Reminder to Secure Your Devices and Protect Personal Information

It’s that time of year again – school is back in session and many children will take with them personal devices such as smart phones, laptops and tablets. These devices have become indispensable tools in education and communication but they also contain some risk if not used properly and securely.

Since these devices commonly have personal information on them, it is important to follow good safety practices to protect these devices. Please review these tips and share them with your family to promote the secure use of personal devices.

Back To School Tips for Device Owners:

• Use password protection on all personal devices such as iPads, iPods, tablets, laptops, and smart phones.
• Never leave your personal device unattended, especially in public areas.
• Do not share passwords with friends that could give them access to your personal information and social network accounts (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
• Avoid saving or sending unflattering or personal pictures of yourself or someone else on your personal devices. Once on the internet, these will live on indefinitely.
• If using someone else’s computer or personal device make sure you log off of all of your social networking accounts when finished and always respect their privacy as well.
• Familiarize yourself with and enable applications for locating lost or stolen devices, like Apple Find My iPhone and Google Device Manager. If your personal device is stolen, report it to your local police department. Other apps, like LoJack and GadgetTrak, are also available on the third party market to assist with device location.

Observe National Sickle Cell Awareness Month this September by donating blood with the American Red Cross

Help maintain a diverse blood supply to meet the needs of all patients

 

 

The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to help ensure a stable and diverse blood supply by giving blood in honor of National Sickle Cell Awareness Month this September.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited disease that causes red blood cells to form an abnormal crescent shape. It is estimated that sickle cell disease affects as many as 100,000 people in the U.S. Many of these patients face a lifetime of blood transfusions to help reduce the risk of stroke, damage to major organs and other complications that can arise as a result of sickle cell disease.

Since blood from donors of the same ethnic background as the recipient is less likely to cause complications, the Red Cross must maintain a diverse blood supply. This is particularly important for patients like those with sickle cell disease who may require regular blood transfusions.

To help increase donations during the month of September, those who come out to donate blood or platelets throughout the month will receive a coupon by email for a free haircut at participating Sport Clips locations.

For more information or to make an appointment to donate blood, visit http://www.redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

 

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Brown County

• Sept. 2 from 1-6 p.m. at American Red Cross, 2131 Deckner Ave. in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 2 from 6:30-11:30 a.m. at Bellin Hospital, 744 S. Webster in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 3 from 12:30-5:30 p.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church, 437 Main St. in Wrightstown, Wis.
• Sept. 4 from 1-6 p.m. at American Red Cross, 2131 Deckner Ave. in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 991 Pilgrim Way in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 5 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at American Red Cross, 2131 Deckner Ave. in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 5 from 12-5 p.m. at Odd Fellows Building, 1144 Radisson St. in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 6 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at American Red Cross, 2131 Deckner Ave. in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 8 from 1-6 p.m. at American Red Cross, 2131 Deckner Ave. in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 8 from 12-5 p.m. at Resurrection Church, 333 Hilltop Road in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 9 from 1-6 p.m. at American Red Cross, 2131 Deckner Ave. in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 9 from 1-6 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, 2335 S. Webster Ave. in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 11 from 1-6 p.m. at American Red Cross, 2131 Deckner Ave. in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 11 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at University of Wisconsin Green Bay Student Union, 2420 Nicolet Drive in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 12 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 991 Pilgrim Way in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 12 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at American Red Cross, 2131 Deckner Ave. in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 13 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at American Red Cross, 2131 Deckner Ave. in Green Bay, Wis.
• Sept. 15 from 1-6 p.m. at American Red Cross, 2131 Deckner Ave. in Green Bay, Wis.

Kewaunee County

• Sept. 15 from 1-6 p.m. at St John Lutheran Church, 700 Heritage Road in Luxemburg, Wis.

Marinette County

• Sept. 8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Pine Tree Mall, 2800 Roosevelt Road in Marinette, Wis.

Oconto County

• Sept. 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 206 N. Burk in Suring, Wis.

How to donate blood

 

Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.