American Red Cross joins as a Charity Partner for the Packers 5K

Posted on July 31, 2010 by American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter

Over 3,000 runners and walkers will kickoff training camp weekend by participating in the Packers 5K Run/Walk. Start from the Lambeau Field parking lot, run through side streets surrounding Lambeau Field, run around the rubber track of Lambeau Field and finish on a replica 50-yard line constructed in the parking lot!  

On Tuesday, the American Red Cross received the call that the Packers needed additional volunteers to assist with course corner safety. Within 24 hours we had 29 volunteer lined up to assist the Packers with this opportunity.

“What can I say, we have some of the best volunteers,” said Jody Weyers, Volunteer and Communications Director, American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the following non-profit groups:

  American Red Cross Lakeland  Chapter

  Boys and Girls Club

  Big Brothers Big Sisters

  Volunteer Center of Green Bay

  YWCA

  Anxiety Disorder Foundation

  My Team Triumph

Date:
July 31, 2010 at 10AM

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Additional Stories of the Red Cross at Work

Posted on July 29, 2010 by American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter

Red Cross Helping Flood Victims: The Red Cross is providing food, shelter, and clean up kits to Milwaukee residents.

CLICK HERE  to view video:

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Brew City Flood: Red Cross Aids Victims

Posted on July 29, 2010 by American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter

By George Mallet – TMJ4: CLICK HERE  for Video of Story

MILWAUKEE – Marie Irby is 77-years-old and living on her Social Security check.  When the foundation of her North 19th Place home washed away in a sea of sewage last week, she felt helpless.  Though she still tends the perfect garden behind her condemned home, she is frustrated.
 
“They are saying now I can’t live in the house,” she says as she stands in front of her tidy cottage.  “I still want my own house.  I want somewhere to go.  I don’t have money to start all over again.”
 
Irby believes the city bears some responsibility for the destruction of her home.  After all, it wasn’t rain water that washed away the structure; it was sewage backing up in her basement drains.  Angry tears fill her eyes when she talks about what she sees as a bumbling bureaucracy responsible for the mess she must now deal with. That’s when a brief moment of contentment begins for the enfeebled woman.  An American Red Cross truck pulls up and begins serving chicken dinners to all those struggling to clean up their sewage-soaked homes.
 
“A lot of people are cleaning up, but you forget to take care of yourself,” says the Red Cross’s Shannon Hext as she stands beside Irby’s home.  “You forget to eat.”
 
Marie Irby collects one of the foam trays containing a tasty, hot meal.  The food may be enough to fortify her.  She vows to fight for her condemned home.
 
“If they tear it down, they’re going to tear it down with me sitting on my porch, cause I’m not going nowhere!” She exclaims as she sits on that same porch.
 
The best way to help the Red Cross continue its important work is to make a cash donation.  The Red Cross is also eager to add volunteers willing to undergo training for disaster relief.

 

How You Can Help: You can help people affected by disasters like floods, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, 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 www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.  Contributions may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

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Thank you Festival Foods for your Support Locally & Internationally

Posted on July 28, 2010 by American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter

(L-R) Mark Skogen, CEO Festival Foods, Jody Weyers, Volunteer and Communcations Director, American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter, and Steve Hansen, Northeast Wisconsin American Red Cross Regional Chapter Executive.

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American Red Cross Responds to Wisconsin Floods

Posted on July 28, 2010 by American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter

Disaster volunteers working around-the-clock to help the people of Wisconsin

Even after days of disaster relief efforts, American Red Cross volunteers and staff are still assisting families affected by flooding across the state.

 Hundreds of volunteers have distributed more than 2,700 clean up kits, which include a variety of clean-up items such as a squeegee, mop, bleach, gloves, and more. Red Cross workers have also served more than 4,000 meals at the shelter, distribution sites and on Emergency Response Vehicles traveling into damaged areas. Casework, Mental Health Services and Health Services volunteers have and continue to work with those affected to make sure their short-term and long-term needs are met.

One of many heartwarming examples of Red Cross compassion includes the Howard family who arrived cold and wet at the Glenn Hills Middle School shelter, with only one thing on their minds—staying together. Their wish was fulfilled, as they found cots, warm blankets and caring volunteers.  “It’s been so nice, that we’ve been able to stay together. This was the best place for us,” Mrs. Howard says with a smile. “Reality is setting in. We lost so much, like our baby pictures in the basement. We’ll never get those back. But the most important thing was that we were able to stay together.”

How You Can Help: You can help people affected by disasters like floods, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, 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 www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.  Contributions may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. 

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.

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Red Cross in Pulaski Polka Days Parade!

Posted on July 27, 2010 by American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter

This past weekend Pulaski, celebrated, its 32nd Annual Polka Days, a celebration of the community near and far of their polish heritage. Sunday kicked off with a parade going through downtown Pulaski for all the community to enjoy.

 This year, Jan Traversa, Disaster Team Volunteer and her family, participated on behalf of the American Red Cross.

 Thank You Pulaski, for having the American Red Cross participate in the Pulaski Polka Days Parade.

 Here are Jan’s words on her experience:

 I drove the ERV (emergency response vehicle) while my grandkids Emily, Riley and Rachel passed out candy in the parade. My husband, Jerry helped with the kids. 

 I was able to drive and wave and see the expressions on people’s faces. I was shocked to see how many we have helped waving and thanking me. I was amazed to see people actually stand up and applaud as I drove by…I couldn’t believe it! You know how emotional I am…I was choked up a LOT! One man yelled “You have a head light out!” I said “Really?” and he ran up to the truck and said “Just kidding, I just wanted to say thanks for all you do.” OMG!

 The whole day was awesome. I can’t wait till next year. We will need more candy though! :)

 Thanks again, it was a great day. We also provided water and ice to a bunch of people from our own cooler. We brought a cooler for the kids but many more people needed it and we were glad to help.

 One lady said that since we were disaster services could we get more port-a-potties! Ha !  – Jan

 Thank You Jan and thank you to your family for being so supportive of the American Red Cross and always willing to lend a hand to those in need. We are so lucky to have great volunteers like you!

 

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Red Cross Volunteers Respond to Help Local Flooded Residents

Posted on July 26, 2010 by American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter

Learn what the American Red Cross Southeastern Chapter has done to help those affected by the floods

This photo was taken at about 6 pm in front of my house on West Chateau Place. on the western edge of Whitefish Bay. Photo Credit: Scott Sager - Whitefish Bay , WI

American Red Cross volunteers are responding to help residents affected by the local flooding. On Thursday night, volunteers opened three shelters and assisted approximately 100 people who stayed overnight. Shelters remain open at Glen Hills Middle School, 2600 West Mill Road, in Milwaukee and at our chapter office, 2600 W. Wisconsin Avenue, in Milwaukee.

To help those cleaning up their homes, volunteers distributed more than 700 clean up kits, which contain gloves, bleach and other supplies, on Friday. If you need clean up kits, please contact our chapter at 414-342-8680. In the coming days, volunteers will also be traveling into the most severely affected areas with clean up kits and food and water.

If your home has been flooded, follow these flood safety tips when reentering your home:

  • Return home only when officials have declared the area safe.
  • Before entering your home, look outside for loose power lines, damaged gas lines, foundation cracks or other damage.
  • Parts of your home may be collapsed or damaged. Approach entrances carefully. See if porch roofs and overhangs have all their supports.
  • Watch out for wild animals, especially poisonous snakes that may have come into your home with the floodwater.
  • If you smell natural or propane gas or hear a hissing noise, leave immediately and call the fire department.
  • If power lines are down outside your home, do not step in puddles or standing water.
  • Keep children and pets away from hazardous sites and floodwater.
  • Materials such as cleaning products, paint, batteries, contaminated fuel and damaged fuel containers are hazardous. Check with local authorities for assistance with disposal to avoid risk.
  • During cleanup, wear protective clothing, including rubber gloves and rubber boots.
  • Make sure your food and water are safe. Discard items that have come in contact with floodwater, including canned goods, water bottles, plastic utensils and baby bottle nipples. When in doubt, throw it out!
  • Do not use water that could be contaminated to wash dishes, brush teeth, prepare food, wash hands, make ice or make baby formula.
  • Contact your local or state public health department for specific recommendations for boiling or treating water in your area after a disaster as water may be contaminated.

How you can help

Help people affected by disasters like the recent flooding by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for disasters and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to victims of all disasters. Call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter. Internet users can make a secure online contribution.

 

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Red Cross Helps Assess Latest Winnebago County Flood Damage

Posted on July 23, 2010 by American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter

By Emily Matesic, WBAY TV-2-Click HERE to view video

Pat Schaeve, employee of US Bank, Ready When the Time Comes volunteer doing damage assesment door-to-door in Neenah, WI.

Even though the worst part of Thursday’s storms went south, parts of the Fox Valley and Winnebago County were also hit again by heavy rains and flooding.

Debris at the curb is a familiar sight along streets in Winnebago County as the soaking rain caused flooding damage to homes yet again.

That’s where Jim Thome and a team of American Red Cross volunteers he’s leading come in, to assess the damage.

The team of four is going door-to-door, talking with residents whose homes were flooded Thursday, asking questions like how much and what kind of water seeped inside, like rain water or sewage.

“It’s mostly basement damage, and of course people that didn’t have living quarters in the basement aren’t as bad off as those who did,” Thome said.

By charting the amount of water each home in this neighborhood had, these volunteers are the first step in getting aid back to the area.

“We’ll compile the information that we have and turn it over to the red cross who may use that in the future in the case that we get a disaster relief fund going,” Thome said.

The information collected Friday will also be handed over to Winnebago County officials who will process it and turn it over to the state.

“We are going to take the information, the addresses they provide, and the level of water in the home, and we’re going to input that in a computer program which helps us calculate the dollar amount when it comes to the damage that the county has incurred,” Winnebago County Emergency Management deputy director Bill Curtis said.

Accurate numbers will help to bring assistance back to the affected areas.

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American Red Cross Responds to Wisconsin Floods

Posted on July 23, 2010 by American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter

Disaster volunteers working around-the-clock to help the people of Wisconsin

Jo and Chuck Patzer, volunteers, going door-to-door completing a damage assesment interview with Neenah resident Kim Foate.

WI, July 23, 2010 – Flood, fire and wind created a whirlwind disaster response activity for multiple American Red Cross Chapters across the state. Throughout Wisconsin, trained volunteers have traveled across the state to open shelters, distribute clean-up kits, conduct disaster assessments and support the emergency needs of those affected by the storms. Red Cross volunteers have also supported emergency crews with water, Gatorade, snacks and shelter.

All disaster assistance is free. For instance, clean-up kits are being distributed at Red Cross offices as well as by volunteers going door-to-door. Each kit includes a variety of clean-up items such as a squeegee, mop, bleach, gloves, and more.

Please consider making a donation to our National Disaster Relief fund to help the people affected across the state of Wisconsin. Three ways to donate include:

  • Visit www.redcross.org to donate online
  • Call 1-800-RED-CROSS
  • Or by texting REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10.00 donation

Help people affected by disasters like the recent floods and tornadoes by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for disasters and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to victims of all disasters. Call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting redcross.org.

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.

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Blood drives are like Christmas.

Posted on July 22, 2010 by American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter

Youth Blogger: Hannah B.

Canteen area at this year's Super Donor Days!

This is the conclusion I’ve reached following a rewarding three hour shift of volunteering for the Red Cross’s “Super Donor Day” blood drive. It’s just as logical as Mike Myers’s infamous simile: “Ogres are like onions.” But for those who don’t see where I’m going with this, please allow me go into deeper detail for you.

First off, the obvious. Blood drives help aid those in need of additional blood by building up the supply of blood available for transfusions. These would be those people receiving gifts on Christmas. Patients receiving transplants, surgeries, cancer patients, premature babies, burn victims, and people with blood disorders are among those whom receive the blood transfusions. This means an immense amount of blood is needed. But what shocked me the most was that out of the 38% of the population eligible to donate, only 8% actually do so. Point blank, this needs to change.

The satisfied feeling a person obtains when they see a friend or family member unwrap a gift that he or she picked out and seeing their face light up can easily be compared to the after-feeling of giving blood. Blood donors and blood drive volunteers compare to those giving the gifts on Christmas. It’s difficult to imagine the holiday season without these people. In fact, it’s impossible. As is a blood drive without these essential citizens. Although there are requirements for height, weight, and age to donate, all volunteers are accepted. Many workers were overjoyed to have the amount of volunteers that showed up for the Super Donor Days. However, one observation disappointed me. There we five teenagers (including myself) volunteering that Thursday, and to my knowledge there was even less the previous day. It’s truly an experience that more than five of us should have. The staff more than insisted we take breaks–they made us take breaks. When we entered the “behind the scenes” area in the back there was an unbelievable amount of food—just for us volunteers! Donuts, juice, fruit, bagels, cookies, were just waiting for us to pile on our plate and pizza was on the way by noon. It’s true, we weren’t exactly worked to the bone. But with that said, helping out wasn’t any less rewarding.

At blood drives there’s an unexpected variety of volunteering offered. The majority of teenagers at the drive were musicians who played for approximately one hour shifts as donors gave blood. There are also donor aids, the most outgoing volunteers, who chat with the donors as they give blood to keep their nerves in check. Volunteers at the canteen do similar tasks; however, they not only chat with donors but distribute food (A perk to donating—they had Culvers custard and pizza!). Finally, many volunteers are needed for miscellaneous tasks such as handing out t-shirts—the station I was placed at after managing to escape the task of dressing up in the red blood drop costume to flag in donors (A perfect off-season task for those who enjoy being Santa’s elves at the mall during Christmas time. Or those merely seeking that kind of attention.)So who is up for a little bit of Christmas in August? Visit www.redcrossblood.org now to learn where to donate or volunteer at a blood drive near you.

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