Give Something that Means Something - Dec. 2019

Support Red Cross to Help Someone Affected by Disaster Every Eight Minutes

Following a year of disasters affecting thousands of people in the Tennessee region and across the country, the American Red Cross of Tennessee asks everyone to help provide relief and comfort this holiday season by donating at redcross.org/gift. 

Every eight minutes, someone affected by a disaster in our country turns to the Red Cross for support. When people’s lives are upended by home fires, floods and other crises, your support through our Holiday Campaign can provide necessities like emergency shelter, hot meals and blankets.

HOW TO HELP People can #GiveWithMeaning throughout the holiday season by donating at redcross.org/gift:

• Help disaster victims: A gift of $50 can deliver hot meals for five people or provide blankets for 10 people after a disaster, or a larger donation of $100 can provide a family of two with a full day’s worth of emergency shelter, including meals, snacks, blankets, cots and hygiene supplies.
• Help military members and veterans: Meanwhile, a donation of $50 can help connect veterans and their families to critical community services, such as food, housing, mental health support and rehabilitation. A larger gift of $145 can provide hospital kits, filled with toiletries and other essentials, for 20 service members.
• Help save lives internationally: People can also help save lives through our work with the Measles & Rubella Initiative, which provides vaccinations for children and educates families about the dangers of measles and rubella. A gift of $100 can help provide lifesaving vaccinations for 100 children facing an increased risk of measles and rubella around the world.

GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE The holidays are a difficult time to collect blood because of busy schedules and inclement weather. Still, the need for blood is constant to help accident victims, cancer patients and others who rely on lifesaving blood products every day. Make an appointment to donate blood or platelets by visiting redcrossblood.org.

Heather Carbajal Named Executive Director for Northeast Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross

The Tennessee Region of the American Red Cross is pleased to announce that Heather Carbajal has been named the Executive Director with the Northeast Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross in Kingsport. The American Red Cross of Northeast Tennessee serves Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties in Tennessee.

Carbajal most recently served as the Disaster Program Manager of the Mid-West Tennessee Chapter in Jackson. “Heather has a very strong background in team development, volunteer recruitment, and relationship management,” said Joel Sullivan, Regional Executive Director for the American Red Cross of Tennessee. “Her experience with the Red Cross in Tennessee these last three years will prove her well with her new chapter. In addition to managing the Disaster Cycle Services Program for the counties in the Mid-West area, she also served as a Regional Subject Matter Expert for Information and Planning.”

Prior to joining the Red Cross, Heather served as a Team Leader for AmeriCorps NCCC, where she managed a group of young adults as they traveled around the country completing service projects with FEMA and non-profit agencies. It was during this time that she developed a passion for the Red Cross mission after being assigned to a community outreach project in Texas.

Heather graduated from Austin Peay State University, where she earned her degree in Public Relations. In her spare time, Heather is an avid reader, volunteers with a local animal rescue, and is on her church’s children’s ministry team.

“I have no doubt that she will be a great asset to the people she will serve in those 13 counties in Northeast Tennessee and we look forward to her leadership in the area,” Sullivan said. Carbajal will assume her new position as Chapter Executive on Oct. 7.

John Brown named Executive Director for Mid-South Chapter of the American Red Cross

 The Tennessee Region of the American Red Cross is pleased to announce that John H. Brown Jr. has been named the Executive Director with the Mid-South Chapter of the American Red Cross in Memphis. The Mid-South Chapter serves Dyer, Fayette, Lake, Lauderdale, Obion, Shelby and Tipton counties in Tennessee as well as Crittenden County in Arkansas and Desoto and Tunica counties in Mississippi.

Brown most recently served as the Executive Director of the North Mississippi Chapter in Tupelo. “John has a wealth of knowledge in the public and non-profit sector,” said Joel Sullivan, Regional Executive Director for the American Red Cross of Tennessee. “His experience with Red Cross is extensive as he has deployed on numerous disasters and currently deploys as an Elected Official Liaison. He is considered a leader among his peers and we are very excited to see his work in Memphis.”

Brown’s Red Cross career spans five years including positions of Regional Government Partner Manager and Chapter Executive.  His public service career included Assistant to the Mayor, Director of Public Works and Public Relations Coordinator for the City of Hattiesburg. He has also served as a reporter and photographer for WDAM in Hattiesburg.

He has received degrees from both Charles Harrison Mason Bible College and the University of Southern Mississippi where he received a B.S. in Speech Communications.

“I have worked alongside John on disaster deployments and can assure you that he represents the values of our organization and will be a good fit in the Tennessee Region’s culture of serving the state,” Sullivan said. Brown took over as Chapter Executive at the Memphis based chapter on Sept. 16. 

His passion for volunteering doesn’t end with the Red Cross. Brown has served in numerous volunteer positions, some of which include: Kiwanis, Rotary, Tougaloo College Emergency Management Accreditation Board, Mississippi Regional Partnership Engagement Committee, 2020 Class of the Jim Ingram Community Leadership Institute, Leadership Pinebelt and FCA to name a few. John is married to Cassandra Dove Brown and has two children Courtney and Harrison.

Volunteer Highlight from Flint Clouse, Regional Volunteer Services Officer - Dec. 2019

One Red Cross Pin – Multiple Hats

First, thank you for being kind to your Red Cross family.  On our surveys, volunteers highlight their experiences working with others. Families can be supportive or dysfunctional. How you treat others matters.You play a major role in welcoming new volunteers.

When you first apply to be a volunteer with the American Red Cross, you may have an idea of how the Red Cross serves your neighbors and what you would like to do. Most are amazed to see just how many ways the Red Cross supports our communities. The good news is that you don’t have to do just one thing.

While some markets might have a home fire response almost every week, the volunteer need for the majority of our positions ebb and flow. That is why we recommend that you wear more than one hat. Here are some examples of multiple hats to consider:

You may serve on-call for the Disaster Action Team as well as provide casework support for Service to the Armed Forces.

You might answer calls to the front desk every week as well as process thank-you letters for Fundraising bi-weekly.

You may serve as a blood donor ambassador once a month as well as DAT Coordinator.

If you need help identifying your additional hat, please contact us at placements@redcross.org or me at Flint.Clouse@redcross.org today. We have a high need for experienced volunteers to help the volunteer screening team connect new volunteers to the right roles for them. This is something you can do from the comfort of your home on your own schedule.

I am happy to share that we will be receiving pins to recognize our volunteers that wear hats from multiple lines of service, which brings up recognition items. Some of you have asked about name badges, shirts, etc. Recognition items for our Friends and Family Referral Program will be provided by Volunteer Services. The online form must be completed prior to the recruit applying online. From Volunteer Connection, go to MY NHQ, then Friends and Family Referrals.

Also, each line of service awards recognition item is based on roles, trainings and volunteer hours. Thank you for logging your hours. It helps us demonstrate our contributions to the community. We appreciate your help telling our story.

Whether from our offices, your home or the field, the Red Cross is committed to giving you an opportunity to serve others. Thank you for being part of our Red Cross family.

-Flint

Thank You From Thomas Campbell, Mid-South Red Cross Board Member and Volunteer

As a donor and volunteer, thank you for everything you do for our American Red Cross. I am very thankful to have met so many of you, to have shared amazing memories and to know that together we are part of the largest humanitarian organization in the world, and the only one that is always ready every single day to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.
 
I have been fortunate to have worked with you to help with flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes in Tennessee and throughout the country; to partner with you to save lives through our Sound the Alarm campaign; to learn about our Biomed and Service to the Armed Forces capabilities; and to work with you to teach others preparedness skills. I’m most fortunate to have had the chance to spend time with so many of our Tennessee team (volunteers and staff), who have taught me so much and who tirelessly support so many people, every single day. Each of you and all of our lines of service do so much.  

As we enter the holiday season, please think about what more you do to support the Red Cross, whether it is committing to spend just a few more hours each month volunteering or donating just a little bit more.  

I am thankful for the time you have spent, grateful for the talents you share so willingly and humbled by your financial generosity. Happy Holidays! 

Thomas Campbell
Mid-South Red Cross Board Member and Volunteer

Northeast Tennessee Volunteer Spotlight: Glenna Finco - Dec. 2019

As a volunteer with the Northeast Tennessee Chapter, Volunteer Happenings arrives in your inbox monthly. This digital publication enables us to keep up with events occurring in our chapter and gives us important dates to remember. This publication reaches us thanks to local volunteer Glenna Finco. Did you ever wonder who Glenna is and how she became a Red Cross volunteer?

In 2016, Glenna’s husband retired from his position with the Oak Creek, Wisconsin Police Department. Having vacationed in the Gatlinburg and Smokey Mountain area for years, they knew they wanted to look for a new home in East Tennessee. Gray, Tennessee attracted them, and by the Fall of 2017 the Finco family was settled in a new home, their 16 year-old-daughter was enrolled at Daniel Boone High School, and her husband was a substitute teacher. Glenna began looking around for a volunteer position. By chance, the Red Cross opened a disaster shelter at her church and the rest, as they say, is history. Glenna took the one-day shelter training and was immediately hooked as a Red Cross volunteer.

After serving as a shelter volunteer and responding to single-family fires, Glenna began assisting in the chapter office. An office administrator for both the police department and a church in Wisconsin; she quickly became a valued volunteer in the chapter office. Her heart led her to volunteer management; where she began collecting information for the Volunteer Happenings. Glenna says she enjoys her administrative work for a couple reasons. First, she wants the volunteers to know how important they are to our organization. Four staff members could not manage the work of the Red Cross in Northeast Tennessee without partnering with our 276 dedicated volunteers. Secondly, she enjoys relieving some of the stress of extra work for the staff by completing administrative tasks for them. Tasks she has completed include updating volunteer profiles, updating response lists, encouraging volunteers to maintain their work history and volunteer hours, and any other internal and administrative tasks she is assigned.

Besides volunteer administrative work, Glenna has helped with several assignments in Disaster Services including updating shelter agreements and restocking shelter kits.   

Glenna enjoys scrapbooking and making greeting cards when she has a few spare minutes. 

If you are a new volunteer Glenna has some advice for you. Come to an orientation, connect with and meet other volunteers, try new volunteer positions and ask questions.   

Now, when you read your next Volunteer Happenings you will know the person behind the publication: Glenna Finco, a Northeast Tennessee Red Cross volunteer, just like you. 

Letter from East Tennessee Executive Director, Sharon Hudson - Dec. 2019

As another football season is winding down and basketball has started, I want to extend a big thank you to Liana and James Pesterfield for their leadership with F.A.S.T. (First Aid Station Team) and to every F.A.S.T. team volunteer that gives their time and talent on game days. The Pesterfield’s recruit and train 80 volunteers and provide medical assistance at the University of Tennessee home football games and medical bag checks at the UTK Basketball home games. The football stadium is host to 102,455 fans on game days and the F.A.S.T team is there to provide medical attention, from bee stings to major trauma. 

The F.A.S.T. team is made up of Red Cross volunteers from multiple Red Cross Chapters in Tennessee and Georgia, along with students from South College, Roane State, and Pellissippi State.  The team includes highly skilled volunteers, including Advanced First Aid Providers, Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, Registered Nurses and Doctors. All are volunteers for the Red Cross.

On average, the F.A.S.T. team provides over 10,000 to 12,000 volunteer hours for the East Tennessee Chapter each year.  This makes up 25% of the hours for our chapter for the year.  So a huge heartfelt Thank you goes out to the F.A.S.T. team and Liana and James Pesterfield.   

Stewart Chapman: Tennessee Region Disaster Volunteer Celebrates Milestone - Dec. 2019

From wildfires, to tornadoes, to hurricanes, Stewart Chapman has been part of the American Red Cross’s response. Now, 20 years after joining the Red Cross, he’s reached a remarkable milestone: 80 deployments.

Chapman became involved with the Red Cross in July 1999, after moving to Kingsport, Tennessee to be with his family. For Chapman, getting involved with the Red Cross was about more than finding a way to pass the time. 

“I was a volunteer fireman for years,” Chapman said. “I like to help people. Everybody helped me when I was growing up. I grew up at the end of the Depression and things were bad, things were hard to get.”

Throughout his 80 deployments, Chapman has helped people across the country after some of the worst natural disasters in the United States. Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Katrina, California’s devastating wildfires, Hurricane Harvey, and tornadoes in the Midwest are just a few of those disasters.

During one of those deployments, Chapman himself had a big scare. He had an accident after unloading supplies from an ERV, and suffered a concussion and shoulder injuries. When he returned home, it took two months for him to recover.

Despite the scare, he didn’t stop volunteering or deploying.

“I just wanted to help people and the more I got into it, the more I saw people needed it,” Chapman said. “People our age, if they’ve lost everything with no insurance, what are they going to do? How are they going to start over?”

Now, Chapman leads the Home Fire Campaign effort at the Northeast Tennessee Red Cross chapter in Kingsport, installing smoke alarms in homes that need them. He also volunteers with Service to the Armed Forces.

“We have a very good chapter here,” Chapman said.


Story by Chris Peralta, American Red Cross volunteer

Blood Donor Shares Her Love for the Red Cross

From blood donation to teaching classes, to installing smoke alarms, Doris Dunn has done it all.

And – she’s been doing it since she was a teenager.

One of Dunn’s first experiences with the Red Cross was a first aid class, which she took when she was 13 years old. The class was very meaningful to her. “I really enjoyed it and wanted to pass it on,” she said.

For Dunn, there was a longing to do more – so she was trained to teach first aid, and she returned to her elementary school to share her knowledge with students.

Years later, Dunn was hit with tragedy. 

“Sadly, my mom got cancer,” Dunn said. “They found it too late.”

During her mother’s last month, Dunn’s mother needed a pint of blood every other day to stay alive and receive her treatment. That’s when Dunn made a promise to give back the gift of life, just as many people had done to help her mother.

“I vowed to give that blood back, so in my early 20s is when I started donating blood,” she said. That promise would be a commitment that lasted more than two decades.

“I donated blood in Nashville, then I moved to California and was there for 17 years and continued to donate blood.”

Eventually, the Red Cross asked Dunn if she could help in a different way – by donating platelets. It’s a time-consuming process, but that didn’t stop her.

“I want to make sure if I can save lives, or help prolong someone’s life with a ten-minute blood donation or platelet donation, why wouldn’t I do it?” Dunn said.

“I feel like it’s my duty as a citizen of the world to do that.”

In addition to donating blood, Dunn’s involvement with the Red Cross has included being part of the Tiffany Circle, a group of women who make an extraordinary commitment of time and money to the organization. Dunn became a member while living in California after her company made a donation to the Red Cross.

“I was very active with them,” Dunn said, “I participated in sending letters to the military at Christmas time, and helping to organize blood drives.”

Now a former member of the group, she continues her commitment to the Red Cross.

“They’re right there after the catastrophe,” she said. “In big disasters, and home fires, the Red Cross will give people the help they need. I think that’s a powerful story.”


Story by Chris Peralta, American Red Cross volunteer

Letter from Southeast Tennessee Executive Director, Julia Wright - December 2019

Honoring our Heroes from the Southeast Tennessee Chapter 

If you attended the 2019 CHI Memorial Heroes Luncheon, it will come as no surprise to you at the success of this year’s event.  On Wednesday, Nov. 6, business and community leaders came together to honor local heroes.

Major General, retired Terry “Max” Haston, the 75th Adjunct General of the Tennessee National Guard, spoke to the crowd about his experiences including his interaction with the Red Cross throughout his career.

Each year, the American Red Cross of Southeast Tennessee honors individuals and groups for acts of great bravery, dedication and service to the community at the Heroes Luncheon, sharing the mission of the American Red Cross and raising the financial funding resources necessary to provide their core humanitarian services. This year was no different, we honored eight individuals in six categories for their service to the community:  Ann Marie Fitzsimmons and Niki Keck, Call to Action Heroes; Becky Ellgass, First Responder Hero; Jim Fox and Johnny Hale, Medical Heroes; Allen Green, Service to Youth Hero; Phil Garver, Service to Armed Forces Hero; and Harry “Hap” Harwell, Humanitarian of the Year.

I would like to extend a special thank you to our generous event sponsors. Without your support, and the support of all our donors, it would be impossible for us to fulfill our mission.

Thank you to everyone who made this year’s Heroes Luncheon such a success!

Regional Executive Corner with Joel R. Sullivan - December 2019

Giving Time, Talent and Treasure During the Holidays, and Year-Round

It appears every year, the holidays come earlier than the year before. Christmas trees out during Halloween, Black Friday deals well-before Thanksgiving weekend and before you know it, you are well into the holiday hustle and bustle. The holidays are also a time when many offer their time, talent and treasure to their favorite non-profit mission. 

For the 2019 Holiday Campaign, we will continue to unite around the common theme of “Give Something That Means Something”, using the call to action “Your donation brings comfort and hope” to engage the public in supporting our lifesaving mission to bring hope to those in need.

DISASTER RESPONSE: 

Every eight minutes, someone is affected by a disaster in the U.S. This year, donations to the Red Cross helped thousands of people whose lives were upended by disasters across the country.  

• Red Cross volunteers were by the sides of families affected by large events like Hurricane Dorian on the East Coast, tropical storm flooding in Texas, and tornadoes and floods in the Midwest. Here in the Tennessee Region, we have volunteers responding to both national disasters and those in our own state. Home fires statewide, floods in the spring and tornadoes and fall high winds caused havoc for many of our Tennesseans.  

• On average, the Red Cross responds to a new major disaster every two weeks in the U.S. — on top of responding to tens of thousands of smaller disasters like home fires each year.

• Donations are key to saving lives because they fund nearly 100 percent of our disaster relief activities. They help provide food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance to help people get back on their feet. 

Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere. The need is constant. Your donation can help provide necessities like emergency shelter, hot meals and blankets for families in need. 

• For example, your gift of $50 can deliver hot meals for five people or provide blankets for 10 people after a disaster. 

• Or a larger donation of $100 can provide a family of two with a full day’s worth of emergency shelter with meals, snacks, blankets, cots and hygiene supplies. 

• Please #GiveWithMeaning to support people in need at redcross.org/gift.  

SERVICE TO THE ARMED FORCES 

You can also support other parts of our mission, such as helping military members and veterans. 

• Across the country, veterans rely on the Red Cross for support transitioning back to civilian life. Your donation of $50 can help connect veterans and their families to critical community services, such as food, housing, mental health support and rehabilitation. 

• Red Cross volunteers also support service members in military hospitals. A larger donation of $145 can provide hospital kits, filled with toiletries and other essentials, for 20 service members.  

INTERNATIONAL SERVICES 

In addition, you can help save lives around the world. 

• Through our work with the Measles & Rubella Initiative, you can help provide vaccinations for children and educate families about the dangers of these diseases.  

• Your gift of $100 can provide lifesaving vaccinations for 100 children facing an increased risk of measles and rubella around the world. 

GIVING LIFESAVING BLOOD 

The holidays are a difficult time to collect blood because of busy schedules and inclement weather. Still, the need for blood is constant to help accident victims, cancer patients and others who rely on lifesaving blood products every day. 

• To give the gift of life, you can make an appointment to donate blood or platelets by visiting redcrossblood.org.  

• If you’re unable to make a blood donation, please consider making a gift to support our lifesaving Blood Services at redcross.org/gift. 

So, this holiday season, please remember the good work the Red Cross does, and the volunteers who serve our organization helping others. I am grateful for your support. Happy Holidays!

Letter from Tennessee River Executive Director, Pamela Holz - December 2019

“Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.” -unknown 

What kind of community do you want to live in? As Red Cross volunteers, you show the world every day that you want to be part of something bigger than yourself. You want to be part of an organization that exists to give hope. You give hope. 

Every time you climb out of your warm bed to answer that 2:00 a.m. phone call and help someone whose home has just burned down. Every time you join in a class to learn how to be prepared to help those who have been caught unprepared in the face of a storm. Every time you leave your home community to help those in another community who have lost their homes. Every time you give time to those who have lost all that they had collected over time. Every time you provide for those who are giving of themselves to help others. Every time you share the joy of volunteering with potential volunteers. Every time you tell others in the community about all the ways the Red Cross is there to help our community. 

Every time you give of your time and talents as a Red Cross volunteer, you are voting for a better community for all of us. While every person serves for their own reasons, what is consistent is that each of you is appreciated for your service. 

Thank you for creating the time in your life to give to others so that their lives can be better. Thank you for volunteering with the Red Cross and joining with thousands across the country and around the world to vote for a better community for all of us. Your gift of time, your daily vote. They make a difference. You make a difference.

Pamela Holz

Letter from Mid-West Tennessee Executive Director, David Hicks - December 2019

Happy Holidays, Mid-West Tennessee chapter. By the time you will be reading this message from me, we’ll be just a few days removed from Thanksgiving and into the December holiday season. I hope this article finds you well and things are good with each of you and your respective families.

In October and November, we finished up our two and a half week disaster response as a chapter to the damage created in our southern counties of Decatur, Hardin, and McNairy, due to the high winds that gusted as high as 80 to 100 mph, and all the residual effects of it. As I’m comprising this article the Disaster Recovery caseworkers are still connecting with impacted families in our efforts to provide financial assistance to the qualifying homes that either had structural damage or were destroyed. I’m proud to say that our volunteer leadership led by example throughout the response as I assumed they would and proved invaluable in the implementation of our services. I am especially impressed as this was in the absence of a staff Disaster Program Manager.

As we enter the other side of this DR, I’m confident in saying that we stepped up as a chapter, and not only represented our local chapter with excellence, but we also proved to be good hosts to all of the additional Tennessee chapter teams that came alongside us to offer their help and support. Thank you to all those people from Chattanooga, Kingsport, Murfreesboro, and Nashville. Kudos to each of those teams and their willingness to drop everything in their respective chapters and come to our aid. That was truly a gesture of one Red Cross.

We have much to be thankful for as we enter the holiday season. I look forward with great anticipation to what the next few months hold for us in our chapter and Red Cross family. We are eager for the hiring of a new DPM staffer, our upcoming holiday party, participating in Christmas parades and holiday gatherings, growing our first ever American Red Cross Club at USJ high school in Jackson, hosting our third annual Sound the Alarm event in April, recruitment of new volunteers to build our chapter and extend our community outreach and impact even more. Let’s all look forward to it with great anticipation and do what each of us can to make our chapter stronger for our Red Cross family.

Again, thank you all and Happy Holidays!

Letter from Regional Chief Operations Officer, Greg King - December 2019

Red Crossers Need to be Prepared for Disaster Too 

As Red Cross volunteers and staff members, we usually focus on the needs of others before our own needs. Today, I am asking each Red Cross member to spend some time making sure they can take care of themselves. I’m sure you all have an emergency kit tucked away in a closet and it has been sitting there safely for the past year. Daylight savings time is a good reminder to not only check your smoke alarms but to update your disaster supplies.

I am sure I am preaching to the choir, but I want to give everyone a reminder of the basic essentials for their kit. If you can have these items on hand in sufficient quantity to last 72 hours, you should weather most disasters just fine. What I recommend is:

• Water- one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation 
• Food - at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food 
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert 
• Flashlight 
• First aid kit 
• Extra batteries 
• Whistle to signal for help 
• Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place 
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation 
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities 
• Manual can opener for food 
• Local maps 
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery 
• Prescription medications 
• Non-prescription medications such as pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medication, antacids or laxatives 
• Glasses and contact lens solution 
• Infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream 
• Pet food and extra water for your pet 
• Cash or traveler's checks ($100 in small bills) 
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container 
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person 
• Complete change of clothing appropriate for your climate and sturdy shoes 
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper to disinfect water 
• Fire extinguisher 
• Matches in a waterproof container 
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items 
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils 
• Paper and pencil 
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children 

Store this in a cool dry place in your home and you should be good to go. If you haven’t built a kit, start by buying one or two items a week and storing them in a five-gallon bucket. In no time, you will have put together some great supplies that will see you through most situations.

This is like putting on your oxygen mask on a plane. We need to take care of ourselves, then we can help others.

Sincerely,

Greg King
Regional Chief Operations Officer

East Tennessee Volunteer Spotlight: Megh Mankad - December 2019

This month we want to spotlight the work of one of our esteemed volunteers, Megh Mankad, a caseworker for Service to the Armed Forces (SAF). 

Megh, a 2017 graduate of East Tennessee State University with a degree in Business Concentration, became a volunteer at the East Tennessee chapter in the Spring of 2019. He is using his time at the Red Cross to gain volunteer experience and advance his career.

 Megh is utilizing his business degree by working as an accountant at a firm owned by his mother. He and his parents, who originally came to the United States from India, love traveling. Megh’s been to Britain, France, Italy and Portugal and loves going to the amusement parks in the Gatlinburg area.

Megh’s hobbies include singing, bowling and watching action-thriller movies.  He works with regional SAF director Jess Hernandez and SAF team leader Marilyn Rasmussen, assisting members of the armed forces and their families deal with emergency situations both at home and abroad. 

Megh says being a volunteer at the Red Cross is very rewarding and he appreciates all the help and support he receives from both Red Cross staff and other volunteers.

Megh Mankad, who loves the work he’s doing at the American Red Cross, encourages others to volunteer and explore the different lines of service and multiple opportunities to help others offered by the American Red Cross.

Keep the Boos Away This Halloween

Safety tips to make Trick-or-Treating Safe

Halloween is just days away for Tennessee trick-or-treaters. Fast becoming one of the most popular holidays in this country, masses of little superheroes, cartoon and television characters will be out in their neighborhoods for a night of fun memories. The American Red Cross has these tips parents can follow to help all little ghouls and goblins stay safe while enjoying the fall festivities.

• Trick-or-treaters need to see and be seen.

- Use face makeup instead of masks which make seeing difficult.
- Give trick-or-treaters a flashlight to light their way.
- Add reflective tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
- Have everyone wear light-colored clothing.

• Use flame-resistant costumes.

• Make sure adults know where the kids are going. A parent or responsible adult should accompany young children door-to-door.

•  Be cautious around animals, especially dogs.

• Walk, don’t run.

• Only visit homes that have a porch light on. Accept treats at the door – never go inside.

• Walk only on the sidewalks, not in the street.

- If no sidewalk is available, walk at the edge of the roadway, facing traffic.
- Look both ways before crossing the street, and cross only at the corner.
- Don’t cut across yards or use alleys.
- Don’t cross between parked cars.
- Drivers – use extra caution. The youngsters may forget to look both ways before crossing.

• A grown-up should check the goodies before eating.

- Make sure to remove loose candy, open packages and choking hazards.
- Discard any items with brand names that you are not familiar with.

Don’t forget little “tricks” that can make for a safe night for those visiting your home. “Be sure to light the area so kids can see when coming to your door,” said Joel Sullivan, regional executive for the American Red Cross of the Tennessee Region. “It is also important to take time to sweep leaves from sidewalks and steps and clear your porch and front yards of things that could cause someone to trip.”

Download the free Red Cross First Aid App for instant access to expert first aid advice right at your fingertips. Use the free app Emergency for weather alerts and to let others know you are safe if severe weather occurs. Find these and all of the Red Cross app treats in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.

Memphis Shelter Opening Following Early Morning Storms

Storms that struck the Memphis area early this morning left several without power and needing shelter. At first report, there are 144 displaced residents with 67 people indicating they need shelter from Cotton Wood Apartment Complex. 

The American Red Cross and emergency officials are setting up an emergency shelter to be opened today. Red Cross volunteers are busy loading the Emergency Response Vehicles for mobile operations and shelter teams are on the move to open one confirmed shelter at Marian Hale Community Center, located at 4791 Willow Road, in Memphis.

Points of contact for media: 
John Brown: External Relations, 901-302-8483
Bob Wallace: Public Affairs Team, 901-618-7341 

A Commitment to Purpose and Passion The American Red Cross Volunteer Story During Disaster

Orlando, Florida
Sept. 4, 2019

It is 2 p.m. a week into an active disaster response for Hurricane Dorian on the East Coast. More than 1,900 trained volunteers from around the country, rallied to the call for help when the storm’s path appeared as though it would cover the state of Florida, and then move through Georgia and the Carolinas. Energy is still high in the headquarters for the response in Florida, but a sigh of relief envelopes the room. The storm has passed, leaving little damage in its wake. Still, handling more than 100 shelters and 7,000 evacuees in those shelters, work is nowhere near to being done.

These volunteers have seen the worst in disaster and continue to respond when called upon. In total, these people have seen 6,491 deployments between them. Fires, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes pepper the stories and memories of disasters past. It is a long day of work. Cool heads, calm voices and open hearts are evident in every single function of the disaster response.

Barbara Riester, a 50 year Red Cross volunteer,
works on her 100th deployment as a Logistics
Chief for the response to Hurricane Dorian. 

One volunteer works in a corner of the room, rarely leaving her post except for a few breaks before nightfall. Barbara Riester has served in one capacity or another for the Red Cross for more than 50 years. For this disaster, she is serving as the Logistics Chief at headquarters. Her love for service and the humanitarian organization began when she taught swimming lessons to children her Freshman year of college. Since those days, she has worked as a Red Cross employee and has deployed on more than 100 disaster calls as a volunteer.

Her call to serve has sent her to most states in the United States, the American Samoa Islands, around the world, and even a 20-month deployment to Indonesia following the 2004 tsunami that claimed more than 200,000 lives. She has seen it all. She lives the mission of the American Red Cross daily. This is her sixth volunteer deployment for the year.

“Like most Red Cross volunteers who are my age, I just didn’t want to retire,” she said from her post in the storm headquarters. “I enjoy working on disaster recovery. Red Cross workers are like family. They are my family. That really says it all for me. I don’t see my service as unique, I feel fortunate I can come and help.”

Riester is from Baltimore, Maryland. There are people serving this disaster from Washington, Virginia, Minnesota, Tennessee and Puerto Rico, just to name a few. All with the same story of passion for the mission of the Red Cross. All who will wait out the storm, providing shelter, food, and help to those who need it most.

If you would like to find out more about becoming a trained disaster volunteer, go to RedCross.org or visit your local American Red Cross chapter.

National Preparedness Month: Red Cross Asks Everyone to Prepare for the Next Emergency

All It Takes Is Three Easy Steps – Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed

September is National Preparedness Month, the perfect time for people to get their household ready in case an emergency should occur. The American Red Cross prepares all year for disasters and urges everyone to Be Red Cross Ready too.

“Disasters can happen anywhere, at any time, even in your home,” said Joel Sullivan, regional executive for the Tennessee Region. “During National Preparedness Month, we ask you to take three action steps – get an emergency kit, make an emergency plan and be informed – so you and your loved ones can react quickly if an emergency occurs.”

The Red Cross urges everyone to take three important action steps to get prepared:
1. Build a kit – Build an easy-to-carry emergency preparedness kit that you can use at home or take with you if you must evacuate. Include items such as water, non-perishable food, a flashlight and extra batteries, a battery-powered radio, first aid kit and medications.
2. Make a plan – Talk with members of your household about what to do during emergencies. Plan what to do in case everyone is separated and choose two places to meet—one right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency such as a fire, and another outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate.
3. Be informed – Know what kinds of emergency situations may occur where you live, where you work, and where you go to school. Get trained in First Aid and CPR/AED so you’ll know what to do in an emergency if help is delayed. Don’t forget your pets, plan for them too.

DOWNLOAD RED CROSS APPS The Red Cross Emergency App has more than 35 customizable severe weather and emergency alerts. Content on what to do before, during and after emergencies from power outages to home fires, to hurricanes and tornadoes, can be viewed in English or Spanish. Parents can download the Monster Guard: Prepare for Emergencies App so 7- to 11-year-olds will have a fun, gaming environment to learn how to prevent emergencies and what to do if one occurs. Apps can be downloaded for free by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in app stores or visiting redcross.org/apps. People can also enable Red Cross skills for Alexa to receive notifications about an approaching hurricane, get valuable first aid information and schedule a blood donation. Details are available at redcross.org/alexa-skills.

PLEASE GIVE BLOOD Severe weather events can have a significant impact on the ability of the Red Cross to collect life-saving blood products due to canceled blood drives and decreased donor turnout in impacted areas. It is the blood already on hand that helps those in need. Each day, the Red Cross must collect about 13,000 blood donations and more than 2,500 platelet donations to meet the needs of accident victims, cancer patients and children with blood disorders. Volunteer blood and platelet donors are needed to help save lives. Eligible donors are encouraged to schedule a donation appointment by using the Blood Donor Skill for Amazon Alexa, the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Volunteer Highlight From Flint Clouse, Regional Volunteer Services Officer

We know that our greatest resource is our volunteers. The team accomplishes so much more working together.

Many of you have already heard of our new Friends and Family Referral Program. This program enables volunteers to help recommend qualified people to join the Red Cross. The four steps are:

1. A current Red Cross volunteer encourages a friend, family member, or colleague to apply as a volunteer.
2. The current volunteer submits their personal connection’s information through the referral form located in Volunteer Connection.
3. If requested, an email will be sent to the potential volunteer to encourage them to apply.
4. The potential volunteer applies through redcross.org/volunteer and becomes a volunteer.

We will hold in-person and online sessions to review the resources in more detail, including email templates and where to find the program in Volunteer Connection. To learn more, reach out to your Chapter Executive Director or a member of the Volunteer Services team.

Tracking the referrals in Volunteer Connection will allow us to keep you updated on their application process and have monthly drawings for those with at least three volunteer recruits that log hours in that month, beginning in October. Among other appreciation items, our Pop Socket will be exclusively available for the Friends and Family Referral Program monthly drawing. More information to come.

SURVEY NOTE: You may have heard us talk about the Net Promoter Score or NPS. In your annual survey, we ask how likely you are to recommend the Red Cross to a friend as a good place to volunteer. We appreciate the 9 and 10s because you are likely to recommend us. A rating of 7 or 8 is neutral, and anything lower means “not at all likely” to recommend us. If you are not recommending us as a great place to volunteer, please help us make changes. We don’t want to wait until an annual survey to solve problems. Volunteers make up over 90 percent of the Red Cross workforce, and we recognize that volunteers have valuable feedback to improve our programs.

Thanks for the feedback in reducing the volunteer opportunities on the public website. We went from 35 to 6 pages. Please keep the solutions coming.

And thank you for sharing our volunteer opportunities with your friends. That’s the biggest compliment our programs can receive.

Best wishes,
Flint

Letter from East Tennessee Executive Director, Sharon Hudson - Sept. 2019

Thank You to Our Volunteer Healthcare Professionals

This month we recognize and celebrate the achievements of American Red Cross health care professionals. Nationwide, more than 20,000 volunteer healthcare professionals generously give of their time and talent to help those in need by responding to more than 62,000 disaster calls each year.

Here in East Tennessee, our volunteers include clinicians, individuals with master's degrees in nursing and public health and education, advanced Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification and a range of other related fields. They provide relief for disaster victims, develop and conduct health and safety classes, and render support to members of the Armed Forces.  “Our health care professionals are priceless,” said East Tennessee Disaster Program Manager Kristin Manuel. “They are a lifeline for clients and our Disaster Action Teams can’t provide basic medical services without them “.

First-Aid Station coordinator and disaster volunteer James Pesterfield holds an advanced EMT certification and cites helping others as his motivation to volunteer. “No two clients are the same. I rely on my training and skills to figure out how to treat each one,” Pesterfield said. Teaching life-saving skills is the passion of Mary Franklin, volunteer instructor, trainer and educator with Training Services. “The intrinsic rewards, sharing knowledge and skills with others are really fun sharing, because every class is different,” said Franklin.

Thanks to Franklin and instructors like her, Red Cross Training Services is responsible for providing health and safety training to the public. In 2017, the Red Cross trained 2.28 million people on how to save lives through First Aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or automated external defibrillator (AED) courses, water safety and caregiving and preparedness programs. Illustrating the volunteer spirit, the East Tennessee region grew by 50% in the number of professional health care volunteers from 28 to 47.  Through their commitment to serving others, East Tennessee health care professionals exemplify the tradition of preventing and alleviating human suffering and the power of volunteers. 

Letter from Southeast Tennessee Executive Director, Julia Wright - Sept. 2019

Fall is a beautiful time of year, and I am sure we will find many exciting opportunities to help the American Red Cross with our mission.  

On Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, we are holding a blood drive at the American Red Cross office at 4115 S. Access Road in Chattanooga. I encourage you to sign up and donate blood. The statistics are clear.  Every two seconds, someone in America needs blood.  Every day, 34,000 donations are needed to help save the lives of cancer patients, accident victims and children with blood disorders in the United States. Just one pint of blood can help save as many as three lives. You can make a huge difference in our community by simply giving blood. 

Signing up is easy. The award-winning Blood Donor App is a convenient way for donors to schedule and manage their donation appointments, track the lifetime impact of their donations, earn rewards and recruit others to donate.  Donors can access their donor card through the Blood Donor App and use it as their official form of identification at donation appointments. They can also view their health history information, including blood pressure, hemoglobin levels, and pulse rate, and complete a RapidPass. Text BLOODAPP to 90999 or search Red Cross Blood in your app store. 

I am also excited to announce the 12th annual CHI Memorial Heroes Luncheon supporting the American Red Cross will be held at the Chattanoogan Hotel, on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 11:30 a.m. We are thrilled to have Major Gen. Terry M. Haston, retired Adjunct General for the Tennessee National Guard, joining us as the keynote speaker. 

Sponsorships and tickets are available by visiting our site at RedCross.org/realheroes. Reserve your seats today! 

-Julia 

Regional Executive Corner with Joel R. Sullivan - Northeast Tennessee – Sept. 2019

Teens can help the American Red Cross!

September brings the return of school and that means back to the books, Friday night lights, and the return of many high school blood drives. It is a great time of year for teens to engage with their fellow students and serve in their communities. 

The American Red Cross provides great volunteer opportunities to learn skills that will help them in the future, earn hours toward scholarships, give lifesaving blood and prepare their community for the next disaster. Our youth engagement initiatives allow students to become empowered and develop leadership skills by supporting our different lines of service.  

Currently, youth volunteers make up 16 percent of our volunteer base across the Tennessee Region. We have a goal to increase that number to 25 percent by 2021. We are increasing our Red Cross Clubs in several high schools this year.  We are also working with Taylor Parsons, Miss Tennessee’s Outstanding Teen, and a Northeast Tennessee Red Cross volunteer as our Youth Engagement Lead to attract and train more young people to volunteer with the Red Cross across the Region. 

  

There are many ways we will grow our youth volunteer numbers in Northeast Tennessee:  

• Youth will serve on Home Fire Campaign teams as a smoke alarm installer. (Age 16/17 with adult supervision).  
• Organize, promote and recruit donors for blood drives at participating schools during the school year.  
• Participate in our Missing Maps program to put millions of people from high-risk countries on the map.   
• Join a thank-a-thon to call and thank past donors and volunteers or write thank you cards to them.  

These are but a few tasks youth leaders can volunteer to support the Red Cross mission. I ask each of you to encourage the teens and young adults of your friends and family to get involved in our Chapter activities. They will be helping their community and learning different skills that will support them in their future. Volunteering is as easy as visiting redcross.org/volunteer and registering as a volunteer. That will start them on their path to helping others.  

  

The American Red Cross is a place for all people who have a passion in their hearts for service to their community. Let’s engage our youth and develop our future for the next generation of volunteers.  

The need is great. The work is rewarding. I am asking you to help us engage the youth in our community.

Joel