“It feels good doing this kind of work, even at 4 o’clock in the morning. You’re a dedicated person as soon as you’re on that calling list,” said Gene McCray, disaster action team (DAT) volunteer, regarding responding to fires throughout the county.
The team members are first-responders to any type of disaster, frequently fires.
In the past five years alone the team has responded to 460 fires in the Stark County area.
According to Dee Christner, DAT captain, upon getting a call that a fire has started the team is on-site rehabbing firemen and providing family services immediately.
Red Cross expenses incurred from these services total roughly $420 per fire. Rehabbing firemen involves hydrating and feeding them while family services are much more complex.
“We are told in advance about how many clients (fire victims) we are dealing with,” said Christner. “As soon as we get there we make sure their immediate needs are taken care of – providing them with food, shelter, clothing, comfort kits including personal hygiene items and quilts made by Red Cross sewing ladies.”
For many clients, the quilt is their first possession after the fire, she added.
Many clients need more than material possessions, though, after their lives have been altered by such a disaster.
“Some just want a place to put their head and cry and we are just there,” said Christner.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
'Get to Know Us' program travels to Navy Resource Day
Navy personnel, new and old, received information regarding the Red Cross as a military resource at “Resource Day” held at the Navy Operation Center in Akron last Sunday, July 18.
A variety of vendors were set up all day to make military personnel and their families aware of all of the resources available to them. Resources included schooling, financial assistance, veteran and communication information.
“One of the most important things of the ‘Get to Know Us” program is that families need to have the reassurance of what route they take when they need to send emergency communications to a loved one serving,” said Melissa Seibert, military outreach manager at the American Red Cross Stark County Chapter.
“They learn what constitutes an emergency communication, who can send one and what happens,” she said.
According to Seibert, military personnel know that the Red Cross is involved in emergency communications but family members often are unaware but need to know before their loved one is deployed.
The Red Cross provided family members with wallet cards to carry with them and magnets to leave at home with spaces for them to write all of the critical information needed to send a message to active military personnel.
“It’s giving them the assurance that if they need to send an emergency message then they will have the exact information they need, no matter where they are,” said Seibert.
This assurance provides comfort for families, as well as for military personnel, that they can be in communication immediately, if need be.
The Red Cross also provided children’s information pack to military kids, whom Seibert lovingly refers to as “MKs”. Packs included crayons, patriotic coloring pages, disaster preparedness information, pencils, snacks and information on how to dial 9-1-1.
Service persons and their families left with the knowledge that the Red Cross, and other organizations, could provide them with necessary resources. The American Red Cross Stark County Chapter will be providing a psychological first aid course for military families to help them cope with pre- and post-deployment on Saturday, Sept. 25 from 9:30 a.m. until noon. All are welcome; if you are interested in attending this free course, please RSVP to Melissa Seibert by calling her at 330-453-0146 ext. 103.
A variety of vendors were set up all day to make military personnel and their families aware of all of the resources available to them. Resources included schooling, financial assistance, veteran and communication information.
“One of the most important things of the ‘Get to Know Us” program is that families need to have the reassurance of what route they take when they need to send emergency communications to a loved one serving,” said Melissa Seibert, military outreach manager at the American Red Cross Stark County Chapter.
“They learn what constitutes an emergency communication, who can send one and what happens,” she said.
According to Seibert, military personnel know that the Red Cross is involved in emergency communications but family members often are unaware but need to know before their loved one is deployed.
The Red Cross provided family members with wallet cards to carry with them and magnets to leave at home with spaces for them to write all of the critical information needed to send a message to active military personnel.
“It’s giving them the assurance that if they need to send an emergency message then they will have the exact information they need, no matter where they are,” said Seibert.
This assurance provides comfort for families, as well as for military personnel, that they can be in communication immediately, if need be.
The Red Cross also provided children’s information pack to military kids, whom Seibert lovingly refers to as “MKs”. Packs included crayons, patriotic coloring pages, disaster preparedness information, pencils, snacks and information on how to dial 9-1-1.
Service persons and their families left with the knowledge that the Red Cross, and other organizations, could provide them with necessary resources. The American Red Cross Stark County Chapter will be providing a psychological first aid course for military families to help them cope with pre- and post-deployment on Saturday, Sept. 25 from 9:30 a.m. until noon. All are welcome; if you are interested in attending this free course, please RSVP to Melissa Seibert by calling her at 330-453-0146 ext. 103.
Disaster Services deploys four more volunteers; total deployed this year, unprecedented
The American Red Cross national headquarters requested that the Stark County Chapter send seven emergency service volunteers to respond to the devastating flooding in Charleston, West Virginia late last week.
Sunday morning, within 24 hours of the call, Stark County deployed four: Jim Van Etten, Kathy Arkow, Carol Cross and Nila Wetch.
Volunteers typically deploy for a three-week period to respond to disasters.
"We have to be careful that we don't send out too many(volunteers) that we can't respond to disasters at home," said Matt Sweeney, director of Emergency Services. "We've got to make sure we are taking care of the homefront."
Two of Stark's Red Cross-trained volunteers will be working in mass care, preparing and serving food to victims, according to Sweeney. The other two will be doing client casework, helping the victimized families to recover.
These four local volunteers add to the six that responded to the tornadoes and floods that devastated the United States from Oklahoma to Alabama earlier this year.
"Having ten out is the most since Hurricane Katrina," Sweeney said. "We haven't even hit hurricane season, yet."
National headquarters is already looking for more volunteers to respond to the tornadoes that swept through Montana, added Sweeney.
To become a trained volunteer, begin by visiting the Introduction to Disaster Services Training page.
Sunday morning, within 24 hours of the call, Stark County deployed four: Jim Van Etten, Kathy Arkow, Carol Cross and Nila Wetch.
Volunteers typically deploy for a three-week period to respond to disasters.
"We have to be careful that we don't send out too many(volunteers) that we can't respond to disasters at home," said Matt Sweeney, director of Emergency Services. "We've got to make sure we are taking care of the homefront."
Two of Stark's Red Cross-trained volunteers will be working in mass care, preparing and serving food to victims, according to Sweeney. The other two will be doing client casework, helping the victimized families to recover.
These four local volunteers add to the six that responded to the tornadoes and floods that devastated the United States from Oklahoma to Alabama earlier this year.
"Having ten out is the most since Hurricane Katrina," Sweeney said. "We haven't even hit hurricane season, yet."
National headquarters is already looking for more volunteers to respond to the tornadoes that swept through Montana, added Sweeney.
To become a trained volunteer, begin by visiting the Introduction to Disaster Services Training page.
3rd-Graders learn integrated lesson
Students from Mrs. Shandra Hough's third-grade class at Whipple Elementary School began a unit on concepts centered around quilts beginning with books and fractions and ending with the donation of a quilt to the Red Cross.The students were taught that it takes various types of people with various talents to create something wonderful.
With this knowledge, each student designed his/her own quilt square. The squares were sewn together to form one beautiful quilt that will be raffled off at this year's Duck Race.
Thank You!
This postcard will be sent out to all those who donate to the Stark County Red Cross. Any amount of money donated goes a long way in furthering programs already in place at the Chapter as well as fostering new ones.
You Save the Day
This postcard was designed to be mailed to past attendees that might return for this year's fundraising "Bash" to be held this November. The Bash helps sponsor Military Outreach programs at the Stark County Red Cross.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Zing in the City - More Than Just a Concert
The Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce held its annual Zing in the City concert June 30 which expanded this year to include a Salute to Soldiers ceremony, recognizing America's past and present heroes in all branches of service in front of an audience of roughly 500.
"This was the first year that we physically recognized each individual," said Melissa Seibert, military outreach manager at the Stark County Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Seibert delivered a heartwarming speech and, with the help of Red Cross volunteers, passed out a yellow ribbon, flag pin and thank you card to each veteran.
"We shook every vet's hand," said Seibert. "Many wanted to hug us and they told us things like, 'Thank God for the Red Cross.'"
During her speech, Seibert thanked all veterans, explained Red Cross services and held a moment of silence to recognize past and current veterans, as well as those who have died as heroes.
"I bowed my head and began silently counting to sixty. When I raised my head it was remarkable - everyone's head was still bowed," recalled Seibert. "You could just sense the respect the audience had."
"This was the first year that we physically recognized each individual," said Melissa Seibert, military outreach manager at the Stark County Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Seibert delivered a heartwarming speech and, with the help of Red Cross volunteers, passed out a yellow ribbon, flag pin and thank you card to each veteran.
"We shook every vet's hand," said Seibert. "Many wanted to hug us and they told us things like, 'Thank God for the Red Cross.'"
During her speech, Seibert thanked all veterans, explained Red Cross services and held a moment of silence to recognize past and current veterans, as well as those who have died as heroes.
"I bowed my head and began silently counting to sixty. When I raised my head it was remarkable - everyone's head was still bowed," recalled Seibert. "You could just sense the respect the audience had."
Home for Independence Day
On July 2 MAPS Air Museum opened its doors to help the Red Cross and USO of Northern Ohio host a Welcome Home reception for 138 soldiers from the 447th MP Company after their roughly 12-month stay in Afghanistan.
"The reunion was just fabulous," said Melissa Seibert, military outreach manager at the Stark County Chapter of the American Red Cross. "Of course everyone was emotional; a couple of dads got to see their babies for the first time."
Over 300 family members were present at the reception, some of whom painted signs that hung at the museum.
The Red Cross set up a refreshments table and handed out Welcome Home information packets to soldiers and their families.
"When we're notified, we're there," said Seibert regarding the Red Cross's presense at such events.
With the return of the 447th coinciding so closely with the Fourth of July, emotions ran especially high, according to Seibert.
"Emotions run high on the Fourth of July, anyway, because you are celebrating America's freedom," said Seibert. "And these are America's freedom fighters."
"The reunion was just fabulous," said Melissa Seibert, military outreach manager at the Stark County Chapter of the American Red Cross. "Of course everyone was emotional; a couple of dads got to see their babies for the first time."
Over 300 family members were present at the reception, some of whom painted signs that hung at the museum.
The Red Cross set up a refreshments table and handed out Welcome Home information packets to soldiers and their families.
"When we're notified, we're there," said Seibert regarding the Red Cross's presense at such events.
With the return of the 447th coinciding so closely with the Fourth of July, emotions ran especially high, according to Seibert.
"Emotions run high on the Fourth of July, anyway, because you are celebrating America's freedom," said Seibert. "And these are America's freedom fighters."
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