Have a Safe and Happy Halloween!
1. Map out the route that you plan to roam, so adults are assured you will find your way home!
2. From the bravest of superheroes to the noblest of knights, everyone should remember to bring their flashlights!
3. If you visit a house where a stranger resides, accept treats at the door and, please, don't go inside.
4. When you get ready to put on your disguise, use face paint instead of masks, which will cover your eyes.
5. Always remember, before you embark, to wear light-colored clothing
to be seen in the dark! (And remember to use reflective tape, even on
bikes, and brooms and the edges of your cape!)
6. Whether you walk, slither or sneak, do it on the sidewalks and not in the street.
7. As you roam through the neighborhood collecting your treats, please
look both ways before crossing the street! (And speaking of streets,
the corners are the place for trick or treaters to cross no matter
their pace.)
8. Wigs, capes and costumes are flammable attire, so avoid open flames to prevent a fire!
9. Use a glow stick instead of a candle so your jack-o-lantern isn't a safety gamble!
10. You may fly on a broom or a space ship from Mars, but please be on
the lookout for drivers in cars! (Between parked cars is no place to
hide, be sure that you’re seen whether you’re a clown or a bride.)
11. Monsters and zombies should stay off the lawn, and only visit homes with their porch lights turned on!
12. You may be dressed as a werewolf, a cat or a frog, but be cautious around strange animals, especially dogs.
13. For additional information on how you and your family can be prepared for emergencies on Halloween or on any day of the year, please visit redcrossofnei.org or redcross.org.
Contest: Name "DAT" Bear!
Attention Volunteers: we need YOU to help us name our new mascot!
The bear mascot, a representative of our Disaster Action Team (DAT) and Scrubby Bear program, will be used to represent all of Humanitarian Services: Disaster Services, Service to the Armed Forces, Preparedness and Safety Solutions, and International Services. The bear will also make regular appearances at special events and youth programs, including the Scrubby Bear handwashing and hygiene program.
We are currently referring to our bear as "DAT" Bear and Scrubby Bear, but he needs an official name. That's where you come in! Please reply to this e-mail with your name suggestions no later than November 13, 2009. The winning name will be announced on our blog and in our next issues of Chapter Matters and Volunteer News.
Click here to view a full-size photo.
Volunteers of the Month: The "Moving Crew"
Congratulations to our Volunteers of the Month for October, the Red Cross "Moving Crew", consisting of:
Greg Elliott, Gary Zimmerman, Dick Ellison, Dick Miller, and Paul Stiebeling.
Over the past several months, these volunteers have helped us move and set up modular office furniture and other office equipment in in our recently renovated building. Thank you to Muriel Hunt for working with the "Moving Crew" and organizing our storage areas.
Great job, guys (and gal)! Thank you for your amazing help!
Holiday Mail for Heroes
November is Service to the Armed Forces month. Send a touch
of home to the heroes of America
and their families through the Holiday
Mail for Heroes campaign.
For the third year in a row, the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are working together to collect, sort and distribute holiday cards to service members, veterans and their families.
Visit redcrossofnei.org starting November 2, 2009 for complete program guidelines. Cards will be accepted from November 2 through December 7, 2009.
"Change a Life" T-shirts for Sale
Get your limited-edition "Change a Life" t-shirt and support the American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana in style!
Shirts were designed by Jenna Sheffler, a Red Cross AmeriCorps*VISTA member. Each limited-edition, custom t-shirt is
individually numbered 1 through 100. T-shirts are made from comfortable, yet
durable high-quality bamboo and organic cotton.
Best of all, 100% of the net proceeds will benefit our local American
Red Cross chapter. Every shirt we sell will enable us to
provide a pair of shoes to a child who has lost all her belongings in a house
fire.
To learn more or to place an order, please visit our website. (Note: Sample sizes are being shipped to the chapter and should arrive around November 9, 2009). Hurry, quantities are limited!
Welcoming our New AmeriCorps Members
In September, three new AmeriCorps members started their
year of service at the American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana. Jenny Rubalcada, Lauren Stoffel, and Carole Whitlock joined second-year
AmeriCorps members Amy Simpson and Renee Bentz to help expand Red Cross services in our community and
respond to local and national disasters.
Since 2008, Red Cross AmeriCorps members have helped us develop new community partnerships and educate and train community members in CPR, First Aid and disaster preparedness. Learn more about the AmeriCorps program at americorps.gov.
And the Winner is...
Congratulations to Randy and Diane Sheffler, Red Cross
supporters, for winning first place in our Look
Like Lincoln photo contest with over 36% of the votes! In their photo,
Randy and Diane are depicting the act of performing life-saving CPR, an
essential part of the Red Cross mission.
MIX volunteer Quinn Brenneke placed second in the contest with over 29% of the votes, and Kathleen, a young Red Cross supporter, placed third with 15% of the votes. Make sure to check out our Look Like Lincoln photo album to see all of the entries. Thank you to everyone who participated in our contest!
We'd also like to thank everyone who took part in our It's All About the Lincolns penny campaign for local disaster relief. During the six-week fundraiser, supporters helped us raise over $2,100 in loose change and bills, with additional funds pending. Many thanks to the 75+ locations who served as collection sites and the countless individuals who generously contributed their change for local relief. Funds raised will help us provide emergency food, water and shelter to over 150 people in our community. Thank you for your participation. We couldn't have done it without you!
Goodsearch and Goodshop
What if the American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana earned a donation every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause? Well, now it can!
GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 30% of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, eBay, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop. Every time you place an order, you'll be supporting your favorite cause.
And if you download the GoodSearch – American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana toolbar, our cause will earn money every time you shop and search online - even if you forget to go to GoodShop or GoodSearch first! Add the American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana toolbar at http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar!
Calendar of Events: Upcoming classes, events, and tours
- November 5: Changing Lives Tour, 12pm
- November 18: Society for H.O.P.E. Fundraising Breakfast, 7:30am
- November 25: Office closes at 3:00pm
- November 26: Office closed in observance of Thanksgiving
- November 27: Office closed in observance of Thanksgiving
