|
|
Join us for Friday Nites Live on September 18
Stop by Jefferson Pointe on Friday, September 18th for a
free concert and Red Cross fundraiser! Enjoy music by the popular local band Unlikely
Alibi and drop off your spare change for our It’s
All About the Lincolns penny drive. Your contributions will help us reach
our goal of raising one million pennies for local disaster relief by the end of
September. Remember, every little bit helps!
Speaking of Lincolns,
have you entered our Look
Like Lincoln photo contest? Print off an Abraham Lincoln mask and snap a
photo of yourself, friends, or family doing something good in your community
while wearing the mask. Winners will be featured on our website and in our next
issue of Chapter Matters. Hurry, contest ends September 30!
Read
contest rules and details
View
current entries
|
|
September is National Preparedness Month
While the majority of Americans think it’s a good idea to get
prepared for disasters and other emergencies, only 7% of people have taken the
necessary actions to Be
Red Cross Ready. Northeast Indiana is affected by disaster
nearly every other month. Why risk being caught unprepared? Learn how to be
prepared by following these three simple steps:
1. Get a kit: Gather the necessary supplies you need to act on
your plan in the event of a disaster. Have at least three days of food, water,
and other necessary supplies in an easy-to-carry disaster kit. Build a kit
using our printable checklist on redcrossofnei.org. Play
fun and interactive preparedness games at redcross.org/domore.
2. Make a plan: Working together, decide what you and your
family will do in the event of a disaster. Write down your plan and establish a
family meeting place that is safe and easy to remember.
3. Be informed: Contact your local Red Cross to learn what you
can do to prepare for common disasters in our area. Identify ways to obtain
important weather-related information before, during, and after a disaster (via
local radio, TV, or NOAA weather radio, for example). Get trained in Red Cross
CPR, first aid, and AED. For preparedness tips regarding the H1N1 (swine) flu virus, visit our website.
 On September 13, winners from the first annual Run 4 Red
received preparedness kits and free first aid training certificates to promote
preparedness in our community. Fifty-three runners and over 20 walkers
participated, raising over $5,000 for local Red Cross programs and services. Congratulations
to the winning teams and individuals:
First Place Team:
Old Blood 'n Guts
Second Place Team:
Fort Wayne Fire
Third Place Team:
Bandido's
Overall Winner – Male:
Kaleb Van Ort
Overall Winner – Female: Sydney Willis
Visit
our website for a full list of winners and photos. Many thanks to our
Pacesetter Sponsor, Lutheran Health Network, our additional sponsors, participants, and volunteers! For more information on being Red Cross
Ready, visit redcrossofnei.org
or call (260) 484-9336.
|
| Learn About MIX!
The MIX, or Multicultural
Information eXchange, is a Red Cross program that provides translation and
international services.
Originally founded in 2001, the MIX provides
translations of personal documents, interpretations, referrals for immigrants
and refugees, and international tracing and messaging. The MIX program also
provides valuable resources including the International Guide to Greater Fort
Wayne, a guidebook designed to help non-native English-speaking families feel at home in
our community.
The MIX facility was originally
located off-site on Broadway, but has recently relocated to the renovated
Humanitarian Services building across from the Coliseum. The MIX program is
comprised of over 70 volunteers and 3 employees: Irene Paxia, Program Director;
Maria Teresa Michel, Program Coordinator; and
Pakao Mon, Burmese/Mon Translator.
In August, the MIX and the
Multicultural Council’s Public Safety committee began distribution of household
emergency cards for multilingual families. These cards, designed to be placed
on the refrigerator, display the family’s medical and contact information in
their primary language, as well as in English. The cards are currently
available in Spanish, Burmese, French, Arabic and Bosnian, thanks to the work
of MIX employees and volunteers.
Local Fire and Police personnel
are being instructed to look for emergency cards on the refrigerators of the
homes they access. The emergency cards are designed to help responders easily
determine the language spoken in the household and to reduce the amount of time
needed to contact interpreters during an emergency.
For more information about the
MIX, please visit our
website, call (260) 484-9336 x242, or visit the main office.
|
|
A Life-Saving Story
 The days leading up to Memorial Day weekend are typically
the beginning of a relaxing and warm summer. Pat Schiffli will not soon forget the beginning of one such summer. Pat was in his home eating supper when he
heard commotion coming from a road that runs along his backyard. He heard one of his neighbors, John, shouting
“Are you okay? Are you okay?” Pat naturally went to investigate what was
happening. When he got to the road,
Pat’s neighbor was calling 911. Dan, another neighbor, was lying face down on
the ground. Having been trained with the
American Red Cross in CPR and first aid, Pat immediately checked the man’s
vitals and, with the help of another neighbor, began administering chest
compressions and rescue breaths.
Emergency medical services personnel soon arrived with an AED
(automatic external defibrillator) device. Even after delivering two AED shocks
to Dan’s heart, he still remained unconscious.
Dan was rushed to a nearby hospital where he received advanced medical
care. He ultimately survived the
incident and lives to thank Pat and his neighbors who provided lifesaving care
that early summer weekend.
Had Pat and his neighbors not made the decision to act
quickly, call 911, and provide CPR, doctors say that Dan only had a 1% chance
of surviving his near-fatal collapse that day. Today Pat recommends that everyone receive at least some training in the
CPR techniques that helped save Dan’s life. He believes that “it’s good for everyone to know.”
Do you have a Red Cross story of your own? Please contact Nick Spoltman at (260) 484-9336 x236 or spoltmann@usa.redcross.org.
|
|
Red Cross Recognized as Health Care Hero
 Each year the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly Health Care
Hero Awards honor organizations and individuals in the health care field who
epitomize the spirit embodied in the word “hero”. This year, Humanitarian
Services will be recognized in two categories.
The American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana placed as
runner-up for the Community Achievement in Health Care category, awarded to a
nonprofit organization that has done the most to champion health care in the
community. Individuals trained in Red Cross health and safety programs become
everyday heroes when they care for others who desperately need help, often in
life-threatening situations. Through a
force of 585 area instructors, the local Red Cross issues approximately
20,000 certifications in lifesaving skills each year. 
Red Cross volunteer Jyotin Clifford placed first in the Volunteer
category, awarded to an individual who volunteers his or her time to a
health-care organization, service or program. Since he began volunteering as an
instructor for the health and safety training program in the summer of 2008,
Jyotin has logged 205 volunteer hours, training nearly 275 participants in 34
health and safety classes. Congratulations!
The American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana will be honored
at the Health Care Hero Awards breakfast to be held September 18. The
organization will also be profiled in a special publication by the Greater Fort
Wayne Business Weekly.
|
|
Save the Date: Society for H.O.P.E. Breakfast
Mark your calendars for our third annual Society for
H.O.P.E. (Helping Others Prepare for Emergencies) fundraising breakfast. This
year’s event will take place on Wednesday, November 18 at 7:30am at Ceruti's. Thank you to this year’s breakfast
sponsor, NIPSCO.
|
|
Calendar of Events:
Visit our website for more events and classes!
|
|
