Holiday Message from Mike Parks

Posted on December 25, 2015 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

American Red Cross CEO Mike Parks, Northeast Ohio Region

Northeast Ohio American Red Cross Family: Between Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, Boxing Day and New Year’s (among others)—we’re well into this year’s “Holiday Season.” Please accept my sincere thanks and grateful appreciation for all each of you do every day to help serve those in need in Northeast Ohio. Thank you!

As we close out calendar year 2015 (as well as the first half of FY 2016) and reflect back on your accomplishments, it’s been an incredibly busy year. Here’s just a partial list of some of those successes:

Opened more disaster cases and provided more direct client assistance than the same time last year.

Prescious Givens and her family received housing assistance after their home caught fire

Installed more than 6500 smoke alarms (our target was 6500 but we upped our annual goal to 10,000).

Lincoln Electric CEO and Red Cross Board Member Chris Mapes installing smoke alarms in Euclid

Reached more than 2800 students with the Pillowcase Project (our target was 3000 but we got materials for 500 additional).

Students created pillowcases at Wilcox Elementary School in North Ridgeville

Migrated almost 2200 volunteers (including Biomedical Services) to Volunteer Connection.

Volunteer George Figel of Akron

Recruited more than 300 new volunteers to the American Red Cross.

Created an integrated American Red Cross Board combining Chapter & Biomedical Boards.

Inaugural meeting of combined board

Achieved 100% participation in our annual Board Campaign while exceeding our financial goal by almost 10%.

Partnered with both the Veteran’s Administration and the USO to better serve our members of the Armed Forces.

American Red Cross CEO Mike Parks, with Ohio Army National Guardsmen

Updated all Northeast Ohio American Red Cross websites and revitalized an informative Blog.

Upgraded our building facilities and streamlined our automotive fleet.

Remained well-within our annual expense budget through careful stewardship.

Hired and onboarded more than a dozen new enthusiastic Red Cross employees.

Regional Disaster Officer Tim O’Toole

And as you know—that’s just scratching the surface of all you’ve accomplished throughout the Northeast Ohio Region. As many of us take time to celebrate with families and friends, I want to say a special “Thank You” to those staff and volunteers who have, and will be providing critical assistance during this holiday period. We wouldn’t be the American Red Cross without you! As I’ve said many times since joining this fine organization, the American Red Cross is all about “caring”…”caring for those we serve” and “caring for those who serve.” It seems fitting that in this special season of giving, we remember those who give so much to help those in need. Thank you to all of the Northeast Ohio American Red Cross family. I wish you and yours Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. I’m already excited about what 2016 will bring—I hope you are too. Best wishes…Mike

Free Toys For Children Following Home Fires

Posted on December 24, 2015 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Travel Centers of America Workers Hold Toy Drive for Home Fire Survivors

Dozens of children recently chased from their homes by fire now have new board games, baby dolls and teddy bears, thanks to about 300 employees at TravelCenters of America.

The workers have been collecting toys at the company’s National Headquarters building in Westlake since Thanksgiving, anxious to help families facing hard times during the holiday season.

Volunteers with the American Red Cross packed the toys into an idle Emergency Response Vehicle on December 22, and transported them to Red Cross Regional Headquarters, where they were distributed the next day.

Photo credit: Jim McIntyre/American Red Cross

The children chose whatever they wanted from tables mounded with soft, cuddly stuffed toys, remote control cars and superhero action figures. They also enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate while their parents breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that at least part of Christmas was taken care of.

Employees with TravelCenters of America hold the toy drive for children affected by disasters every year. The American Red Cross is grateful to them and to all who make a contribution to disaster relief, especially at this time of year.

American Red Cross NEO Staffers Celebrate Holidays

Posted on December 23, 2015 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Abundant food, a festive game and welcome camaraderie were shared by employees of the American Red Cross, Northeast Ohio Region on Friday, December 18th.

We are spread out all across Northeast Ohio, from Ashtabula to Tuscarawas Counties, so it’s always nice to gather at the same time and in the same place…especially when it’s for pleasure, not business!

The holiday gathering was held at the centrally-located Summit, Portage and Medina Counties chapter in Akron.

We started with a game involving…games. Christmasgame

The Northeast Ohio staff is spread out not only geographically, but also demographically; we represent a wide age range. The games you recognize as having played as a child say a lot about when you were born.

Thanks to Mary Williams, Communications Officer extraordinaire for coming up with the ice-breaker. As you can see in some of the pictures below, it brought us all together.

You can also see the spread of food we enjoyed. It was a team effort, especially on the part of Business Operations Manager Margie Green, who not only made the trip to pick up chicken and pasta, she helped serve it, too!

Photo credit: Jim McIntyre/American Red Cross

Senior Disaster Program Manager Renee Palagyi led the staff in song, and one lucky Red Crosser won 4 tickets to an upcoming Cavaliers game, donated by Shawn Riley, Chairman of the Greater Cleveland Chapter Board of Directors.

Finally, instead of a gift exchange, Red Cross employees donated toys, to be distributed to the children in Northeast Ohio who have recently been affected by disaster.

We hope it helps make their holidays a little brighter.

Donations made to the American Red Cross help families recover from disasters, by providing lodging, food, clothing, and yes…toys, if parents determine that to be an immediate need. To help these families recover, you can donate here, or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS. You can also text the words “Red Cross” to 90999, to make a $10 donation.

Thank you. And Happy Holidays, from the staff at the American Red Cross, Northeast Ohio Region!

7th Annual Sheraton Suites Akron Holiday Blood Drive

Posted on December 22, 2015 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Patients don’t get a holiday from needing blood and platelets. The need is constant.

Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. As the new year approaches, the Red Cross encourages individuals to make a
meaningful resolution. Resolve to give blood or platelets now and throughout the year.

By doing something that doesn’t cost a thing, you can give help to someone in need – you can offer hope to a patient.

The 7th Annual Sheraton Suites Akron Holiday Blood Drive is being held today, Dec. 22, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Sheraton Suites Akron/Cuyahoga Falls, 1989 Front Street in Cuyahoga Falls.

Photo Credit: Mary Williams/American Red Cross

All presenting donors will receive a pixie poinsettia, reusable shopping bag, a gift certificate from Gavin Scott Salon and Spa as well as a Red Cross long sleeve T-shirt, while supplies last. Presenting donors will also be entered to win a grand prize media package from Summa Health System including a Sony blu-ray player, Xbox bundle and 55” Samsung smart HDTV. All who come to donate will also be entered to win one of two gift baskets provided by Papa John’s and Western Reserve Hospital.

Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in Ohio), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Eligible donors can schedule an appointment to give blood using the Blood Donor App, by visiting redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Here are some facts about blood donations:

o It’s the blood products on the shelves today that help save lives in an emergency.
o Blood and platelets are needed for many different reasons. Accident and burn victims, heart surgery patients, organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease may all need blood.
o Donated blood products are perishable. Red blood cells have a shelf life of only 42 days and platelets just five days, so they must constantly be replenished – there is no substitute.

NEO Volunteers Respond to 11 Home Fires Over Weekend

Posted on December 21, 2015 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Across the nation, every 8 minutes the American Red Cross responds to a Home Fire.

This weekend Red Cross volunteers across northeast Ohio responded to 11 home fires, and helped 43 displaced individuals find shelter and nourishment for the first few days following the event.

Each and every day Red Cross volunteers respond to home fires in our communities – Beloit, Willowick, Conneaut, Warren, Cleveland, Akron, Sandusky, Mansfield, Canton and every point in-between. We know the devastation that such a disaster can bring to a family. And that is why local volunteers get up at 1 a.m. or whenever their phone rings. They get out of their own nice, warm beds to provide hope when it is needed most.

That hope is available thanks to the kindness of northeast Ohio community members. Thanks to you, we were able to provide the families who experienced home fires this weekend with over $9,500 in aid to help them with a place to stay for a few nights, a few meals, to replace winter wear and a few clothing items.

“I want to thank our disaster team members for the generosity they display each and every time they respond to a home fire,” said Tim O’Toole, Regional Disaster Officer for Northeast Ohio. “But especially during this, the Holiday season. It’s a time when most people reflect on their good fortune and find ways to contribute to their community, either through volunteerism or by financial donations, and I thank our team for choosing to give through the Red Cross.”

The winter months are when a majority of home fires occur – between holiday candles, Christmas trees, heating units and holiday cooking. To make sure your home is prepared for colder temperatures visit our website, http://www.redcross.org/prepare.

2015, Across the Nation

Posted on December 17, 2015 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

In an unusually busy year, the Red Cross helped hundreds of thousands of people impacted by disasters in 2015, both here at home and around the globe. Red Cross disaster workers responded to 176 large U.S. disasters – more than each of the past three years.

The cost of just the four largest of these disasters is more than $30 million – this includes flooding in Texas and South Carolina, wildfires in California and Typhoon Soudelor, which battered the island of Saipan in August; (Saipan is part of the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific).

Amidst all of these devastating events, home fires continued to be the largest disaster threat in the United States. During 2015, the Red Cross provided casework assistance to help 214,000 people whose lives were affected by a home fire. The Red Cross also helped prevent home fires and related injuries and deaths by working with local partners across the country to install 195,000 smoke alarms and teach 268,000 youth about fire safety.

Whether a disaster affects just one family or thousands of families, the Red Cross of Northeast Ohio is committed to helping people get back on their feet as quickly as possible. But we need your support now to continue providing help to families affected by disasters.

And today – December 17, 2015 – a generous donor will match what you give, dollar-for-dollar, until $50,000. [https://www.redcross.org/donate/2015-holiday-match-gift].

Your support will help our chapters install smoke alarms in susceptible communities, provide fire and disaster safety education to children (and their parents), provide emergency communication for our military members and their families, reconnect families torn apart by conflicts, and – most importantly – provide hope when and where it is needed most.

The Red Cross was listed as a high-rated charity on this year’s Consumer Reports Best and Worst Charities for Your Donations list.

You can donate anytime at www.redcross.org/donate, by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-27677), or donate $10 by text-to-give through your wireless carrier (text REDCROSS to 90999)*

* SMS Donation Terms and Conditions

You can make a $10.00 donation to the American Red Cross. Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. Must be 18 years of age or have parental permission to participate. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 90999 to STOP. Text HELP to 90999 for HELP. Full Terms: www.mGive.org/T.

American Red Cross Board Holds First Combined Meeting

Posted on December 15, 2015 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Two Former Leaders Honored with Lifetime Board Memberships

The Boards of Directors for American Red Cross Blood Services, Northern Ohio Region and the Greater Cleveland Chapter have merged, forming one combined American Red Cross Board in Northeast Ohio.

During the inaugural meeting of the merged board, two past leaders were awarded honorary Lifetime Board Memberships.

Current CEO Mike Parks and Honorary Lifetime Board Member Steve D. Bullock

Steve D. Bullock

Mike Parks and Steve D. Bullock

Photo Credit: Jim McIntyre/American Red Cross

Steve D. Bullock, who began his career with the American Red Cross in 1962, served as Chief Executive Officer for the Greater Cleveland Chapter from 1982-1999. He was then selected by Elizabeth Dole to succeed her as acting president of the national American Red Cross.

Mary-Alice Frank started her American Red Cross career in 1979, and was named CEO of the Greater Cleveland Chapter in 1999. She went on to serve as CEO of the Northeast Ohio Region when the national Red Cross merged its chapters into regions in 2011, and held the position until leaving the Red Cross in 2014. She was unable to attend the first combined board meeting due to travel commitments.

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In addition to the Honorary Lifetime Memberships, current board member Chris Mapes, CEO of Lincoln Electric was presented with the inaugural Corporate Partnership award.

New members serving on the combined American Red Cross board include Kerry Bubolz, President of Business Operations for the Cleveland Cavaliers; Micki Byrnes, President and General Manager of WKYC; Carrie F. Fanelly, General Manager of Commercial Operations for Dominion East Ohio; Susan M. Fuehrer, Medical Center Director for the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center; Matthew T. Garrity, Executive Vice President of Home Savings; H. W. Birkett Gibson, President of Birkettmire, Ltd; John B. Hexter, Consultant for Hexter Consulting; Sally L. Levine, Principal at Levine Architecture & Design, Ltd; Natalie McAllister, Regional Director at Global Prairie; Rick Taylor, Corporate Vice President EHS at Parker Hannifin; and Shawn M. Riley, Managing Partner at McDonald Hopkins LLC.

Mr. Riley was appointed Board Chairman, succeeding David Doll of UBS Financial Services. Laura Hauser of Hauser Law, LLC was reappointed as Board Secretary.

You don’t have to work in finance or law to volunteer with the American Red Cross. More than 800 residents in Northeast Ohio are Red Cross volunteers, helping their neighbors recover following home fires, guiding donors at blood drives, even taking pictures and shooting video at various Red Cross events. If you are interested in volunteering, visit our website: redcross.org/neo and click on “Volunteer” on the left side of the screen. You will be dropped directly into the application process. You may also call 216-431-3328 or email, NEOvolunteer@redcross.org.

The next meeting of the combined American Red Cross Board in Northeast Ohio will be held in March, 2016.

Wreaths Across America

Posted on December 14, 2015 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

On Saturday, the Red Cross assisted a national program, Wreaths Across America, at the Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman.

The annual program remembers and honors the fallen at national cemeteries across the country by placing wreaths on veteran headstones on a certain day in December – this year it was December 12. It’s an amazing program – the wreaths are sponsored by citizens across the nation, then trucked in to each of the cemeteries by volunteers. The wreaths are then placed by local volunteers.

The Red Cross was on site to pass out coffee, hot chocolate and water. The hot beverages are usually a welcome treat for the volunteers, but with Saturday’s balmy temperatures water was the most requested drink.

Following the placement on individual grave sites, the cemetery holds a ceremony which places a wreath in memorial of every veteran in each branch of service.

For more photos from the 2015 ceremony, please visit our Summit, Portage, and Medina Counties Chapter Facebook page.

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Preparing Families for Emergencies

Posted on December 12, 2015 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Most people believe that on the First Day of Christmas the appropriate gift to give is a Partridge in a Pear Tree. Well, the Red Cross believes in building Disaster Resilient Neighborhoods during the Holiday Season, as well throughout the year.

To help you select stocking stuffers and Christmas gifts designed to make individuals, families and the homes they live in as safe as possible, the Red Cross has put together the following recommendations for gifts for the Twelve Days of Christmas.

On the First Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you install a SMOKE ALARM. Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of a home; outside bedrooms on the ceiling or high on the wall, at the top of open stairways and at the bottom of enclosed stairs and near (but not in) the kitchen. It is important to check your Smoke Alarms every month and replace their batteries when Daylight Savings Time begins in the spring and ends in the fall.

On the Second Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you install a CARBON MONOXIDE (CO2) ALARM. Carbon Monoxide Alarms should be placed in hallways throughout the home. They should also be placed in recreational vehicles and on boats.

On the Third Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you install a FIRE EXTINGUISHER. Install A-B-C type Fire Extinguishers in the home and teach all household members how to use them.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you install a FIRE ESCAPE LADDER. Homes with more than one floor should have at least one Fire Escape Ladder stored on all floors, other than ground level. Store these ladders where they are easily accessible.

On the Fifth Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you assemble a FAMILY DISASTER SUPPLIES KIT. A family will cope best by preparing for a disaster before it strikes. One way to prepare is by assembling a Family Disaster Supplies Kit. Once disaster hits, you won’t have time to shop and search for supplies.

On the Sixth Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you assemble a PET SUPPLIES KIT. Pets enrich the lives of individuals and families in more ways than you can count. In turn they depend on people for their safety and well-being. Having a Pet Disaster Supplies Kit is one of the best ways to care for pets when disaster strikes.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you acquire a WEATHER RADIO. As the voice of the National Weather Service, a Weather Radio provides continuous broadcasts of the latest weather information directly from a National Weather Service Forecast Office. During severe weather routine broadcasting is interrupted and special watch and warning messages are issued.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you get a FIRST AID KIT. Because the first five minutes of a medical emergency are critical, every individual and family should have First Aid Kits in their home and vehicles (including boats).

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you attend FIRST AID AND CPR TRAINING. For more than a century, the Red Cross has been saving lives with Health and Safety Services education programs. A unique idea for a Christmas stocking would be a Gift Certificate for a First Aid and CPR Training course.

On the Tenth Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you purchase HOUSE NUMBERS. Each home should have its number posted clearly on the front door, over the doorway, or elsewhere on the front so emergency responders can easily locate it. Lives and property can be saved simply by using adequate house numbers placed where emergency workers can find them. You can purchase numbers at your local hardware store.

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you purchase a FLASHLIGHT. As simple as a Flashlight is, it can become a very important tool to use during and after a disaster. Every family disaster supplies kit should contain a flashlight and spare batteries.

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you create an EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION PLAN. Each home should have a list of Emergency Phone Numbers posted near the phone or in the front of a phone book.

For additional information on these and other safety tips visit:

http://www.redcross.org/news/article/7-fire-safety-tips-for-holiday-decorating-and-entertaining

A Thank You to our Summit County Transportation Volunteers

Posted on December 11, 2015 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

by Bev Snyder, Transportation Coordinator

Thank you.

As I reflect on the past 4 years of working with an amazing team of volunteers to provide free transportation to all residents in Summit County, I realize that I have made a lot of great friends.

This team is made up of the most caring, and compassionate people I have encountered in my 33-years of working with the Red Cross. You have worked on days that were miserably cold and snowy, days that were hot and humid and never complained. I just want to say thank you for letting me be a part of this team, and thank each and every one on the team for all that you have done.