By Eric Alves, Regional Communications Specialist, American Red Cross of Northeast Ohio. Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer.
Families across Northeast Ohio are preparing to see family and friends and celebrate the start of the holiday season around the dinner table. We’re dreaming of turkey, pumpkin pie and football. While this time of year is exciting, our homes do not always look like a Norman Rockwell painting. It tends to be chaotic. There are kids and pets running around, aunts and uncles from across the country trying to get your attention and people enticed by the aromas trying to steal a taste of turkey. All this chaos can be overwhelming and distracting, which is why each year Thanksgiving is one of the leading days for home cooking fires.
Here are from 10 tips from the American Red Cross to help you protect yourself and your family from home fires:
Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year if your smoke alarm requires it.
Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen. Contact your local fire department to take training on the proper use of extinguishers.
While cooking, don’t wear loose clothing or sleeves that dangle.
If you are frying, grilling or broiling food, never leave it unattended—stay in the kitchen. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires.
If you’re simmering, baking, roasting or broiling food, check it regularly.
Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.
Keep kids and pets away from the cooking area. Make them stay at least three feet away from the stove.
Keep anything that can catch fire—pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, towels or curtains—away from your stove, oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.
Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.
Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.
Bonus Tip:
Download the American Red Cross First Aid App. The app provides users with quick, expert advice on what to do in case of an emergency.
As you continue to prepare for an enjoyable and festive holiday, here is a video on holiday cooking safety tips you can watch with your family and friends so that everyone, especially little ones, remains safe:
From everyone at the Red Cross of Northeast Ohio, we wish you and yours a very happy and safe Thanksgiving!
By Sue Wilson Cordle, Summit, Portage, Medina Chapter board of directors member. Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross Volunteer
Jackie Otte is the Regional Volunteer Lead for the American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Services team and has been a Red Cross volunteer for the last 26 years. That in itself is significant; but it is just one aspect of her commitment to the organization.
In the late 1960s, Jackie served with the Red Cross in Vietnam. She explained, “There were two national Red Cross programs serving the military during the Vietnam War: SMI, Service to Military Installations, and SMH, Service to Military Hospitals.” Jackie served in both areas doing casework and recreational therapy.
“When I received orders for Vietnam in the spring of 1968, the patients I worked with told me not to go— that I would forever be affected. However, I was an idealist and did not turn down orders.” She was assigned to the 2nd Surgical Hospital in Chu Lai, about 50 miles south of DaNang.
This weekend, her contribution for those years and many more will be recognized at the American Red Cross Headquarters in Washington, D.C., with a Legacy Award. This award recognizes Red Cross staff and volunteers, like Jackie, who have served side-by-side with members of the United States armed forces in combat zones.
After her service in Vietnam, Jackie was stationed in Germany. “I am the daughter of a veteran and my service in military hospitals has given me a life-long desire to give back to our military personnel and veterans. I am still working part-time as a social worker in a hospice program,” she said. Jackie is very involved with We Honor Veterans, the national hospice organization that recognizes vets at end-of–life and trains staff on end-of-life issues faced by combat vets.
Jackie, who is originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, comes from a Red Cross family. Her father, a World War II vet, served the Red Cross as a board member at both the local and national levels until his death. Jackie learned while planning his funeral that her dad used to read her letters from Vietnam at Red Cross board meetings. While in Washington this weekend for Veterans Day-related events, she’ll stay with her nephew, who is a former Red Cross employee, and his wife, a current Red Cross employee. Red Cross roots spread wide in her family.
Jackie also plans to visit the Vietnam Veterans Women’s Memorial on its 25th anniversary. “I was the Ohio volunteer coordinator for the Vietnam Women’s Memorial,” explained Jackie. “I made a lot of appearances to educate others about the memorial and raise funds to build it.”
Jackie said she is looking forward to seeing old friends, both from the Red Cross and military. “It has been 50 years since we were there and we aren’t getting any younger. Many may not be with us in the near future.”
The Red Cross legacy of service to members of the military began when founder Clara Barton provided comfort on the battlefields during the Civil War. Since then, American Red Cross staff and volunteers have served in every major military combat or conflict operation around the world. They are among a select group who have proudly worn the Red Cross emblem to provide care and comfort to members of the United States armed forces, their families and our veterans. And Jackie is a member of that select group who will be honored this weekend.
In Jackie’s words, “These ceremonies are always moving for all involved. It will be an honor to take part in a ceremony like this for recognition for combat Red Cross staff.”
Congratulations, Jackie, and thank you for your years of dedication and service to the Red Cross, our military and our veterans.
By Brad Galvan; edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross Volunteers
Does even the thought of Stress Awareness Day stress you out? Stress, anxiety, pressure and strain are all synonyms for that uncomfortable burden on one’s mental health. Each of us have experienced stress in varying degrees often caused by workloads, relationships or other factors. Effective, healthy stress management can literally be a lifesaver. That’s the focus of Stress Awareness Day, which is recognized on November 7.
A healthy amount of stress can be viewed as a motivator, a reason to strive for improvement and it can feel good when one can overcome challenges. But when it’s overwhelming, causing illness, hurting relationships and overall well-being, it’s important to evaluate environmental stressors. Stepping back, evaluating the cause of stress and using a mitigation technique can be very effective.
Many people suffer from stresses related to not feeling as if there are enough hours in the day or stress related to not being prepared for the known, and unknown. There’s no need to re-create the wheel; checklists, planning documents and organizers are readily available. Consider reviewing The Be Ready Red Cross checklist. Other folks find comfort in turning the attention away from themselves and focus on others as a strategy to reduce stress. A great way to do that is to donate blood. Finding a nearby drive where you can relax for a few minutes and know that you are helping someone else could be a wonderful way to reduce tension.
If personal evaluation of anxiety and management of stresses do not seem to help, consulting a mental health professional is always the best bet. Mental health is just as important as physical health—it’s critical to care for your own well-being on November 7 and throughout the entire year.
A home can be rebuilt. Human lives, pets and mementos can’t.
For those with insurance, a home fire a major disruption. For those without insurance, it’s devastating. The good news is that most home fires are preventable.
As a member of the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team, I’ve seen numerous fires that didn’t have to happen:
A kitchen fire was caused by unattended grease left in a pan on the burner; another was caused by loose papers left too close to the gas burner; and a third by a plastic highchair overhanging an electrical element.
Overloaded electrical outlets and faulty wiring contributed to the loss of a beautiful century home.
An unattended burning candle and a young child playing alone in the home displaced two families.
I could go on, but the good news is that no lives were lost. However, with a modicum of prevention, they could have all been avoided.
Here are 10 simple tips to share with members of your family during National Fire Prevention Week:
Make sure to have working smoke alarms and replace the entire unit if it’s more than 10 years old. Even with a good battery, the sensor in an old alarm wears out in 10 years.
Create an escape plan and make sure every child and adult knows that they must be outside within two minutes of hearing the alarm. Practice the plan with your children so they know the official meeting place outside.
Never smoke in bed or when extremely tired or intoxicated.
Keep matches and lighters away from children.
Keep lit candles away from flammables, children and pets.
Take care that nothing can blow over or into your kitchen gas burners.
Keep frying pan handles turned away from the front edge of the stove so they aren’t tipped by children or pets.
Electric space heaters can easily start fires if clothes or newspapers are tossed on top of them.
Keep a working fire extinguisher handy and know how to use it.
Keep gas cans outside if possible; but, never in a basement or near a furnace or water heater.
Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States, recognized the huge loss caused by fires, both to property and human life. To address the problem, he proclaimed the first Fire Prevention Week in 1926, with the hope it would become an annual event.
He wrote:
“While efforts should be made constantly to reduce fire destruction to a minimum, in pursuance of a well-established precedent, one week is set aside each year during which the urgent need of preventing fires is forcibly stressed.
“If every individual will adopt and practice the simple precautionary measures advocated as fire prevention safeguards, fire hazards and their consequences will be materially reduced.”
Make Calvin proud, and use caution to avoid unnecessary fires.
On October 6, volunteers from the Red Cross, Parma CERT, Hope World Wide Ministries and the Parma Fire Department held a Sound the Alarm home fire safety and smoke alarm installation event. The volunteers installed 171 smoke alarms making 61 home safer.
Editors Note: Jorge Martinez, Regional COO of the American Red Cross of Northeast Ohio, deployed to Puerto Rico in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
By Jorge Martinez, COO, Red Cross, Northeast Ohio Region
Jorge Martinez carries a case of water to residents stranded by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
So how is Puerto Rico doing one year after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria? The short answer is, “Well, I really don’t know. But I think do!”
When I came back last October, having spent a few weeks on the ground in Puerto Rico, I shared a story about a wonderful lady who had welcomed her neighbor into her humble home and simply wanted some tarps to protect her elderly neighbor’s belongings, since the house had no roof. In that story I also mentioned my friend Brad and the many other Red Cross volunteers like him who were serving with so much compassion and love… always putting the needs of others before self. (Click here for a link to that story.) This helps answer the question, “How is Puerto Rico doing?” The story that follows also helps answer that question.
On October 8th last year, I was in a hot, destroyed place called Ensenada, Puerto Rico. Ensenada is on the southern coast of the southwest corner of the island… and like every other place on the island, it had been devastated. There were a lot of people with a lot of need in the area who hadn’t been helped yet, so we brought two crews and two large trucks full of supplies. We set up shop in a large government convention center and delivered supplies to hundreds of families. And of course, the temperature felt like a thousand degrees!
I was carrying some supplies for a sweet old lady to her car so that she could sustain herself, for a few days anyway. She reminded me a lot of my own grandmother, who had passed away many years before. We were chatting on the walk to her car; it’s amazing how you can connect with people when you strip away all the artificial barriers we create. It’s beautiful! As we were approaching her car she said, “You know, mijo (ME-HO – Spanish for “my son”), God tests us. But any time he does, he sends an angel and today you’re my angel.”
Fortunately, I was wearing sunglasses.
When I landed in Puerto Rico on September 28, 2017 we were on one of the first flights following the hurricane. At that point, planes could only land during the day because there were no navigational instruments since there was no power. As you could imagine, the dark, steamy airport was full of people who were trying to get out. As we came through the jetway, the crowd started clapping and thanking us. It was a humbling moment but it speaks to the power of our brand… what we stand for… what we represent. And at that particular point it was hope! And that matters. In times of need, hope matters.
I read the news and see the advances that are happening in Puerto Rico. I also note the setbacks. The truth is, at least how I see it, Puerto Rico will not be back to “normal” for many years. But that’s OK. Puerto Ricans are resilient, warm, caring and extremely communal. And so is the Red Cross. I haven’t been back, but I know that our long-term recovery teams, comprised primarily of volunteers, are on the ground humbly carrying out the king’s work and will be there for quite some time. That’s hopeful; that’s comforting.
So, how’s Puerto Rico doing? Well, probably not so good. But they’re doing great!
40 homes in a Cleveland neighborhood are now safer, thanks to the efforts of two-dozen nurses from Cleveland Clinic.
“United as a team, we’re giving back to the community,” said Kelly Hancock, Cleveland Clinic Health System Executive Chief Nursing Officer. Kelly also serves on the board of directors for the Greater Cleveland Red Cross Chapter, and is chair of the Volunteer Services Committee.
25 nurses and Chief Nursing Officers from each hospital across the Cleveland Clinic Health System installed 113 smoke alarms, and helped residents near the main campus, in the Fairfax neighborhood, create fire escape plans.
That the activity was planned on 9/11 was no accident.
“It was a time when the country was in a dark place,” Kelly said. “What a wonderful way for us to recognize and remember, by giving back to those who we serve.”
Kelly recorded a message at the start of the activity, known as a Sound the Alarm home fire safety and smoke alarm installation event. You can see her message here.
Cleveland Clinic Chief Nursing Officers Shannon Pengel, Barb ZInner and Mary Beth Thoburn with Fairfax resident Kasandra Edmonds
If you have a team of co-workers or colleagues who may be interested in helping make homes safer, visit soundthealarm.org/neo.
Since 2012, September 5 has been designated International Day of Charity. This day coincides with the date of Mother Teresa’s death. She was a humanitarian and philanthropist who was awarded a Noble Peace Prize in 1979 for her work in India to fight poverty, help orphans and fight other humanitarian crises across the nation.
Poverty is a global phenomenon. It has existed in the most powerful nations to the most underdeveloped countries of the world since the beginning of history. Therefore, eradicating poverty in all its forms is a worldwide challenge. The purpose of International Day of Charity is to raise awareness and provide a platform to organizations and philanthropists who perform charity-related activities on a national or international level. By spotlighting critical needs, this international observance also encourages people to donate to charitable causes that provide lifesaving support, housing, food, education, child protection and safety to millions of people around the globe.
Every year, the American Red Cross responds to about 64,000 disaster emergencies across the United States. This vital help is only possible due to the generous donations of individuals and the amazing efforts of Red Cross volunteers who give their time and talents. The blood donated by people through the Red Cross is truly lifesaving and sustains patients in need. It’s worthwhile to mention that the selfless work that volunteers do in such organizations is a noble form of charity. This not only offers great social bonding opportunities but also contributes to the creation of more inclusive communities.
The donations made to different philanthropic organizations can help conserve cultural and natural heritages, save wildlife and promote the rights of marginalized people. Charitable giving also simply spreads a message of humanity in areas of trouble and conflict.
To donate to the Red Cross in observance of International Day of Charity (or on any day of the year) or to volunteer your time to help its lifesaving mission, visit www.redcross.org.
One million elementary school students across the country have now learned how to prepare themselves, their households and their communities for emergencies by participating in The Pillowcase Project. More than 11,000 of those children live in Northeast Ohio.
Students review information in booklets they are given to keep
Originally created in New Orleans, The Pillowcase Project is a free program inspired by the story of local university students carrying their belongings in pillowcases during Hurricane Katrina evacuations. During the presentation, participants receive a pillowcase to decorate and then take home to use as a personal emergency supplies kit.
The curriculum, targeted at 3rd to 5th graders, is structured by a Learn, Practice, Share framework. Students learn about the science of a locally relevant hazard and how to best prepare for it. They practice what to do if a disaster occurs and how to cope with related fear and stress. Afterwards, they share the information and skills they have learned with their family and friends so everyone in the household knows what to do.
John Gareis, Regional Preparedness Manager was assisted by AmeriCorps worker Rachel Steiner at a Pillowcase Project presentation at the Cleveland VA Medical Center Photo Credit: Jim McIntyre/American Red Cross
“It’s exciting to see young people inNortheast Ohio and across the country learn how to prepare themselves, their households, and their communities for emergencies and save lives by participating in The Pillowcase Project,” said John Gareis, Regional Preparedness Manager.
To date, 11 lives have been saved by four students who put into practice what they learned through the program. Last year, 9-year-old Camryn Sarnie of Ramona, Oklahoma was startled awake at 3:00 a.m. by a smoke alarm sounding in his home. The sound scared Camryn, but he recognized it and knew that it was alerting him to a fire. He knew that he had less than two minutes to escape, so he quickly woke up his parents, alerted them to the fire and instructed them to evacuate immediately. Camryn saved three lives that morning, including his own, by putting into practice what he learned just a few weeks earlier from The Pillowcase Project presentation at his school. According to Camryn’s mother, Lora, “Camryn told us all about what he learned in class after the presentation. Camryn is a true hero.”
The Red Cross has engaged more than 35,000 volunteers and partnered with more than 13,000 schools, community organizations and partners to deliver this program to students across the country and at more than a dozen U.S. military stations abroad. The Walt Disney Company is the founding sponsor of the program.
Contact John Gareis at 216-431-3219 to schedule a Pillowcase Project presentation for your school, or email john.gareis@redcross.org. . Additional information about The Pillowcase Project is available at redcross.org/pillowcase.
Nearly 25 Red Cross workers hit the streets of Akron to help Sound the Alarm to end home fires.
The first Sound the Alarm event held in Akron, eight teams traveled to prearranged homes in all points of the city, while another group dropped off flyers for the May 5th event at homes in west Akron.
All told, volunteers and staff member helped make 45 homes safer, installing 123 alarms.
If you would like to help make our community safer, or need working smoke alarms in your home, visit soundthealarm.org/neo.
Lt. Jeff Layne and Officer James Craft – The commitment police, fire and rescue workers have for their community knows no days off, as Akron Fire Department Lieutenant Jeffrey Layne discovered on a sunny day in April. Lt. Layne was off duty getting ready to enjoy a bike ride by Summit Lake with his wife and a friend when an SUV appeared out of nowhere and drove off the pier into the cold, murky water. Lt. Layne called out to pedestrians nearby to call 9-1-1 and immediately jumped into the lake. Approaching from behind, Lt. Layne recognized car seats from the back window and feared the worst.
Akron Police Department Police Officer James Craft was on duty and just driving past Summit Lake when the call came in that a vehicle had gone into the water and may have a family on board. Arriving at the scene, Officer Craft wasted no time removing his vest and jumping into the frigid water to assist Lt. Layne.
As more rescue personnel began arriving on the scene, Officer Craft used his ASP baton to break the rear window and fire rescue officers atop the vehicle broke out the passenger window allowing them to come to the relieving conclusion that there were no other passengers in the vehicle aside from the driver. With the water now up to the driver’s chin Officer Craft grabbed hold of the driver and pulled him out of the vehicle through the broken window. The driver began to panic and wrapped his arms around Officer Craft, pushing him under the water. Officer Craft regained his position with the driver and with the assistance of additional rescue personnel on the dock, was able to get the driver onto the shore to safety. The driver was saved thanks to these two men’s quick action, courage and determination.
Wade Wooten – A strange haze filled the sky outside of Wade Wooten’s home. Feeling a sense of alarm, Wade decided to step outside and investigate immediately being overwhelmed by smoke. Looking to his right, he saw plumes of thick black smoke and flames pouring out of his neighbor’s air conditioning unit. Wade ran to his neighbor Nikki’s apartment and banged on the door while shouting her name, but there was no response. Wade stayed calm and recalled his years of experience serving in the U.S. Navy and the training he received in the fire and rescue division.
Wade’s first objective was to locate his neighbor. He rammed the door with all his might and forced it open. Smoke barreled out, he waited a beat and began to crawl low to the ground searching for Nikki, who was shouting for help from her bedroom on the second floor. Realizing he could not reach her from the front, due to the smoke and flames, Wade ran around to the back entrance, climbed the wall and jumped to Nikki’s second floor balcony where she was trapped. He grabbed Nikki and tried to lead her back out to the balcony, but Nikki was struggling as her four small dogs were still somewhere inside. Wade looked her in the eyes and told her they had to go and as they stepped back onto the balcony it gave way and the two went tumbling to the ground. Without even catching a breath, Wade lifted his neighbor Nikki into his arms and carried her to the front of the building to await Fire and Rescue professionals.
His sense of valor showed through on that cold February day. Wade and Nikki both received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Unfortunately, Nikki’s four small dogs were lost in the fire. Following the fire Wade gave her another life-saving gift, his dog, whom Nikki had gifted to Wade three years prior, to help her through her time of grief.
Blake Osborn – Blake Osborn and his wife, Miranda, were hiking the Glens Trail in the Gorge Metroparks on a beautiful Labor Day weekend. A certified wilderness expert, and a Kent State University Adventure Center Program Officer, Blake guided Miranda on an offshoot of the official trail in order to get a better view of the river. Out of the corner of his eye Blake noticed a man at the bottom of a rocky hill sitting with a shoe off. Thinking this was strange, he yelled down to him, “Are you hurt? Do you need help?” The man responded, “no”. Blake then noticed some red on the rock next to the man. He decided to go down to the bottom himself to check it out. Blake called out to nearby hikers to dial 9-1-1, not knowing what he might encounter down below.
The path down to the bottom of the gorge was rocky and steep but at the bottom, Blake knew immediately that this man was in perilous condition. The man, Anthony, had fallen down the hill, gashing his forehead and breaking his ankles, arm and pelvis. Anthony was in shock and the gash in his forehead was bleeding heavily. Blake acted on instinct with his years of wilderness training coming to the forefront. Not having any supplies on him but the clothes on his back, he quickly removed his shirt and tied it around the man’s head then placed himself in a position to keep his head and neck still, fearing a spinal injury.
Blake stayed calm and worked on keeping Anthony awake and alert while simultaneously fighting off yellow jackets who had become enticed by the pair. Nearly two hours later, the fire department was able to reach the two men by boat and Anthony was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Blake’s training and recognition of the fallen hiker’s impaired state, and unquestionable courage to put his own self in danger, helped to save Anthony’s life.
Officer Jason Strainer and Dr. John Bober – On May 24, 2017, Dr. John Bober was sitting in his office at Akron Children’s Hospital’s Division of Pediatric Psychiatry and Psychology when he noticed a man and woman sitting at a table outside his window having a friendly discussion. A loud thump brought Dr. Bober’s attention back to the pair, but the man was lying on the ground and the woman was screaming above him.
Nearby, Akron Police Department Officer Jason Strainer and his partner Officer Kent Shively, were walking their normal beat when they noticed the commotion. As Officer Shively called EMS, Officer Strainer and Dr. Bober simultaneously reached the man, checked and found the individual unresponsive. They began performing CPR. Dr. Bober went to retrieve the AED from inside the offices. They placed the leaders from the AED on the individual’s chest and administered a shock. Officer Strainer and Dr. Bober continued to perform CPR until EMS arrived. EMS transported the individual to the hospital where he survived another few days allowing his family a chance to say their goodbyes. Officer Strainer and Dr. Bober’s calm demeanors and use of CPR and AED training were exemplary.
Laura Deubel, Matt Petrick, Dan Flowers, Karen Sheppard, and Jennifer Dyer – Just after 10 a.m., Laura Deubel ran from her office at the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank to investigate a call that a volunteer had fainted. As soon as she saw the scene, she shouted “Code Blue!” to another office worker, who repeated the phrase over the plant’s speakers. Trained, designated staffers dropped their duties and raced to the distribution warehouse, where they found beloved volunteer, Horace Lewis, on the floor. The 87-year-old volunteered with Bridging the Gap Ministries. The training that employees had hoped to never use in a real situation kicked in.
Foodbank president, Dan Flowers, and Matt Petrick were the first of the safety team to arrive at Horace’s side. Dan and YMCA volunteer, Christin Domonkos, searched for a pulse but found none. While Dan rushed to retrieve the AED off the wall, the team went into action. Matt and the two YMCA volunteers Christin and Shana DeBerte began CPR, Jennifer Dyer supervised the group and kept the gathering crowd at bay, Laura stayed by Horace’s side offering reassurance and calm. Karen Sheppard operated the AED. Upon attaching the AED, and hearing the detailed instructions given by the machine, the team felt a sense of instant relief. Soon, the paramedics arrived and took Horace away in an ambulance.
Dan and the team are adamant that the AED made all the difference, not only for its life-saving technical components but also for its ability to take control of a situation and guide a person through it all. However, an AED machine cannot operate alone and if it wasn’t for the team’s thorough CPR training and their fast action Horace would not be alive today.
Eathan Cobbin – It was a normal, happy day at Brown Middle School. Eathan Cobbin and his best friend Christian Neff were eating lunch with friends in the cafeteria when everything suddenly went terribly wrong. As Eathan looked on, Christian took a bite of his string cheese and immediately began to cough and gag as though he was choking. His face turned deep red and, Christian later recalls, he feared he would soon lose consciousness. Looking around, Eathan realized that the teachers were too far away to see what was happening and everyone else seemed frozen with fear. Eathan knew that it was up to him to save his friend. Without thinking twice, he leapt across the table and tried to recall how to perform abdominal thrusts from the safety signs he often saw in restaurants and doctor’s offices. This knowledge proved vital, after a few attempts the cheese was dislodged and expelled. While the two boys were most assuredly shaken from this experience, Christian made a fast and full recovery and their relationship has never been stronger.
If you know a someone who has performed a heroic act in 2018, please nominate them for our next event. You can do so online or by paper nomination form at: www.redcross.org/neoheroes.
pie and football. While this time of year is exciting, our homes do not always look like a Norman Rockwell painting. It tends to be chaotic. There are kids and pets running around, aunts and uncles from across the country trying to get your attention and people enticed by the aromas trying to steal a taste of turkey. All this chaos can be overwhelming and distracting, which is why each year Thanksgiving is one of the leading days for home cooking fires.
In the late 1960s, Jackie served with the Red Cross in Vietnam. She explained, “There were two national Red Cross programs serving the military during the Vietnam War: SMI, Service to Military Installations, and SMH, Service to Military Hospitals.” Jackie served in both areas doing casework and recreational therapy.
lifesaver. That’s the focus of Stress Awareness Day, which is recognized on November 7.
you can relax for a few minutes and know that you are helping someone else could be a wonderful way to reduce tension.
By Ifat Gazia, American Red Cross volunteer
Every year, the American Red Cross responds to about 64,000 disaster emergencies across the United States. This vital help is only possible due to the generous donations of individuals and the amazing efforts of Red Cross volunteers who give their time and talents. The 
