For more photos from the event, check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RedCrossStarkMuskingum.
To see more videos by the Red Cross of Northeast Ohio, view our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/neoredcross.
The American Red Cross Blood Services relies on the 
generosity of volunteers, not only as blood and platelet donors, but also to help with various aspects of our humanitarian work.
Every day, the Northern Ohio Blood Services Region holds approximately 20 blood drives throughout 19 northern Ohio counties. The organization depends on volunteers to assist donors with registration, escort them after they have given blood and ensure they receive refreshments and feel well after their donation.
Every day, volunteers show blood donors how important they are. Volunteer Ruby Dailey has been with the American Red Cross for over 14 years and loves helping people and making donors feel special. In the Northern Ohio Region, volunteers are part of a process that is vital for the whole community. By assisting at local blood drives and helping donors have a good experience, volunteers help patients in 57 local hospitals receive the lifesaving treatment they need. Jean Barson, who has volunteered with the Red Cross for 12 years, loves being part of the organization and giving back to her community.
Volunteers constitute about 90 percent of the total work force of the American Red Cross and the work of the organization could not continue without these dedicated individuals. That’s one of the main reasons George Figel has volunteered with the Red Cross for 29 years. He likes that it’s run by volunteers. And, he feels it’s a worthy endeavor because it helps people through a variety of services, like blood, disaster relief and military aid.
If you are interested in joining the lifesaving mission of the American Red Cross as a Blood Services volunteer, visit redcrossblood.org/volunteer or call (216) 431-3172.
The new, all-inclusive Emergency App from the American Red Cross provides people with instant access to emergency alerts, life-saving information, and ways to contact family and friends in one free, easy-to-use app for smart phones and tablets.
The Emergency App is a single ‘go-to’ source for everything from home fires to hurricanes. It includes content from a group of award-winning Red Cross apps with additional information about what to do in case of 14 different types of emergencies and disasters. Users can customize more than 35 emergency alerts based on their location and where loved ones live.
The app includes a new featured called “Family Safe” that allows the app user to notify loved ones who are in an area affected by an emergency or disaster. The recipient can instantly see the alert details as well as specific “what to do now” steps, and then respond with either “I’m safe” or “I’m not safe.” This feature works even if the recipient has not downloaded the Emergency App. In addition to smartphones and tablets, this feature will be available on the new Apple Watch and can be downloaded from the Apple Watch App Store starting April 24.
Other important features include:
The app is available in app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or by going to redcross.org/apps.
Red Cross apps have been downloaded more than 6 million times and nearly 400 million alerts have been sent since the launch of the first app in 2012. While apps can help prepare someone for disasters, it’s important to note that they are not substitutes for training. People can take Red Cross First Aid and CPR/AED courses so they’ll know what to do in case help is delayed. They can get information and register at redcross.org/TakeAClass.
When many people think of the Red Cross, they may conjure up images of people in red vests at the scene of a national disaster, or the roadside sign announcing a blood drive. While both of these functions are true of the Red Cross, we also support America’s Military Families! 
By providing unwavering commitment to members of the U.S. military, its veterans and their families the Red Cross Service to Armed Forces (SAF) continues to grow and develop more than a century after Clara Barton first recruited nurses to support the U.S. Army. Today, with the help of our dedicated volunteers, the Red Cross is meeting the needs of a changing military while expanding services to veterans.
Here in Northeast Ohio our dedicated cadre of volunteers serves as caseworkers to service members and their families in times of emergency, outreach educators, and in many more functions.
When asked why they want to volunteer with SAF, most of them, like Jamie Bricker, expressed a love for helping service personnel and their families. Katlin Vorndran stated that she was impressed with how grateful clients are for the SAF program and with how the Red Cross is there to assist the families of service members with their most urgent needs.
Bruce Foster shared the story of an experience that happened shortly after the death of his own father. He was contacting SAF clients to complete our satisfaction survey and was caught off guard by a client’s compassion towards him. Understanding the turmoil that was going on in his own life, the client pressed him to be truthful about his well-being and then proceeded to praise him for extending such compassion to those he didn’t know during a difficult personal time.
Many of our SAF volunteers serve dual roles between Services to the Armed Forces and our International Services. For Nicole Rolf, the overlap in working cases for both International clients and Armed Forces clients gives her the opportunity to gain a better understanding of new cultures and interacting with people from all walks of life.
Amylynn Smith appreciates how unique our internationally recognized organization is, and that the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (to which the American Red Cross belongs) are respected throughout the world -even in areas of conflict.
When Alassane Fall moved to Cleveland from Senegal, he had a great respect for the missions of International Red Cross movement and sought out volunteer positions with the local Red Cross. He has a boundless desire to make a difference in this world, and wants to help those in need in his community.
If you are interested in learning more about the volunteer opportunities with our Services to Armed Forces or International Services, visit redcross.org/volunteer or call 216-431-3328.
Our Disaster Action Team (DAT) members are amazing people!
When a family experiences a home fire a two a.m., it is the DAT team that pull themselves from their own beds and respond, bringing a little light into a dark situation. If a building complex catches fire on Thanksgiving Day and requires multiple fire departments to respond and control, DAT team members leave their own families and turkey dinners to serve hot coffee, cold water and other snacks to the fire personnel.
Walter Reddick, DAT volunteer with the Greater Cleveland Chapter, feels that giving people a direction after a disaster has given him a purpose. When asked what made him want to volunteer with the American Red Cross he said he had a stranger show him love and wanted to do the same thing, to better himself and to help create something new in the lives of those with whom he interacts.
For some, volunteering with the Red Cross has been a family affair. Jack Beck, a volunteer with the Summit, Portage, and Medina Counties Chapter, became a volunteer after his father and uncle volunteered with the organization. Once, he responded to a familiar address. When his aunt experienced a home fire, Jack found it was gratifying to be able to provide support as the Red Cross to her.
Many of our volunteers work with families across the United States. When a disaster strikes, they are called up on to report to the scene, even if it is hundreds of miles away. Gene McCray, DAT Team Leader and Logistics Lead for the Stark and Muskingum Lakes Chapter, has been on 10 disaster relief operations including places as far away as Tampa and South Dakota.
Gene even met the love of his life, Cheryl, through the Red Cross!
It’s not just the two a.m. calls that keep our volunteers busy, many also volunteer in other Red Cross services areas, such as our Service to Armed Forces programs and Disaster Education Preparedness programs. Take for example, Alice Martinez, a volunteer with the Lake Erie/Heartland Chapter, who volunteers with as DAT member, a Pillowcase Project presenter, a general Community Disaster Education Presentations/Events worker, as part of the Shelter Survey project and provides occasional support to disaster casework and volunteer candidate inquires. Or Mark Morrow, from the Lake to River Chapter, who- in addition to his DAT team responsibilities, volunteers as Office Support at the Jefferson Office location, and recently became an instructor for our health and preparedness classes!
If you are interested in volunteering as a DAT member – or in any of the other positions available with the Red Cross – visit www.redcross.org/volunteer or call 216-431-3328
The Red Cross has responded to home fires since our beginning in 1881. Here, a Red Cross worker helps a child in 1972 after a tenement fire. Read more about our history responding to home fires.
March is Red Cross Month, and the Red Cross has an urgent need for blood and platelet donors to give now to help restock its shelves following recent winter weather.
Winter storms in March forced the cancellation of more than 200 Red Cross blood drives, resulting in nearly 7,000 uncollected blood and platelet donations. This shortfall follows more than 26,400 uncollected blood and platelet donations in February due to severe weather across 27 states. Regardless of the weather, every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood – from cancer patients to accident victims to premature babies with complications.
March was first proclaimed Red Cross Month in 1943 by former President Franklin Roosevelt. Since then, every president has called on people across America to support the organization’s humanitarian mission in March.
You can help support the Red Cross and ensure blood and platelets are available for patients in need by scheduling an appointment to donate now. To find a donation opportunity near you, download the Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS. You can also help support the Red Cross by asking others to donate or creating a SleevesUp virtual blood drive.
It’s not pleasant to think about – but blackout season is ahead of us! Why not get prepared today for a potential spring blackout?
Follow these 6 tips and get your home blackout-ready!
1. Follow energy conservation measures to reduce electricity usage, which can help power companies avoid imposing rolling blackouts.
2. Fill plastic containers with water and place them in the refrigerator and freezer. Leave about an inch of space inside each one to account for expansion. Chilled or frozen water will help keep food cold during a temporary power outage.
3. Be aware that most medication that requires refrigeration can be kept in a closed refrigerator for several hours without a problem. If unsure, check with your physician or pharmacist.
4. Keep your car tank at least half full because gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps.
5. Know where the manual release lever of your electric garage door opener is located and how to operate it. Garage doors can be heavy, so know that you may need help in lifting it.
6. Keep a key to your house with you if you regularly use the garage as the primary means of entering your home, in case the garage door will not open.
By Kevin Murphy, American Red Cross Volunteer
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
A few years after I graduated from high school I adopted this quote as the mission statement for life. Having been born with a disability, I had learned that the world isn’t always fair. Even though I had setbacks of my own, I could still do something that would benefit others.
My first experience with the American Red Cross was in the summer of 2013 when the City of Barberton experienced devastating flooding and my employer, the Lake Anna YMCA, was selected as a shelter site for the city. The next nine days were a whirlwind of activity, but in the end we were able to help a lot of people and do a lot of good in our community. I knew from that point on that the Red Cross was the place for me!
@NEORedCross Disaster Action Team is on site helping a family in Copley this evening. pic.twitter.com/nAfZBXfwEo
— Kevin (@macfankevin) February 20, 2015
Disasters do not pick and choose who they affect. They can strike any person, in any neighborhood, at any time — even at 3 a.m. or when it’s -10 degrees outside. Being a part of the Disaster Action Team has helped me to make a big impact on my community. It makes me feel good to know that I can help someone at a time when the help matters most to them.
@NEORedCross We’re still out providing hot coffee to our firefighters on this cold morning! pic.twitter.com/EeKOo6BTeC
— Kevin (@macfankevin) December 19, 2014
Across the country the Red Cross is a strong organization that helps numerous men, women and children each day. I strongly believe that our work should be shared with as many people as possible. I often post on my personal Twitter handle (@macfankevin) when I am responding to a disaster. It’s not for personal recognition, but rather to help raise awareness of the needs in our community.
@NEORedCross providing lunch and cold water for our local safety forces at CVNP. pic.twitter.com/YTMMCZGjD6
— Kevin (@macfankevin) August 23, 2014
Imagine what would happen if I could inspire someone else to help and then they inspire another person. It’s a never ending cycle of good in the world!
Out late and up early! We will be out at First Responders Day in #cuyahogafalls @NEORedCross pic.twitter.com/dZ2ioFB5Y6
— Kevin (@macfankevin) September 21, 2014
I strongly encourage you to do something to give back to your community. Give. Volunteer . Advocate. Small things that you do today can have a big impact on what happens tomorrow. I have found my niche with the Red Cross. I look forward to many more years of developing my self-capacity and helping others.
The Summit, Portage, and Medina Counties Chapter is pleased to announce the local heroes who were honored for their bravery and heroism at the annual Acts of Courage event on Thursday, March 5.
The 2015 Honorees included:
Donald Molesky, Christopher Silbaugh and John Underwood were recognized for saving the lives of a couple after a torrential downpour left them trapped in their flooded basement.
A tornado watch was in effect for Cuyahoga Falls. As the water line began to rise during the sudden and torrential downpour in May of 2014, the Hammonds family sought safety in the basement of their home. Once the threat of a tornado had cleared, the children returned to the main floor of the house, leaving their parents to clean-up a small amount of water that had seeped through one of the windows.
Suddenly, the basement wall caved in taking a natural gas line with it. Water rushed in, trapping Michaelann and Mike in the dark stillness of the basement. They rose on the crest of the water until their heads touched the ceiling. The floor joists offered the only air space, though it was tainted by the noxious fumes of the gas. They pounded on the wood, calling to the children to go and get help.
The Hammonds siblings – Emma, Matthew and Sonia – swam across the street to the home of their neighbor, Donald Molesky. Their screams alerted many of the neighbors, including Christopher Silbaugh, and strangers like John Underwood, whose truch had gotten stuck in the flooded road. John, Christopher and Donald ran to the house.
They pulled an ax from the Hammonds garage and used it, along with Donald’s power saw, to cut through the floorboards. They were able to free Michaelann. Working hard but carefully, they finally pulled Mike through the floor.
Peter Radke was recognized for saving a girl from drowning in Lake Erie.
Peter Radke had agreed to take his daughters and their friends to Lake Erie’s Huntington Beach for a birthday party. Though they knew the water was too choppy to swim, Peter noticed a girl in the water who was struggling to stay afloat. Peter was an excellent swimmer. In spite of the conditions, he dove into the water.
He reached the girl and was able to push her to a safe area where others could grab her.
As they did, Peter struggled to bring himself in. He was pulled further out into the temperamental, black waters of Lake Erie. Then he was pulled under, not to resurface. Peter lost his life to save that drowning girl.
David Eisele, Dave Wokaty and Officer Justin Winebrenner were recognized their actions when a gunman entered a crowded pub.
Dave Wokaty, David Eisle and Officer Justin Winebrenner were each enjoying a night out with friends at a local pub when Wokaty noticed the manager having an altercation with a customer.
15 minutes later, the customer returned brandishing a weapon. The manager asked Wokaty to see the customer out. Their voices rose in anger. Officer Justin Winebrenner, an off-duty Akron Police officer, and David Eisele joined Wokaty in seeing the customer out.
“From that moment, in my perspective, everything began to move slowly,” said Wokaty.
The gun went off. Though their fearless, and quick thinking saved many patrons and staff members, Wokaty was shot in the stomach and arm.
Officer Winebrenner received a fatal shot.
“I believe,” continued Wokaty,” if it weren’t for Justin, I wouldn’t be here now.”
The gunman ran off. He was caught shortly afterwards by the police.
Jason Duncan was recognized for performing CPR to save the life of a 7-day old infant.
On a cool night in early May, Jason Duncan and his wife Krista heard screaming coming from outside of their front door. Then they heard the sound of someone desperately pounding. Opening the door, Jason saw his neighbors, Bobbi Jo and Dustin holding their seven-day-old baby, Logan. The baby was not breathing and his lips had started to turn an unnatural shade of blackish-purple. While Krista dialed 911, Jason grabbed a nasal aspirator and began infant CPR.
In a few heartbeats, Logan’s tiny cry pierced the stillness. A sound that Jason and Dustin describe as one of the greatest sounds they ever heard.
Essien (Chris) Cobham and Samantha Phillips were recognized for performing CPR on a visiting student at Kent State University.
Kent State University student, Chris Cobham, was studying in a quiet area of the Student Union on campus, when he heard a thud. A high school student who had been visiting the campus was choking. Quickly assessing the situation, Chris stepped in and began abdominal thrusts on the boy. He slid him to the ground and began CPR once the student’s lips turned blue.
Samantha Phillips, who was cutting through the Student Union on her way to her next class, heard the panic in the conversations of those around her. She went to investigate.
“It’s instinct to go and help someone,” said Samantha, who is working on a degree in Athletic Training. Part of her curriculum is Red Cross certification in First Aid and CPR.
She could see that Chris was getting tired. Pulling out her CPR breathing mask, Samantha assisted breathing as Chris administered the chest compressions until help arrived. The boy was taken to the hospital, and is now back at home.
Bill Adkins and Tony Hylton were recognized for performing CPR on a friend, and fellow Seville Bronze worker.
When Jim Robinson fell to the floor not long after arriving at work, suffering from a massive heart attack, Bill Adkins and Tony Hylton responded quickly. Trained as part of the company-sponsored first responder team at Seville Bronze, they never thought they would be called to perform CPR on Jim.
“Jim was Superman at work. To be pushing on your friend of 18…20 years? It was devastating,” said Tony.
Their extensive training in Red Cross First Aid and CPR kicked in and they were able to help maintain Jim until paramedics arrived.
“If not for the efforts of Bill and Tony, Jim may not be alive today,” said Chief Jerry Winkler of the Seville-Guilford Fire and EMS.
Officer Derrick Jackson, and Officer Chris Crockett were recognized for saving a man from a home fire.
Officers Chris Crockett and Derrick Jackson reported to the scene of a house fire where someone was still inside. Knowing that seconds count in a fire, Officer Jackson, a new recruit on the Akron Police Department, pushed his way into the building. Thick smoke bellowed from the house. He came back out to catch his breath.
Officer Crockett returned to the police cruiser for a facemask to filter the smoke. Diving into the home, he too began searching around for the resident as Officer Jackson guided to him from the open door. Once the man was located, the officers pulled him to safety.
Devon McConnell, Ethan Cameron, Paul Martin and Andy Reece were recognized for saving two women and an infant from a fire.
Four Ohio Edison linemen — Devon McConnell, Ethan Cameron, Paul Martin and Andy Reece — sent to a job site in Rittman, were just getting ready to break for lunch when they heard a woman’s voice screaming, “Fire!”
Looking around, Paul Martin saw a woman standing on a balcony, holding a baby in her arms.
The crew called 911. Knowing that time was of the essence, they quickly moved into position. Moving their truck closer to the building, Devon raised the bucket and grabbed the family. As he was lowering the woman and child to the ground, another woman appeared on another balcony and began yelling for help. As heat rolled out of the open door, Devon returned to rescue the second woman. It took five fire departments to contain the blaze.
All four men have first responder certification, as well as Red Cross First Aid and CPR training. They view their actions as just another facet of their job.
“We are fortunate to have a sense of pride in our jobs. It is an amazing feeling, simply to see the lights come on,” said Paul.
Melvin Davis and Steve Myers were recognized for saving a woman from an apartment fire.
On a Friday night in October, a resident at the apartment complex where Melvin Davis is a Live-in Assistant ran into his apartment to alert him to a fire in one of the apartments. Moving quickly, Melvin grabbed his pass key and followed the man. He could smell the smoke. He called out to the resident, an elderly woman. She answered that she was hurt and couldn’t get to the door.
Melvin opened the door. Struggling to breathe, he couldn’t see more than two feet in front of himself. He called out again. He moved into the apartment but returned to the hallway when he heard the door slam shut behind him. Steve Myers, a resident of the complex, was in the hall and offered to hold the door so that Melvin would be able to find his way out.
Melvin returned into the smoke and crackling flames of the apartment. Working between the sound of the woman’s voice and the sound of Steve’s, he was able to pull the woman to the door. Steve and Melvin moved her to the safety of the stairwell and then began helping the rest of the residents out of the building.
“It was just a blessing to help her,” said Steve.
Officer Adam LeMonier, Officer Darren McConnell and Officer Gregory Mesko were recognized for saving a woman from a home fire.
Officers Adam LeMonier, Darren McConnell and Gregory Mesko were called to a smoke filled home. Neighbors reported that the resident was at home and had not been seen. Moving quickly, the officers made the decision to enter the home and search for the woman. The Officers found her asleep on her bed unaware of what was going on. She was quickly removed from the home.
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In addition to recognizing the heroism of area residents at the event, the American Red Cross of Summit, Portage and Medina Counties will present the H. Peter Burg Award to a community member who has been selfless in service to the community. This year’s recipient is William (Bill) J. Ginter, who demonstrates a lifelong commitment to humanitarian causes, charitable organizations and the vitality and welfare of the local community.
While CEO of FirstEnergy and chair of the local Red Cross Board of Directors, H Peter Burg established a legacy of dedicated service to the Greater Akron community. Following his death in 2004, the American Red Cross established an award in Pete’s name to honor his memory and inspire others. By bestowing the award on Bill the Red Cross recognizes his lifetime of community service.
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