Tag Archives: Cleveland VA

Veterans Showered with Baby Gifts

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The Tiffany Circle, VA Partner for Baby Shower 

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They faced the prospects of enemy fire, foxholes and being far from home while serving in our nation’s military.   And now they are facing one of the most daunting challenges in life…MOTHERHOOD.

14 women veterans from Northeast Ohio came together on Saturday, May 19, 2018 after being invited to a baby shower for female veterans served by the Northeast Ohio Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.  The shower was supported by the Tiffany Circle, a community of women leaders and philanthropists who advance the Red Cross mission through a focused investment of time, talent and treasure by engaging women locally, nationally, and internationally.

“It was touching for me, as a Tiffany Circle and Greater Cleveland Board member, to honor the women veterans who served our country,” said Donna Rae Smith, long time Red Cross and military supporter. “These are special women who have the courage and disciple to be both mothers and members of our military.”

The mommies-to-be were treated to lunch and a basket full of baby supplies.  Many were accompanied by family members, including young children.  Visit our photo album on Flickr.

Photo credit:  Jessica Tischler/American Red Cross

“The Northeast Ohio VA Healthcare System is grateful to the Greater Cleveland Red Cross Chapter and its Tiffany Circle women for their extraordinary generosity and compassion in hosting a baby shower for more than a dozen of our female veterans,” said Sue Fuehrer, Director of the Northeast Ohio VA Healthcare System.  “These women served with excellence and honor and providing a laundry basket full of goodies for them and their newborn was a wonderful way to thank them for their service to our country.”

The Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton more than 130 years ago, after she nursed, comforted and cooked for wounded soldiers during the Civil War, earning the nickname the “Angel of the Battlefield.”   Today, the Red Cross continues to serve our military men and women, veterans and their families through Service to the Armed Forces (SAF.)  There are many opportunities for volunteers to serve as well.  Visit redcross.org/neo for information about Service to the Armed Forces and volunteering.

 

 

127 Homes Made Safer in Maple Heights and Akron

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Simultaneous Sound the Alarm Events Held Last Saturday

By Jim McIntyre, American Red Cross

More than 300 smoke alarms were installed in homes last Saturday as the American Red Cross Sound the Alarm campaign hit the halfway point. The nationwide effort to install 100,000 smoke alarms across the country, and to save lives, began on April 28. The final Sound the Alarm home fire safety and smoke alarm installation event in Northeast Ohio takes place this Saturday in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood.

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Sound the Alarm in Maple Heights, 5/5/18

On Saturday, May 5, 204 alarms were installed in 77 homes in Maple Heights. In Akron, 50 homes were made safer, as 115 smoke alarms were installed. In addition, volunteers from the Red Cross and a number of civic groups and corporate partners offered residents valuable fire safety information and helped them create escape plans.

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Sound the Alarm in Akron, 5/5/18

“The Red Cross and our partners helped save lives by making homes safer and communities more resilient,” said Mike Parks, Regional CEO of the Red Cross of Northeast Ohio. “And we are truly grateful for the invaluable partnerships that are either created or strengthened through the Sound the Alarm campaign, with local fire departments, community groups like the VA, and corporations like KeyBank helping families throughout the Region.”

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Volunteers from the Northeast Ohio VA Healthcare System, including Director Sue Fuehrer, center, with Regional Red Cross CEO Mike Parks, right

You can see more photos from Sound the Alarm home fire safety and smoke alarm installation events here.  There is still time to volunteer for one of the three remaining Sound the Alarm events. Join the effort to end home fires in Akron this Thursday, May 10 and Friday, May 11, and in Cleveland on Saturday, May 12. Visit soundthealarm.org/neo for more information.

Caring Cubs Create Cards to Help Heroes Celebrate Holidays

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Children Use Artistic Talent to Say “Thank You” to Service Members, Veterans 

The annual American Red Cross Holidays for Heroes Campaign is in full swing, and  Caring Cubs is making its annual contribution. The Northeast Ohio-based organization holds monthly events for children ages 2 and up, designed to teach various lessons of social responsibility.  On Saturday, November 5th, dozens of children and their parents gathered in the Main Galleria at Cuyahoga Community College Western Campus in Parma to create cards to send to members of the military.

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Bryn and Elle with mom Anne

“It’s great to partner with organizations like Caring Cubs,” said Jessica Tischler, Regional Director of Service to the Armed Forces.  “The cards they created will no doubt bring smiles to many faces this holiday season.”

Unlike previous campaigns, this year we hope to solicit cards that can be sent to service members and their families at every holiday during the year.  We are asking for personal, heartfelt messages in every card, even if it means collecting fewer cards.  See our earlier post, which includes a video highlighting the need for meaningful messages, as well as a list of items we are collecting for patients at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.

Log onto our Flickr page to see more photos of the Caring Cubs’ efforts to brighten the holidays for our heroes.