Tag Archives: Thanks

Mike’s Thanksgiving message

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By Mike Parks, Rear Admiral (Retired) U.S. Coast Guard
Regional CEO American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Cynthia and Mike Parks

Friends and family of the American Red Cross of Northern Ohio—greetings!!!  This week our nation will celebrate Thanksgiving Day.  Throughout the years, Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays—family & friends, food & football, feasting & fellowship–what’s not to like (especially if you’re alliterative)?? 

As I’ve enjoyed more Thanksgivings over the years, I’ve come to truly appreciate the real meaning of this national holiday filled with so many traditions—that is giving thanks and sharing gratitude!!  We have so much to for which to be grateful!! 

I hope everyone can take some time during this holiday week to reflect on our blessings and share our gratitude.  Every day so many people rely on the support and services provided by the American Red Cross.  For those who will be continuing to serve our communities over the holiday—thank you for your sacrifice!! 

So, wherever this Thanksgiving holiday finds you, please know I’m grateful for you!  I wish you and your loved ones a most wonderfully memorable and Happy Thanksgiving!!  Please stay safe and well—enjoy this special time!!  Best wishes… Mike

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Mike’s New Year’s Challenge

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A message to all American Red Cross Volunteers in Northeast Ohio:  Happy New Year!!  I trust this finds you well and that you enjoyed your holidays.  First, thanks to all of you who worked over the holidays—your support to our clients was critical in their times of need and instrumental to their roads to recovery.

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Second, I’d like to offer you each a challenge for the new year–2017.  It’s something I’ve said to almost every gathering of volunteers since I started more than a year and a half ago so a number of you have heard it before.  I challenge each of you to recruit one volunteer in the next 12 months.  I ask each of you to identify one individual you know that is, or can become, passionate about our Red Cross mission of caring for others, and is someone that you’d like to work with because they’re nice, and convince them to join our effort by becoming a Red Cross volunteer!  If every current volunteer accepts and meets this challenge, we’ll double the number of volunteers we have to better serve the 4.5 million residents of Northeast Ohio.  Now that’s exciting!!

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Finally, thank you all for your tremendous support to the American Red Cross of Northeast Ohio—we literally could not perform our essential mission without you—thank you!!  Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2017!!  Best regards…Mike

 

Thankful for YOU, NEO

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Thank you for all the support you give to the Red Cross in Northeast Ohio!

Without you, none of this would be possible. So, today, we are thankful for you.

To learn more about our services in NEO, visit http://www.redcross.org/neo.

Your Thoughtfulness is Appreciated

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No one who willingly gets out of bed in the middle of the night to go out and meet a person in the midst one of their worst experiences, does it expecting to reap glory and praise.

For most of our volunteers, it is simply in the quiet moments when they are offering hope and a sense of guidance through a dark time that a rewarding feeling can be found.

But, from time to time, those we have assisted reach back out to confirm just how important the services of the Red Cross were in the moment and the days following a home fire or other disaster, to share with us the story of their recovery.

Here is one such Thank You card:

Your Thoughtfulness is Appreciated

A special thanks to all the people at the Red Cross. It made this bad time a good time when I took the kids to the store to buy school clothes and they walked right to the pajama rack to get their mother back her favorite pajamas she got for Christmas. You should have seen the smiles on their faces when they found the pajamas. It is a moment I will never forget. Without your help I wouldn’t have this special moment I will remember forever. – Grandma

If you are interested in volunteering in the middle of the night – or anytime – visit www.redcross.org/neo and click on VOLUNTEER along the left.