m28340170 red cross winter newsletter 1

7/17/2019 m28340170 Red Cross Winter Newsletter 1

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CrossroadsA publication for the volunteers, donors and friends of the American Red Cross Serving Central Pennsylvania

Winter 2014

Inside this edition of Crossroads

Page 3Youth Services

Page 3Emergency ServicesAdvisory Committee

Pages 4-11What’s happening inyour Chapter?

(866) 311-3832 • [email protected] • redcross.org/centralpaAmerican Red Cross Serving Central Pennsylvania

Preventing, preparing for and responding to disaster in Adams, Bedford, Blair, Centre, eastern Cleareld,Clinton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming,

Mifin, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Tioga, Union & York Counties in Pennsylvania

Volume 2, Issue 1.

“I looked out of my window andsaw both the people from the thirdoor apartment jumping out of their

bedroom window. The man wasscreaming “Help, re!” and that’swhen I looked up at the buildingand saw nothing but ames. I

grabbed my kids and ran out of myapartment to our car and sat thereuntil the re department came.”

Miriam Arocha and herve daughters suddenly foundthemselves without a home whentheir neighbor’s apartment caughtre shortly after midnight onNovember 14th, destroying their15th Street, Harrisburg, apartmentbuilding. The Arocha family andneighbors Shelva Lomax and hertwo daughters were among the34 people helped that night by the

volunteers of the American RedCross.

Since the re, Red Crossvolunteers have stayed veryinvolved with these two familiesas they have pieced their livesback together. In addition to theimmediate nancial assistance,Red Cross Disaster Mental Healthvolunteers worked with the youngchildren who were left fearful bythe re. In addition, the Red Cross

referred the families tomany of our communitypartners such as theSalvation Army, HelpMinistries, Central PennFood Bank and UnitedWay.

Miriam Arocha said,“That night when I didn’thave a clue what to do

or where to go, or justthe next step, Red Crossarrived and it felt as thoughGod answered my prayersat that moment in time. They were sonice and caring, and made me feelas though everything was going tobe OK. They put us in a nice hoteland helped us with all the things weneeded that I never even thought of.”

Shelva Lomax said, “I never

knew there were people out there tohelp you as much as they do whenthings happen to you and you havenowhere to turn. Red Cross helpedmy daughters and me so much andI’m thankful for that. Whenever theycouldn’t help they pointed you in theright direction to go and had all thecontact information that you need.”

During the cold winter months,the danger of re seems more

prevalent. During the rst 30 days

of January, the Red Cross hasresponded to 68 incidents inCentral Pennsylvania (41 of themwere res), and assisted 91 families(281 people). This far exceeds ouraverage of 8 res per week.

In many parts of our Region,the Red Cross also responds whenrst responders are called uponto work long hours at the sceneof lengthy emergency incidentssuch as commercial res, rescues,and trafc incidents. The RedCross canteens at these incidents,offering refreshments, beveragesand a place for respite to the policere and ambulance personnel at thescene. Since July 1, the Red Crosscanteened at 30 incidents, offering

support to more than 2,500 rstresponders.

You can help the Red Crosshelp your neighbors during the“Fire Hurts...Red Cross Helps”campaign. Visit redcross.org/centralpa to nd out how.

And please make your familysafer from re. Visit redcross.org/ homeres for safety information.

Fire Hurts... The Red Cross Helps.



Winter 2014,

From January 1 to October 31, 2013, across the region, volunteers provided16,958 hours of On Call service and have worked 46,208 hours!

When the going gets tough, ask a volunteer. A message from Ellen Kyzer, MPA, Regional Chief Executive Ofcer

If you want something done when the going gets tough, ask a volunteer. Over the last 12months, I have traveled across our region to meet and spend time with some of the volunteerswho put self-interest aside as Hurricane Sandy devastated communities and destroyed homes,volunteers who respond to 2 a.m. calls for families in need, and volunteers who provide comfort

to our military service members. Right now, Red Cross volunteers are making sure thoseimpacted by disasters have immediate access to shelter, food, clothing, and replacementmedications, as well as a comforting shoulder and guidance during their recovery process.

I feel privileged to stand shoulder to shoulder with our volunteers. I am particularlyhumbled by the selessness of those who rally at the front lines to lend a helping hand whendisaster strikes and give voice to the voiceless every day of the year. To each of you, I sayTHANK YOU for your dedicated service.

Dear valued volunteers,I am 6’8” tall and weigh in at a little over 300

pounds, although I have to admit “a little over” is arelative term. Simply stated, I am a big guy! For a longtime, I never knew anyone bigger than me. That is until Icame to work for the American Red Cross. Take Sue forexample. Sue is probably about ve-eight and maybe180 pounds – Sue is a giant to me. I’m not talkingabout her physical stature, but the size of her character.As the Regional Volunteer Director, I have had thepleasure to meet so many giants just like Sue. I thinkthat all of our volunteers who give so freely of their time

and talent are such amazing people, and giants where itreally counts. I want to say thank you to each and everyone of you giants for all that you do every day.

I want to address change too. I am fond ofsaying “change is inevitable…unless you are standingin front of a vending machine.” If you are active inthe Red Cross, you have probably noticed somechanges recently. Regionalization, functionalization,

reengineering, where does it end?The fact is, it doesn’t end. Welive in a world that is constantly

changing, and we must change too.The American Red Cross is nothere to serve ourselves, we are hereto serve our communities, and wemust constantly change to providea relevant service in the manner thecommunity expects and demands.Change is not always a bad thing. I

recall my great grandfather saying “I remember the goodold days. “ Then he would say “They sucked.” When hewas born, there were no light bulbs, our nation was justbeginning to heal from a recent civil war, there was nosuch thing as indoor plumbing for most people, no cars,no telephones, not even television. It was about thattime that the Red Cross was being formed. Could youimagine if we still did things the way we did back then?

I am so proud of our Region! We have beenleaders in this change process. It has not been easy,but thanks to all the hard work of so many of you, we

have been able to adapt to meet the demands of oursociety.

Help Us Name the New Regional Newsletter!Submit your ideas for a name for this newsletter.

We will use the winning name for our regionalnewsletter. The volunteer who submits the winning

name will be recognized in the next newsletter and will also receive a Red Cross gift set.

Crossroads is published twice yearly by the AmericanRed Cross Serving Central Pennsylvania, 430 W.Orange Street, Lancaster, PA 17603. For moreinformation contact (717) 299-5561 or [email protected].



Winter 2014,

Red Cross Youth Services - engaging the next generationYouth services in the Central PA Region consists

of Red Cross Clubs and educational programs forelementary school students. For more informationabout either of these programs, contact Janell Fisher,Regional Volunteer/Youth Specialist, at 717-299-5566 ext. 3551 or [email protected].

Red Cross ClubsThe Red Cross has been reaching out to schools

in the region, encouraging students to start RedCross Clubs. Clubs provide youth the opportunityto gain leadership and volunteer experience witha nationally recognized organization. Service with

Red Cross Clubs willenhance any résumé orcollege application. Thelocal chapter assists byhelping a club to recruit

members and completeprojects.

Responsibilitiesof the clubs include: having a club advisor (teacheror staff), holding regular meetings, and submittingpaperwork to receive credit hours for work done.Red Cross Clubs regularly conduct blood drives,fundraisers, re and safety education classes,and collect items for care packages for disasterrelief. Clubs are currently in the following schoolsin our region: Central Dauphin East High School,

Commonwealth Connections Academy, CumberlandValley High School, Elizabethtown College, Lampeter-Strasburg High School, Lancaster Catholic HighSchool, Penn State University Main Campus, Red LionArea High School, South Eastern Middle School East,Susquehannock High School, and Williamsport Area High

School. Each of these clubs has run successful projectsin the past and continues to grow.

Youth Educational Programs

Through preparedness education, the AmericanRed Cross hopes young people are better prepared fordisasters that may occur in their lives. The Red Crosseducational programs cover proper handwashing,re safety, home safety and water safety. Each of theeducational programs taught by the Central PA Regionincludes take home materials for further discussion andimplementation in the home. These programs are taught

by a dedicated group ofvolunteers who give theirtime to educate our youth.The teachers in our regionhave been very eager toget our programs into theirschools and have been verypleased with the educationtheir students received. For the 2012-2013 school year,the Central PA Region reached over 4,400 students in 6counties. The program is expanding this school year withthe addition of new volunteers.

Emergency Services Advisory CommitteeThe Regional Emergency Services Advisory Committee (ESAC) is a group of volunteer and paid staff that

addresses issues and concerns, and makes recommendations on service delivery and policies pertaining todisaster services. The committee is tasked with standardizing disaster response across the Region. With inputfrom additional volunteers through sub-committees, the ESAC has developed a Regional Disaster Action TeamManual, Emergency Services Volunteer Appreciation Program, and standardized a Disaster Orientation program.Current projects include forming a Regional Disaster Health Services committee, and standardizing DisasterHealth Services and Shelter Manager Kits. Just released by the committee is an updated DAT Manual withchanges to required courses for new DAT members, and DAT Training Quick Reference that outlines all the trainingrequirements for new DAT members. Updates concerning the work of the ESAC and revised documents can be

found regularly on Volunteer Connection and the Neighborhood.Mike Murphy and Jayme Houck would like to thank all the volunteers and staff who have dedicated their time

and energy to these projects. Members of the committee and their areas are noted below.

• Jayme Houck, Co-Chair, Blair/Bedford/Fulton/Huntingdon/Centre/East Cleareld

• Mike Murphy, Co-Chair,Dauphin/Cumberland

• Jinny Borek, Clinton/Lycoming/Tioga

• Kristin Malady, RN, Dauphin/

Cumberland

• Adia Walker, Recorder, Dauphin• Edna Reinard, Northumberland/

Snyder/Union• Robert Soccio, Mifin/Juniata• Jane Matthews, Adams/

Hanover/York• Howard Jackson, Mifin/Juniata

• MaryAnn LeVan, Lebanon/Lancaster

• Kathy Doran, Central PA Region• Scott Weaver, Northumberland/

Snyder/Union• Allen White, Cumberland/

Franklin/Perry



Winter 2014,

On November 22, the Lancaster County Community Foundation hosted theExtraordinary Give, a 24-hour long marathon of giving. The American Red Crosstook this opportuntiy to showcase the organization and host an open house at theofce at 430 W. Orange Street in the historic Wohlsen House, built by famous

Lancaster architect C. Emlen Urban.In addition, to promote the event, our disaster volunteers were on hand to meet

the community at Steinman Park overnight and encouraged market-goers to signa Holiday Card for Heroes at Lancaster Square (pictured right). The event raisedmore than $11,000.

In conjunction with the event, the Lancaster Ofce hosted an Open House.The community was invited to take a tour of the historic building, sign a holidaycard for a service member, get a look inside the Emergency Response Vehicle andtake part in a youth educational program.

Lancaster Ofce particpates in local Extraordinary Give

American Red Cross of the Susquehanna Valley

Ofces in Lancaster, Lebanon, Lewisburg, Harrisburg and Middletown

Mailing address: 1804 N. 6th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102

Come and join the American Red Cross of theSusquehanna Valley’s golf committee as we embarkon the Silver Anniversary of the annual American Red

Cross Golf Outing. The Red Cross is looking for highlymotivated individuals to help plan and execute this fun-lled outing, now in its 25th year. Committee memberswill be asked to attend meetings, recruit golfers andsponsors, as well as to attend and/or participate in theevent in May 2014. For more information or to reserveyour spot on this year’s committee, please contact Laurieat 717-299-5566 ext 1129 or via email at [email protected].

Volunteers of the QuarterSteve and Amber Coots-4th quarter for 2012-13

Steve and Amber Coots havebeen disaster volunteers basedin Harrisburg for less than ayear but their impact has beenfelt as if they’ve been here foryears. Steve and Amber workprimarily in disaster, going onre calls and assisting with clientcasework in the ofce. Steve, now

a Red Cross Disaster ResponseSpecialist, has been a captain of a DAT team in bothDauphin and Cumberland Counties and Amber assistsin getting new volunteers up and running in disasterservices.

Pat Wood-1st quarter for 2013-14

Since becoming a youth programs provider volunteerin August 2012, Pat Wood has always treated thecustomer (teachers and students) as the top priority.When asked to travel over 1.5 hours to teach programsat a school, she was happy to do it. When another

volunteer was deployed and had been scheduled toteach youth programs, Pat stepped up and taught theprograms. For the 2012-2013 school year, Pat taught21 programs to over 1400 elementary students andis on track to surpass those numbers for the currentschool year.

Twenty ve years of golf!

Nine individuals and groups from across theSusquehanna Valley will be honored at the Spirit ofthe Hero dinner on Thursday, March 27, at MiltonHershey School’s Founders Hall. The Spirit of the Hero2014 program honors those who exhibit the spirit ofhumanitarianism by showing courage, kindness andunselsh character through their acts of heroism in ourcommunity.

Keynote speakers are retired United States MarineCorp Lieutenant General Richard C. Zilmer, and

Joseph C. Becker, American Red Cross Divisional VicePresident and seasoned disaster relief responder.

For more information, please contact (717) 257-1822ext 1201 or email [email protected].

Honoring community heroes



Winter 2014,

American Red Cross of Cumberland Valley

Ofces in Carlisle and WaynesboroMailing address: 79 E. Pomfret Street, Carlisle, PA 17013

Veterans Oral History ProjectCapturing an important piece of our history

Are you a veteran or know a veteran? If so, contact us! We are activelyrecruiting veterans to participate in an interview for the Veterans History Project.

The U.S. Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000 with theobjective of collecting, preserving, and making accessible the personal stories ofAmerican war veterans so that future generations can better understand the realitiesof war. The American Red Cross has supported the U.S. military for more than 150years and thought it only made sense to assist with the Veterans History Project.

Most people take history classes in high school, where they learn the basic timelinesof World War I and World War II. They may never study the Korean War, the VietnamWar, and the more recent conicts, and they rarely hear the personal stories of themen and women who served on the front lines.

Every story of military service is signicant. We want to collect the stories of men and women who fought, ewhelicopters and planes, provided medical care, worked in a support position, and contributed to the war effort. Thepersonal accounts can come from veterans who served in WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the PersianGulf War, and the Afghanistan and Iraq conicts.

To schedule an interview, or to receive more information, please contact the American Red Cross in Harrisburgat 717-257-1822 Ext. 1222 or email [email protected].

Volunteer of the Quarter –Larry Coleman

In May 2013, Larry Coleman needed somethingto occupy him after leaving his job six months prior

because of a disability. That is when he walked in thedoor of the Cumberland Valley American Red Cross.Larry volunteers in the Waynesboro ofce twice aweek, always with a smile and kind words for anystaff member, volunteer or client he comes in contactwith. But he doesn’t stop there. In the few months

he has been with the Red Cross,Larry has worked at blood drives,gone to community events, workedwith our youth programs and hasrecently become a Disaster ActionTeam captain in Franklin County.

Emergency Response & ResiliencySpecialist, Allen White, said “He hasbeen a tremendous asset to the localdisaster program since his orientationtraining and has such a positive

attitude.” Larry is a super star!

Dickinson College Men’sLacrosse team surpasses$50,000 in giving!

On October12, the DickinsonCollege Men’s La-crosse team heldtheir 8th annualVolleyball-a-Thon.Even though thetorrential rains onOctober 11 forcedthem to delay the beginning of their tournament,these extraordinary young men raised $6,555.31!This brings the team’s total giving to over $50,000.

Coach Dave Webster and his team came up withthe idea of doing a volleyball marathon in 2005 aftervolunteering to help in the aftermath of HurricaneKatrina. They wanted to make a difference and helpthe local chapter of the Red Cross with our capitalcampaign. The Volleyball-a-Thon was such a success,the team made it an annual event. It is an honor thatthey choose to support the Red Cross with this funevent.



Winter 2014,

Spotlight on Patty MoserPatty Moser, blood volunteer for

the York Chapter, was selected by theGreater Chesapeake and Potomacblood region as the Volunteer of theMonth for October. Patty has been along time member of the American RedCross family. Patty volunteers at blooddrives as a greeter and also helps

in the refreshment area as well. Sheabsolutely loves volunteering for the Red Cross. Shehas had the opportunity to meet so many new peopleand hear their stories. She recently discovered howimportant the Red Cross is in the lives of many whenher husband was diagnosed with colon cancer.

Patty is a tremendous help at the Chapter houseand a pleasure to be around. Donors and staff enjoyhaving her as a part of the team.

11th Annual Heroes of York & Adams Counties Awards

On November 21, 2013, the American Red Crosshonored 15 individuals and 1 dog at the 11th AnnualHeroes of York & Adams Counties awards breakfast.These individuals were honored for their heroic, unselsh

actions.• Sammy Cambuca (Animal Hero): being recognized

posthumously for alerting his family to their home beingon re, ultimately saving their lives

• Richard Andrew Bradburn (Adult Good Samaritan): forrescuing his family from their burning home

• Stacey Getchis (Community Impact Hero): for herunselsh efforts in alleviating the suffering of individualsaffected by Superstorm Sandy and the tornadoes inOklahoma

• Jesse Gantt (Community Impact Hero): for his efforts inproviding a place to reach out to for those experiencingmental health and self-esteem problems

• Asst. Chief Timothy Stevens, Chief Joseph Stevens,Asst. Chief Trever Rentzel, Capt. Brian Spangenberger,FF/EMT Wayne Bush (Fireghter Heroes): forresponding to and providing lifesaving care at thescene of ery highway accident

• Chief Rodney Miller (Fireghter Hero): beingrecognized posthumously for dedicating his life, andultimately losing his life, to caring for others through his

York County Chapter

724 South George Street, York, PA 17401

Charity BowlPull together three to ve of your closest friends,

family, coworkers or neighbors and join the AmericanRed Cross for the 19th Annual Charity Bowl to be held

March 2, 2014.Register your team for one of three sessions:

Session 1: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.; Session 2: 1:00– 3:00 p.m.; or Session 3: 3:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Only30 spaces are available for each session, so registerearly to reserve your spot as spaces go quickly.

Top prizes will be awarded to individuals and teamsthat raise the most money. Examples of past eventprizes include Baltimore Orioles tickets, area businessgift certicates, free dinners in York and Gettysburg,and much more!

Proceeds from this event will be used to aid theRed Cross in our efforts to carry out our missionof helping local victims of re and other disasters,members of our armed forces and their families,those in need of blood and blood products, andthose seeking health and safety training. For moreinformation or to register your team, please call 717-845-2751, email [email protected], orvisit us online at www.redcross.org/york.

service to the Loganville Fire Company

• Ofcer Dennis Brillhart (Law Enforcement Hero): fortaking extra measures to save the life of an individualin a car accident during the dead of winter

• Susan Cook (Medical): for her efforts in savingthe life of a man through the use of CPR after heexperienced cardiac arrest

• Carrie Bair (Youth Good Samaritan): for using theskills she learned to save the life of her 3 year oldbrother who nearly drowned in a swimming pool

• Duane Swartz (Military): for initiating a program andengaging his students to participate in providing freebus trips for local veterans to the war memorials inWashington, D.C.

In addition, two individuals received a specialaward: Richard Hall and Lance Crouse (GoodNeighbor Award) for responding to and workingtogether with Susan Cook to provide lifesaving care toa man experiencing cardiac arrest.



Winter 2014,

Hanover-Adams Chapter

Ofces in Hanover and GettysburgMailing address: 529 Carlisle Street, Hanover, PA 17331

Young Marines learn about Disaster Services

The Hanover Area Young Marines recently hadan opportunity to learn how to respond to a disaster.Leslie Brengle, Emergency Response Specialist, pro-

vided two hours of classroom instruction for 16 youngpeople, ages 10 to 17. After their training, the partici-pants were given the task of setting up a simulatedshelter and responding to a variety of scenarios thatmight occur in a shelter. Hanover-Adams volunteersrole-played the part of displaced residents followinga ood. Some volunteers portrayed individuals withmedical issues. Each Young Marine was provided a rolesuch as security guard, nurse, volunteer or communi-cations manager. With very little adult intervention, theYoung Marines used the skills they had learned in the

class to hand out food, pro-vide direction for the victims,settle arguments, deal with

medical issues, and makeannouncements regard-ing the weather updates.Though the participants maynever be involved in a truedisaster shelter, their leaderis hopeful that the skills andknowledge they gained dur-ing this experience will be an asset to their own per-sonal development.

Upcoming events for the Hanover-Adams Chapter:

March 26 Hanover-Adams Chamber Mixer at theHanover ofce from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

August 21 Hanover-Adams golf outing at theHanover Country Club, shotgun start at12:30 p.m.

March is Red Cross Month: highlighting the work we do.

March is Red Cross Month and the American RedCross would like to recognize the nation’s EverydayHeroes who reach out to help their neighbors when theyare in need.

“Our heroes are our volunteers, our blood donors,people who take our classes or those who make anancial contribution to help us help others here inCentral Pennsylvania,” said Ellen Kyzer, Regional Chief

Executive Ofcer. “During Red Cross Month we thankthem and encourage everyone to discover their innerhero by giving time to help people in our community.”

For more than 70 years, all of our country’spresidents, including President Barack Obama, havedesignated March as Red Cross Month to recognizehow the American Red Cross helps people across thecountry and around the world.

Here in the Central Pennsylvania area, the RedCross responded to 791 local emergencies, assisted4,808 military families and trained 1,791,500 people

in lifesaving skills. And, people from this area donated72,421units of blood.

“Red Cross Month is also a great time for peopleto become part of the Red Cross. It’s easy,” Kyzer said.“They can become a Red Cross volunteer, work on apreparedness plan for their household, give blood, ortake a Red Cross class.”

Red CrossVolunteers staffa display at theSears Safety Day in

December

Are you on Facebook??

On Facebook, follow the American Red Cross serving

Central Pennsylvania!

For a complete list of our social media pages, visit

www.redcross.org/centralpa



Winter 2014,

Southern Alleghenies Chapter

Many people in the Central Pennsylvania Regionhave experienced the heartbreak of ood watersfollowed by a genuine feeling of hope when they rst

see a red and white Emergency Response Vehicle(ERV) emblazoned with the Red Cross logo. A sidepanel pops open and in an instant, a Red Crossvolunteer is handing them a nourishing meal. Boardmembers and guests at the Southern AllegheniesChapter were recently asked to imagine that they hadbeen evacuated due to ooding. The ERV drove up tothe front of the chapter ofce, and the volunteer ERVdrivers handed out box lunches just as they have doneon many major disaster operations.

This scene was only the beginning of the chapter’s

rst “Every Second Counts” presentation. Once insidethe ofce, guests learned about Disaster Services andService to the Armed Forces. They watched as the

Board Chair practiced using an automated externaldebrillator (AED) for the rst time to save the “life”of a manikin who had just collapsed. Then they tooka brief walk to the nearby Greater Alleghenies BloodRegion collection center where they toured the facilityand learned about the importance of blood donations.Everyone discovered some new facts about the RedCross that day, and similar presentations will bescheduled each month.

Please call the chapter at 814-944-6146 extension1645 to attend a future presentation.

“Every Second Counts” at the Southern Alleghenies Chapter

415 Orchard Avenue, Suite 1, Altoona, PA 16601

Volunteer of the Quarter – Robert D. OrrRob Orr has been a very active volunteer for

the Red Cross since June 2011. Rob is quick to telleveryone that working with the Red Cross is one of thegreatest times of his life and he is deeply honored to bea part of this ne organization.

Rob rst volunteered in 2009 with Altoona District- Volunteer in Mission team. With that group he traveledthroughout the United States rebuilding homes afteroods, hurricanes and tornados. From this experience,

Rob found that he wanted to do more to help peoplecope with the disaster as it was happening. That’swhen he joined the Southern Alleghenies Chapter ofthe American Red Cross. He is an active member ofthe local Disaster Action Team and a faithful volunteer,spending several afternoons per week volunteering.

In October 2011, Rob helped inHarrisburg during the ooding fromTropical Storm Irene and Hurricane Lee.Then in July 2012, he was deployedto Roanoke, Virginia for a few daysto assist in running a cooling shelterdue to a heatwave and violent storms. Most recently inNovember 2012, Rob spent 3 weeks on Long Island,New York following Superstorm Sandy, helping by

distributing comfort kits, blankets, gloves and hot meals“My experience working with the Red Cross has been

very positive. I would encourage anybody that I meet orany friends that I know who are interested in doing anyvolunteer work to join the Red Cross, get involved andbecome active. It’s very rewarding!” states Orr.

Each year the American Red Cross provides assistance to more than 2 millionservice members and many of our nation’s 24 million veterans. And once ayear, we get the joy of delivering holiday cards to veterans, military familiesand active-duty service members at hospitals and military installations aroundthe world. The cards and personal messages, sent by tens of thousands ofAmericans, provide a welcome “touch of home” for our troops during theholiday season.

A Holiday Mail for Heroes card signing took place on October 11 andNovember 15 at three locations: Capitol City Mall, Colonial Park Mall and the

Holiday Mail For Heroes delivers holiday greetings

continued on Page 10



Winter 2014,

Virginia Brown retires as Centre Communities Chapter ExecutiveIt was a cold, gray day in November, 1983. I walked into a tiny basement ofce. I was told

I needed to be available around the clock. Had I made a serious error in judgment? Did I reallywant to work for the American Red Cross? Then the rst volunteer walked in the door and

suddenly everything changed. I was a staff of one in those early years. A part-time receptionistresigned to return to graduate school not long after I started. The volunteers did everything. Theyresponded to res, they taught rst aid and CPR, they staffed blood drives, they answered thephone, and they raised money. They were there to offer words of encouragement on the darkestdays and to celebrate with me when everything went well. Thirty years later, the volunteers arestill there. Their names and faces have changed along with our programs, but the joy they bringinto my life remains. Their dedication will continue to inspire me long after I retire.

--Virginia Brown

Centre Communities Chapter

205 E. Beaver Avenue, Suite 203, State College, PA 16801

Penn State/Michigan State Blood Donor Challenge

On the Penn State Campus, the 20th Annual PennState/Michigan State Blood Donor Challenge ranfrom November 4- 21. The two schools competed todetermine which could collect the greatest number ofunits of blood. Penn State has won 13 times. Last yearPSU won by only 19 units on the very last day. The2012 Challenge generated a total of 3,599 units ofblood. To one father watching his child receive the rstunit of blood products as part of his cancer therapy, themoment was miraculous. It’s a vivid image of the impactblood donors can have.

Thank you, AccuWeather

We recognized AccuWeather for “Impact throughInnovation” at the company’s 50th Anniversary OpenHouse. They generated over $108,000 for disasterrelief through a Red Cross microsite that appeared onthe AccuWeather website following Hurricane Sandyand the Oklahoma Tornadoes.

McDonald’s Partnering with Red Cross

“Dine Out for the American Red Cross” washeld October 9 and 17. Volunteers thanked peoplefor coming in and supporting the Red Cross thatevening, as well as shared with people how to preparetheir families for times of disaster, how to make anemergency kit, re safety tips, and trick or treat safetytips for children. McDonald’s donated a portion of theirsales to the local American Red Cross which serves

Centre and eastern Cleareld Counties. From bothevents and a donation from McDonald’s, $365 wasadded to the Red Cross General Fund. Thank you toall of the volunteers and the Penn State Student RedCross Club for your help with the event.

Volunteer of the Quarter- Erin Reilly

Erin Reilly started volunteering with the CentreCommunities chapter in July 2013. Since that date,she has already logged over 130 hours. According toVolunteer Services Coordinator, Mary King, “Erin hasa great attitude that is contagious. She is dedicatedto the Red Cross mission by herconstant willingness to volunteerin numerous roles, her leadershipskills, and determination to see theprograms succeed.” Erin has led theinitiative to take inventory and organizeall Emergency Services and SAFsupplies to improve functionality of lines of service. Shehelped coordinate a McDonald’s fundraiser, includingspeaking on four radio stations about the event, and

managed fellow volunteers at the event. Erin is currentlyspending a majority of her time re-establishing shelteragreements with local organizations to partner with intimes of disaster. In addition to her volunteer service,she serves with the Air Force Reserve and is a graduatestudent at Penn State University studying Supply ChainManagement.

Centre Communities Chapter News



Winter 2014,

Taking a “Step Back in Time” to support the Red Cross

On September 20, a very unusual event to raiseboth funds and awareness for the American Red CrossService to the Armed Forces program, the Step Back

in Time dance, was held. From the 96-year-old WWIIveteran who was the honorary chairman, to the 16-year-old high school students who designed and helpedcreate the programs, volunteers from three generationstook part in the planning and execution of the event.

Honorary Chair, Joe Diblin, 96, fromNorthumberland, became involved with the Red CrossSUN Area Chapter after being named as a HeroesBreakfast award recipient in March 2013.

Several area high school students, who had spenttheir summer writing about their grandfathers’ service

during WWII, jumped at the opportunity to take theirstudies a step further and assisted with the event. Theycreated event posters and their research was featured inthe program for the dance. Students from SusquehannaUniversity in Selinsgrove also assisted with set up andclean up of the event.

Volunteer seamstress, Susan Wenner, of Mifinburg,made authentic “cigarette girl” costumes which twostudents donned and spent the evening selling candy

and other treats tothe guests.

The musiciansfor the dance werealmost entirelyteachers and retiredmusic educatorswho joined forcesas the “Will FisherOrchestra” providinga mix of swing and big band tunes ready for foot-stomping and jitterbugging. For those not familiar withthese dances, students from Susquehanna Universityarrived as part of their Swing Dance club and gave

instruction to those in need.The dance was attended by more than 150 guests

and served to highlight the rich history shared betweenthe American Red Cross and the Armed Forces.Pictured: Rosie the Riveter Janice Olzowy of Milton PAbuys candy cigarettes from one of the girls, also shownState Rep Fred Keller (R). and Helicopter pilot, DanSmith US Army Ret. of Mifinburg.

SUN Area Chapter

249 Farley Circle, Lewisburg, PA 17837

Volunteer of Quarter - Nancy Stahl

Nancy Stahl has been a Red Cross volunteer for 7 years and has volunteered at the front desksince she retired from Pennsylvania House after more than forty years of service. She comesin twice a week, enjoys answering the phones, and assisting clients and other volunteers. Shehas great customer service style and is wonderful on the phone. She can be counted upon forher attention to detail and is one of a trusted few who can manage bulk mailings and tallying thehoagie money. Nancy always has a smile on her face and represents the Red Cross well with hercalm and knowledgeable demeanor.

State Capitol building in downtown Harrisburg. The dogs from the Animal Assisted Therapy program (AAT) alsosupported these events.

Other events included the annual card signing at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg during First LadySusan Corbett’s holiday tours of the home.

People across the country sent in more than 2.1 million cards to the 2013 American Red Cross Holiday Mailfor Heroes project, a record level of holiday greetings for members of the United States military, veterans and theirfamilies.

Holiday Mail For Heroes, continued from page 8



Winter 2014,

Susquehanna 500: Racing for the Red Cross

Volunteers from the North Central PA chapter of theAmerican Red Cross came together for a fundraiser withan unusual theme. The Susquehanna 500 “Mini Indy” is

a long-standing tradition in Williamsport, PA’s BrandonPark every fall. This year’s event was held September21 and 22. Complete with ofcials from the NASCARcircuit, perfect replicas of Indianapolis 500 race carscompete for trophies instead of prize money. Teams paya registration fee which is donated to the Red Cross,this year raising almost $17,000. The teams, who are insome cases sponsored by the companies for whom theywork, spend a considerable amount of time ne tuningengines and tweaking the mechanics of their vehicles.

The race has been ongoing for 16 years, raising

almost $300,000 for the American Red Cross. “We areso grateful for the experience these guys bring to thisevent; it practically runs itself because they have all beenso dedicated to it for such a long time,” said ThomasSzulanczyk, Chapter Executive.

Under theleadership ofTom Hutchinson

who has beenvolunteering inthis capacityfor the RedCross since therace’s inception,volunteers doeverything fromraising thebarricades toserving food andproviding crowdcontrol.

“I love it,” Tom says. “It is a great fundraiser, but wereally enjoy every aspect of the race from the planning tothe winning.”

North Central Pennsylvania Chapter

Ofces in Williamsport and WellsboroMailing address: 320 E. Third Street, Williamsport, PA 17701

NCPA receives new Emergency Response VehicleIn October, the North Central PA Chapter unveiled

its new Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV). At a pressconference, Al Smith, Board Chair, thanked the major

donors who made the vehicle a long awaited reality. Theservices made possible with the new vehicle will includethe preparation and distribution of food to clients andrescue workers, the distribution of relief items to clients,and a place of respite to volunteer service providers.Smith estimated that the old vehicle, used since 1976,must have provided service to at least a thousandclients during oods, res and other natural and man-made disasters.

Ten years ago, knowing that fundraising wouldbe a major hurdle to overcome, volunteers beganseeking sponsors and others to form a partnershipwith the Lycoming County Fire Chiefs’ Association topurchase the ERV. This vehicle is a self-contained unitwith full-sized appliances, including stove, refrigeratorand freezer, and countertops which make on-site foodpreparation possible. There is lighting and heat on boardas well as air conditioning.

“With theRed Crosscapability

to performclient needsassessmentand provisionof assistancevia the use of amobile device, this vehicle completes the disaster cyclein terms of our ability to be right where we are neededand to give our clients immediate help. We waited along time for this vehicle and we are so grateful to allthe sponsors and the design team who made it happenfor us.” Tom Sulanczyk, Chapter Executive said. “This

vehicle will assist many families in times of disaster andallow our volunteers, who had a large part in its design,to better serve the community.”

Major sponsors include: The Park Home Co.,Inc. of Williamsport, C & S Countertops of Muncy,Transport Designs of Williamsport, McCormick Ford ofWilliamsport and Morgan Olsen.

Thomas Sulanczyk, Red Cross

Chapter Executive with theWilliamsport School Districtteam sponsored by StudentTransportation, Inc.



The American Red Cross empowers peoplein America to perform extraordinary acts in

the face of emergencies and disasters.

To ensure full benet of this experience byall, we deliver our products and servicesin a culturally sensitive and appropriate

manner to all we serve. We fully embraceand promote inclusion across our people,products and services, and we integrate

diversity into our business strategies anddecisions.

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDLancaster, PA

Permit No. 1638430 West Orange StreetLancaster, PA 17603

AmeriCorps Members mark anniversary of Superstorm Sandy The Central Pennsylvania Region’s AmeriCorps members were given the opportunity to visit Long Island, New

York, October 30 and 31. These dates were of great signicance as they marked the one year anniversary ofSuperstorm Sandy. The members supported representatives from National Headquarters including Richard Reed,Sr. Vice President of Disaster Cycle Services, and Anika Wilson, Sr. Ofcer, Corporate & Foundation Partnerships forthe Mid-Atlantic Division.

On October 31, events were held at two Stop-n-Shop locations inOceanside and Far Rockaway, two areas that were devastated by the stormslast year. These events were to commemorate the First Responders for theiracts of duty and perseverance during both the storm and the ongoing post-recovery period, and Stop-n-Shop for their generous $2.5 million donation for

recovery and relief of storm victims.

Our AmeriCorps members, Joel Barton, Don Chappell and Liz Shaw,provided information about the Red Cross apps, specically Team Red Cross,as well as information on Winter Storms and Hands Only CPR.

Pet First Aid: there’s an app!American Red Cross has launched a new Pet First Aid App for smart phones. Dog and cat

owners can use the app to learn how to provide emergency care until veterinary assistance isavailable. The app also includes resources developed by experts on how to maintain their pet’shealth and well-being and how to include pets in people’s emergency preparedness plans.Learn more at redcross.org/mobile-apps.

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can bring hope to homeless veterans

A bag flled withordinarythings...

Through Feb. 28, the Red Crosswill be collecting personal care

items to assist homeless veterans.Please visit www.redcross.org/ centralpa for a complete list ofitems and more information.

m28340170 red cross winter newsletter 1

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