RED CROSS ON STANDBY TO RESPOND TO SHOOTINGS AT FT. HOOD
Central Texas Red Cross staff, volunteers and mental health professionals on standby

November 5, 2009

A mass shooting has occurred at the Soldier Processing Center at Ft. Hood today in Killeen, Texas. Fort Hood is part of our neighboring Red Cross region, the Heart of Texas Chapter of the American Red Cross in Waco.  American Red Cross of Central Texas’ staff is in contact with the Waco Chapter of the American Red Cross, which is in direct contact with the Ft. Hood Station Manager.

The Waco Chapter is in the process of establishing Safe & Well and getting communications established as there have been numerous inquiries from around the country regarding the safely of individual personnel at Ft. Hood.  The Safe & Well program allows those involved in an emergency to register online at www.safeandwell.org so their loved ones can find them and check on their safety.

The Waco chapter has mental health workers on standby and is ready to deploy upon Station request.  The American Red Cross of Central Texas currently has staff, volunteers and mental health professionals on standby as well should the Waco Chapter need assistance.

Locally, the American Red Cross provides services to Central Texas military families up to six times a day, 365 days a year, and is a vital resource for military personnel and their families.

Holiday Mail for Heroes to Deliver Greetings to U.S. Military Members and Veterans
November 5, 2009

In this season of hope and giving, the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. have joined forces again to invite the public to "send a touch of home" to United States service members and veterans across the country and abroad through the Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign.

Now in its third year, the Holiday Mail for Heroes program provides Americans with the opportunity to extend holiday greetings and thanks to service members and veterans. Last year the program received more than 1.4 million cards for military men and women, their families and veterans. Our chapter processed 50,000 of the cards for this program.

The public can participate in the campaign by sending holiday cards with personal messages to a special post office box from Monday, November 2 through Monday, December 7. The Red Cross and Pitney Bowes will then screen cards for hazardous materials, sort and package the cards, and deliver them to military bases and hospitals, veteran`s hospitals and other locations in the U.S. and abroad during the holidays. Pitney Bowes is providing all screening, packaging and shipping at no charge, as well as providing thousands of volunteer hours around the country. The Red Cross will utilize volunteers at over 300 participating chapters nationwide to sort and deliver greetings to military and veteran`s hospitals and military bases in November and December.

"The United States currently has 1.4 million active duty members, reservists and guards serving within our borders and abroad. Additionally more than 24 million veterans have faithfully served our country in the past," notes Sherri Brown, Sr. Vice President of Service to the Armed Forces at the American Red Cross. "With increased chapter participation this year we hope to reach many more service members and veterans who may be spending this holiday season away from home or without loved ones," says Brown.

"The men and women who serve our country in uniform deserve our thanks every single day, and sending just one card is all it takes to make a difference in the life of one of our nation`s heroes," said Jon Love, President of Pitney Bowes Government Solutions. "We are honored to participate in this important initiative again with the American Red Cross and look forward to helping the public say happy holidays and thank you."

Holiday cards should be addressed and sent to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456.

Please be sure to affix adequate postage. Cards must be received no later than December 7. Cards received after this date will be returned to senders. For reasons of processing and safety, participants are asked to refrain from sending "care packages," monetary gifts, using glitter or including any inserts with the cards.

Fund Red
November 3, 2009

Fun Ways to Help the Red Cross
• Hold an eBay sale and use the Mission Fish option
• Dedicate your holiday gatherings to the Red Cross - charge a “cover” or pass the hat.
• Have a garage or bake sale.
• Make and sell homemade holiday crafts.
• Have a bowl-a-thon, walk-a-thon or skate-a-thon.
• Children can do holiday chores like cleaning, decorating or addressing holiday cards.
• Wrap gifts for a fee.
• Hold a penny drive at church or school.
• Call us with your creative idea!

IBM Uptown Classic is a Success!
October 29, 2009

For the second year running, IBM chose the American Red Cross of Central Texas to be the beneficiary of the proceeds from the 2009 IBM Uptown Classic which hit Austin streets on Sunday, October 18, 2009.

Over 1,500 runners, including two wheelchair participants, crowded the IBM campus in the early morning and stretched while the sun rose. Many teams participated, including Tough Cookies and I Am I Can. The race benefited from perfect weather conditions as well.

The event raised over $30,000 to support the American Red Cross of Central Texas' ongoing mission of teaching lifesaving skills, responding to disasters, disaster preparedness training and service to military families. IBM highlighted the ARCCT's commitment to Central Texas in the opening ceremonies, and ARCCT staff thanked IBM for being such a terrific partner and for being chosen as the beneficiary.

Special thanks to over 250 IBM and American Red Cross volunteers, DJ Presley for providing great entertainment, the Austin Toros, and all of our generous sponsors and in-kind donors:

CEO Update
October 27, 2009

President of Humanitarian Services for the National American Red Cross visits Austin
Jerry DeFrancisco, President of Humanitarian Services for NHQ will be in Austin and will visit our Chapter next Wednesday, November 4. He REALLY wants to meet our staff and board members and we are looking forward to spending time with him during his visit!

Good News in Development!
We’ve had some good news on the Development front lately. We received a $5,000 grant from Temple Inland and a $79,000 grant from NHQ in support of Services to Armed Forces. Also, the IBM Race was October 19, and we received a $30,000 grant from the proceeds of the race. Thanks again to Sally Aiello and Wal-Mart for their additional $10,000 sponsorship!

Schlotzky’s and the Red Cross
Also, the Schlotzky’s promotion is still ongoing, so if anyone goes out for fast food, try to stop by Schlotzky’s and mention Red Cross so we’ll get a portion of the proceeds! Here’s a link with all the dates and locations.

Education & Training
The Education & Training team has been busy working on new marketing strategies for products, as well as our CPR, First Aid, and other courses. The latest accomplishment is a new online clothing store. If you want to check out a great selection of shirts, hats, fleece, and other items, click here!

Emergency Services
On the Emergency Services side, we’ve been busy as well. I’m dropping in the latest statistics below, but the statistics don’t really tell the story of the wonderful volunteers who are in the office or on the scene of emergencies almost every day. Sadly, a young musician died in one of the recent house fires, which you may have seen on the news. In addition to our Disaster Response Team, the Public information support was critical on this scene, because the other band members, who were also in the house at the time, desperately needed a buffer from the intense media attention. We were able to protect them and offer them the support they needed on what was undoubtedly one of the most difficult days of their young lives.

By the Numbers:

September Stats:
Single Family – 15
Multi Family – 3
59 people were displaced

Approx. $8311 client financial assistance

2 incidents in Bastrop County
8 incidents in Travis County
2 incidents in Burnett County
1 incident in Caldwell County
2 incidents in Milam County
2 incidents in Hays County

October Stats:
Single Family – 3
Multi Family – 3
25 people were displaced

Approx. $5019.55 client financial assistance

1 incident in Bastrop County
3 incidents in Travis County
1 incident in Burnett County

So that’s the latest! As always, send me anything you’d like to share and I’ll pass the word!

Bastrop Public Health Exercise & Vaccinations
October 27, 2009
From Kevin and Sandy McCoy, Volunteers

This week the Mass Care Action Team (MCAT) received the call to support a Public Health effort in Bastrop County. The call came from Mike Fischer the Emergency Management Coordinator for Bastrop County.

Our mission was to provide coffee, water and snacks to Texas Department of State Health Services workers and other emergency staff & volunteers as they offered flu vaccinations in Bastrop County. The event was hosted by Bastrop school districts, the Texas State Health Department, and Bastrop Emergency Management.

We started before Dawn to gather the supplies we needed. HEB donated doughnuts and a cake to the effort.

We were set up by 7:30AM and we were visited very quickly by state health workers who were getting set up to begin seeing the public.

(Yolanda Holmes of Texas Dept. of State Health Services gets a cup of coffee)

I was very interested in the number of young CERT volunteers in Bastrop. It turns out that they have put together a program with ROTC and HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) members to give them CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training. This volunteer effort was their first deployment. AND they were very hungry and thirsty as all young adults are.

Thank you for the team that responded on such short notice: Curtis Childers, Susan McGinnis, Hilde Sanders. Thanks also to Red Crossers Steve Hailey who came by to support us, and Ron Hilliard who was wearing his hat as Volunteer Coordinator for the effort!

Thanks also to Steve and Elaine Thompson who were working Nature Fest that day, but gave their time and effort to get us set up and to the right location! Also last but not least Wray Hooper helped out the day before getting this event and our Chapter stores restocked.

The American Red Cross of Central Texas has received a federal grant of $79,000 for the purpose of expanding Red Cross services for military families and veterans. This funding allows the Chapter to provide more community support for military members and their families before, during and after deployment.

The Red Cross will offer regular Military Family Networking Groups, these are gatherings where the family members can hear guest speakers, participate in family activities, record family video and then send the video to their deployed family member, receive other agency referrals, receive child ID kits, register for scholarships to attend CPR and First Aid classes or Babysitting Bootcamps and receive school supplies.

All services are provided free of charge to any current, retired or veteran military personnel and their families. The United States Congress actually mandates that the American Red Cross provide services to the military, however they do not allocate funding for this service.

In addition, the American Red Cross of Central Texas will be hiring a Service to Armed Forces Program Manager to facilitate the expanded services.

The Chapter currently assists 5 – 6 military families a day in Central Texas. With the additional funding the Red Cross expects to see an increase in the number of families serviced.

Thank You, Temple-Inland Foundation!
October 20, 2009
From Debbie Immel, Development Specialist & Grants Administrator

The American Red Cross of Central Texas has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Temple-Inland Foundation. The funding will assist the American Red Cross of Central Texas when providing immediate support to victims of disasters or emergencies in our 9 county service area. That vital support can consist of shelter, clothing, shoes, food, medication and mental health counseling. The American Red Cross of Central Texas is grateful for Temple-Inland’s support and very appreciative of their wonderful partnership. Thank you Temple-Inland for helping us help the people of Central Texas!

Pictured in the check presentation: Diane Ventresca (left) - American Red Cross of Central Texas, Debbie Immel (center) – American Red Cross of Central Texas, Carolyn Elmore (right) – Director of Corporate Communication – Temple-Inland

Red Cross - Behind the Scenes
October 20, 2009
From Kevin and Sandy McCoy, Volunteers

In these journals I have written about how we work on fires, hurricanes, and other events. But I thought I would take some time and give a peak behind the scenes on getting ready. Making sure that the Red Cross is ready to respond in disasters. That takes a lot of education and preparation.

This week we helped in two ways. First, we took a course at the Austin EOC to get certified and badged so that we can work at the EOC when an event occurs. Second we helped to Inventory the National Assets stored to help out in disasters across the country.

National Inventory
Sandy and I worked on a team of volunteers that came in from all over the country to help out in doing and inventory at one of the few National Warehouses. This one happens to be in our home town of Austin, and is located close to Austin Bergstrom International Airport.

The Warehouse is called the Disaster Services Maintenance Center. Here are a couple of Red Cross Workers (Randall Rieffel & Gary Thompson) in process of inventorying radios.

This entire deployable inventory is stored in Pelican Cases. These are water tight cases that can survive flood and other severe conditions. That protects the assets that are sent in harms way, and make sure it is usable for the next disaster.

We had a production line to inventory more than 2000 cell phone.  Here is Sandy managing the numbers: Gary Thompson, Randall Reiffel, and Kevin’s coffee mug on the “assembly line”.

Mobile Satellite dishes for voice and data communication are in these kits.  Gary is opening a Satellite Disk container.

This was tiring and meticulous work.  Even with fork lifts and pallet jacks, there was a lot of lifting to do.  So it was tiring and time consuming. 

What Sandy and I wanted to get out of this to understand the range of national assets that could be drawn out for a disaster.  Counting these items may have been the hard way to do this, but it worked and we have a good idea of what is there (and how much!)

EOC Class
We took a break from the inventory assignment to get oriented to work in the EOC. That requires getting another background check, more fingerprints and a new ID.

All the resources – Red Cross, Salvation Army, FEMA, Law enforcement, Fire, all have seats at the table.

To use this system we have phones, Web based tool for facilitating Emergency Operations Center Communications – (Web EOC). In previous disasters we have worked out of the center to manage shelter operations, and coordinate with other groups.

That is all the news that is fit to click.

Red Cross Responds to Tragic Fire in East Austin
October 9, 2009
From Marty McKellips, Development & Communications Manager for Williamson County

It was pouring rain when I arrived at the fire scene on Knight’s Circle in East Austin Friday Morning.  Steve Hailey, our Emergency Services Director, and one volunteer were already there.  Steve briefed me on the tragic news that although six people were safe, one young man did not make it out alive.  He was 28.  His friends were gathered under the carport of the house next door where a number of them live.  I learned they were mostly young musicians in a band called Bankrupt and the Borrowers.  They lived and worked together, as a very close family would, and this was certainly a very difficult time for them.  

Just a few minutes later, our Disaster Action Team Captain Carole Leandra arrived and began talking to the clients about their immediate needs. 

Most of the residents had escaped the fire in only what they wore to bed the night before and the cold front combined with the rain was making everyone shiver.  Luckily, Jose Dominguez arrived quickly with blankets from the chapter.  I looked at those young faces and could not imagine how they were feeling.  The trauma of a fire is bad enough, but losing a dear friend is unimaginable.

We were all very relieved to see our fabulous mental health volunteer Pat Grajkowsky. Steve briefed her and she went into the house to talk to those grieving. 

Fire trucks came and went in shifts as the firefighters put out hot spots and began the investigation into the cause.  They were asking the survivors where any important and valuable items might be located.  Some instruments and amplifiers were retrieved but their cases were charred and I have no idea if they would still work.  The band had a sold out show scheduled for that evening and I wondered about the mood in the club when the news spread about this tragedy.

The news media were lined up across the street and I begin filling them in on what the Red Cross was providing.  My main message was that these services were being delivered by volunteers and we need more people to step up and help us help our neighbors. 

One young man stepped up to me and said, “I want to thank the Red Cross for everything.  I worked for the Red Cross during Katrina so I already knew how great you guys are.”  All I could say was how sorry we were for their loss.

Although this is a sad way to begin a Friday morning, I am glad I could be there.  It reminds me again of just how important the Red Cross is and why I am so lucky to be part of something that helps people everyday.

For more information about the fire and a memorial for Jon Pettis, please click here.

Red Cross Featured in “Surviving Disaster” Episode
September 14, 2009
The American Red Cross will be featured in a simulated aftermath of a hurricane during Spike TV’s “Surviving Disaster” which is scheduled to air on Tuesday, September 15 at 9:00 p.m. CST. Entertainment Outreach and the Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter provided production assistance as well as volunteers. Red Cross visibility and verbal mentions occur during the shelter operations portion, towards the end of episode.

Williamson County Clara Barton Reception
September 14, 2009
From Marty McKellips, Development & Communications Manager for Williamson County

Our first ever Williamson County Clara Barton reception was a huge success. Long time supporters and new friends met over great food and wine to learn all the good that their support is doing throughout Central Texas. The party space was donated free of charge by Carmen Dupree at her Lonestar Event Center. It’s a versatile space for retreats, business meetings and family reunions. Visit them at www.lonestarretreats.com and be sure to thank them for their support!

Our guests enjoyed amazing food provided by Silver & Stone Restaurant and Wine Bar in Georgetown. Chef James Ramsey himself came to help set up and the food won raves. The good folks at the Twin Liquors #26 helped us select the perfect Italian wines to compliment the food. Sweet Serendipity Chocolate Factory created special chocolates for our guests.

The party atmosphere created by the music Joe Cornejo of Mobil DJ Productions. He also used his skills as a wedding photographer to take shots that captured the fun. The whole event was coordinated by super volunteer Shelly McAdams. She really knows how to throw a party! Thanks to everyone who pitched in and especially to our donors and volunteers that make all our work possible.

bettysport Sidewalk Event
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Thank you to everyone who came out to participate, partner, and have fun. Special thanks to bettysport, Castle Hill Fitness, Austin Bodyworker, Deirdre Earls, mba, rd, ld, Floyd Banks and the boy scouts! Enjoy the photos below.

GIVEAWAY!: Checkout our facebook or twitter pages for this giveaway: Red Cross offers a FREE GIVEAWAY from Castle Hill Fitness. Be the first person to email elong@centex.redcross.org with your connection to the Red Cross and you'll win a 1-hr acupuncture session from Castle Hill Fitness! Take a session with CH’s Acupuncturist, Arron Rubenstein. This 5,000 year old eastern treatment is incredibly effective for all kinds of health concerns. http://castlehillfitness.com/

CEO Update
August 31, 2009

Volunteers and Staff Responded to Two Apartment Fires Last Week
Some days are truly intense, as was the case last Thursday when we responded to two apartment fires in the span of 5 hours. The first was a four-plex on Vintage Hills Drive fairly close to the Chapter. The other was a large complex near I-35 and William Cannon. About 14 units were affected by the blaze, and we were able to respond quickly to assist more than 20 people. Kudos, again, to our awesome staff and volunteers!

Stacy Armijo Hosts First Red Cross Roadshow
Board Member and Nominations Committee Chair Stacy Armijo hosted the very first Red Cross Roadshow at her home last Friday. Thank you Stacy! We had a wonderful opportunity to meet several of Stacy’s friends, colleagues, and neighbors, and I believe every single one, at some point, said, “I just didn’t know!” We really appreciate the opportunity to tell the Red Cross story and make new friends. Stacy, Marty McKellips and I all shared a part of our story, but as always, Marty really brought the mission to life as she described her first volunteer call. I can’t wait to capture that on video! Thanks to all the board members and staff who came out to support us and learn more about how to make a Roadshow a success. It was a relaxing, fun evening, and we look forward to the next ones!

Red, White and Blues at Antone’s Celebrating the Red Cross
Ok, could it really be happening? Could we be… “cool?” Marty and I had worked long and hard last spring building a relationship with Susan Antone, hoping to have a benefit concert at Antone’s. We’d had a heck of a time finding a band that would play pro bono, and then lo and behold, we get an email from Jessica at Antone’s last week saying that White Denim has offered to play the concert for us. Wow! We’re tentatively scheduled for September 23, so if you love music, save the date!  (No, I don’t actually know White Denim’s music – I’m stuck in the 70s –  but I saw Susan and Jessica’s faces when they talked about how wonderful it would be to get them, so I know this is a big deal.) We are VERY excited and you will see more on the concert in our upcoming newsletters and on the website.

Employee Awards
At last week’s recognition event, we also acknowledged the work of several employees who have made a significant difference for the Chapter in the past year. The award winners were:

Employee Excellence Award – Support went to Volunteer Services Coordinator Amber Cooney for organizing the Youth Leadership Development Retreat, rallying volunteers for special outreach events, and organizing and updating volunteer records.

Employee Excellence Award – Management went to Elaine Acker for her work to in creating and implementing a plan to increase visibility for the chapter and raise funds in excess of our budget goals.

Employee Excellence Award – Professional or Technical went to Ericca Long for her work in redesigning the website and building a new brand identity for this chapter. 

Employee Excellence Award – Health and Safety Services went to Sara Kennedy for her extraordinary attention to detail and outstanding customer service.

Does anyone have more news to share? Let me know! Happy Monday!

Casting Call for Austin
August 28, 2009

From Executive Producer Ryan Seacrest:
" Everybody's Got A Dream...What's Yours?!!

A Major Cable Netowrk and Executive producer Ryan Seacrest are teaming up to bring you..CHANCE!
Do you need CASH to fulfill your dreams?  No matter how extraordinary, selfless or off the wall your dream might be, a new reality game show needs you! Whether you're asking for $50.00 or $250,000 - if you've got passion and the gift of gab the money could be yours!! You can literally ask for anything!!! Is there something you've always wanted but could never quite afford? Do you have a lifelong ambition that you are desperate to fulfill? We're looking for people 14+ to come up with unique, inspiring and exciting ideas!

How to Apply: If you need money and want your dreams to come true, come plead your case at one of our open calls. We will be holding an open call in Austin: Saturday, September 12, from 10AM to 4PM at YMCA Townlake Branch, 100 W Cesar Chavez.

Thank you to Applied Materials!
August 27, 2009



The American Red Cross of Central Texas has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Applied Materials. The funding will assist ARCCT when providing vital support to victims of disasters or emergencies in our 9 county service area. That support can consist of shelter, clothing, shoes, food, medicine and mental health counseling. The American Red Cross of Central Texas is grateful for Applied Materials support and very appreciative their wonderful partnership. Thank you Applied Materials for helping us help the people of Central Texas!

CEO Update
August 25, 2009
Happy Tuesday (evening) to all!

Record Turnout at Volunteer Recognition Event at the Dell Diamond
I’m still smiling after Sunday’s Volunteer Recognition event at the Dell Diamond. We had a GREAT crowd there – about 171 people. It sounds like everyone really enjoyed the food and the camaraderie! We conducted our Annual Meeting, handed out pins for years of service (including a 30-year pin to staff member Denise Blok and a 65-year pin to volunteer Betty Hendrix!). We also had a chance to say thank you to several of our volunteers and staff for their incredible service during the past fiscal year, and I’m including the list of volunteer award winners below. I’ll include the staff winners next week. And,  I’m sure we’ll have a photo or two up on the Web this week.

Volunteer Awards
Volunteer of the Year: Bill Dorman
Clara Barton Honor Award: Elaine Thompson
Virginia Horton True Blue Volunteer: Homer Johnson
Walter Shuler Disaster Services Award: Carol Leandra
Education & Training Award: Julia Lennous
Social Services Volunteer of the Year: Wray Hooper
Firecracker Award: Jay Clements
Mental Health Professional of the Year: Pat Grajkowski
Tex Kassen Health and Safety Award: Craig Henderson
Youth Leadership Award: Day Son
Martha Townsley Leadership Award: Kevin McCoy

Introducing Instructor Lis Wise
I’m not sure I’ve introduced you to our newest staff instructor, Lis Wise. Lis was an on-call instructor before joining our team full time.  She did a stint in the Peace Corps, is fluent in Swahili, and is also a licensed massage therapist.  As it turns out, much to Denise’s delight, she also is great at assisting with small facility projects!

Congrats to Board Member Joyce Batcheller
We’re just now catching up on some of our reading and noticed that Joyce Batcheller was mentioned in the August 6 Austin Business Journal, which featured Profiles in Power winners. Congrats again, Joyce!

New Funding from Applied Materials  
Another Debbie success story: we received a $10,000 check today from a grant proposal to Applied Materials. Go Debbie! We have been receiving only $5,000 from Applied Materials over the past two years, so this is a 100% increase. Fabulous!

We Need Your Red Cross Stories!
We have GOT to make some headway in pulling together a “library” of sorts showcasing some of our best Red Cross stories. PLEASE send me one or two (or more!) of your favorite stories. (“I remember the time when…” )  You can send me an email, or give me a call and I’ll type while you talk. I want to capture stories from staff, board members, volunteers, and clients that will help our donors understand what a tremendous difference we make in this community and why their gifts matter.

As always, I know you know of more good things going on with our Chapter, so please send me a note and I’ll include them next week! And, please feel free to forward this email to the volunteers who work with your department!

Have a great week!

2009 Annual Meeting Announcement
In accordance with American Red Cross-approved bylaws, the American Red Cross of Central Texas will hold its Annual Meeting on Aug. 23, 2009, at 4 PM, at the Dell Diamond United Heritage Conference Center, 3400 E Palm Valley Bl., Round Rock, TX 78664. The board of directors and officers for Fiscal Year 2010 will be voted on and approved at this meeting. For information, call (512) 928-4271.

CEO Update
August 10, 2009

Recent Emergency Responses
Last Friday, August 7, the power went off at the Travis Park Apartments – not a good thing when the temperatures are well above 100 degrees. Marcia and Fred Marks responded with the ERV (our Emergency Response Vehicle) along with Tim Garland, with coolers of ice, and water, as well as stuffed animals for the kiddoes. The City of Austin also sent an air-conditioned Cap Metro bus to the scene. There were a number of elderly among the 200+ residents, and this situation was especially dangerous for them. Power was restored by late afternoon but our volunteers were superb in stepping in to help keep people safe.

On August 3, Dave and Laurie Crittenden responded to a house fire in Lockhart. The home was a total loss.

On August 1, when a three-alarm brush fire threatened residential areas in Travis Country, our volunteers responded to assist Travis County fire fighters with snacks and water. The multi-talented team of Fred and Marcia Marks were again on point for this very appreciative group of first responders.

Shelly McAdams and Bill Dorman were rock steady as always in helping coordinate the responses. Thanks to ALL for a job well done!

Board Retreat II was a Huge Success
Friday’s second board retreat was time well-spent, and I want to thank everyone who attended! We discovered special niches for everyone. LB Brady may have a future as a babysitting instructor (big brownie points for that!), Carmen Tawil has agreed to take on the role of Chair of Volunteers after Felicia transitions off the committee following the Recognition event on the 23rd  (you DO have the 23rd on your calendar, right?), Joyce Batcheller has an idea and a resource for practically everything, and Calvin Turner was so energized he was in the hall making phone calls to prospective donors before he even left the building. The next step is to capture each person’s leads on our spreadsheet and then start setting up appointments or training. All board members will hear from me, Marty McKellips, or Diane Ventresca very shortly!

Welcome New Staff Member Jose Dominguez
Today is Jose Dominguez’s first day with the Chapter as the Preparedness Specialist. While he will devote the majority of his time to collaborating with Disaster Volunteers, he will also work closely with Diane Ventresca and Amber Cooney to ensure that our volunteer program is top notch. He comes to us with prior Red Cross experience and everyone who’s worked with him desperately wants him back. But they can’t have him, and that’s great news for Central Texas!

Office Upgrades
The reception area in building A got its first makeover in eons this past week. We received grant money following the spring storms in 2008 to help us repair damage and upgrade a portion of the interior. There is now carpet in all offices where once there was bare floor. The reception area has been painted and a new desk has been installed. While some of the décor is still in progress, it’s looking fantastic, and I want to thank Denise Blok for all her hard work pulling this together. We don’t have to look fancy (although it looks really nice), but clean and professional is a wonderful thing.

As always, I’m sure there are cool things happening that I have missed, or wonderful volunteers or staff I forgot to mention, so please let me know and I’ll share them next week!

Have a great week!

Thank you, First American Flood Data Services!
First American Flood Data Services recently held the “First American Worm Burn 2009” Golf Tournament to benefit the American Red Cross of Central Texas on May 30 at the Shadow Glen Golf Course. Because of First American’s outstanding efforts and their matching donation program, $5142.64 was raised and donated to our chapter! First American Flood Data Services has been a generous disaster relief donor to American Red Cross of Central Texas in the past. Thank you!

CEO Update
July 30, 2009

Happy Thursday to all,

Youth Leadership Development Retreat
Today we’re still basking in the glow of a wonderful Youth Leadership Development Retreat. I was only there for few hours Saturday afternoon, but I was thoroughly impressed with the participants as well as the wonderful job Amber Cooney and her dedicated volunteers did to put it all together. It was hosted at Texas State in San Marcos, and there were nearly 30 participants, ages 16-19, who enthusiastically learned more about the Red Cross and about how to build their leadership skills for future success. We had a great volunteer photographer there, and we’ll have pictures posted on the Web soon!

First Video Segments Complete
Videographer Bill Smith (W. E. Smith Media Services) dropped by this afternoon and delivered the first two segments of the video we’re creating for our Red Cross Road Show (which is basically any opportunity we can get to tell our story). There may still be a couple of edits on the final cut, but this is mostly complete. We’ll be shooting a segment on volunteers during the Volunteer Recognition event on August 23. Here’s the link to what we have so far: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXOFnl303h4

Board Retreat
It looks like we’ll have good attendance at our make up board retreat scheduled for August 7, 1:30 – 5:30. We’re looking forward to spending quality time with the rest of you! If you have any questions about that, you can contact Melissa Gray.

Adios for now! --Elaine

From CEO Elaine Acker:
"The chapter responded to a multiple unit fire on Sunday morning at the Edge Creek Apartments. There were 48 units affected, and it looks like 24 have been completely destroyed. We’ve opened about 18 cases so far to assist clients. Marty McKellips was among the first on the scene, and she described it this way:

'I arrived on the scene about 8:15 am and some of our casework volunteers were already present and working with clients.  Many people were wearing only pajamas; some people were crying and all were very stressed. I requested mental health support and a volunteer arrived to offer that type of assistance. As the morning wore on, the number of volunteers grew and we were able to assist everyone waiting by about 12:30. Those in pajamas could now get a change of clothes, food, and knew they would have a place to stay tonight. It was a great tribute to our volunteers.'

I want to commend Emergency Services Director Steve Hailey and all of our amazing volunteers and staff for a job well done. This was Steve’s first response with our Chapter."

Details From Emergency Services Director Steve Hailey's Initial Incident Report:
The American Red Cross of Central Texas provided:
10 Cases of Water
5 Boxes of Snacks
100 Comfort Kits

Eighteen client cases were opened while on-site. Five families were put up in hotels for three nights each and more casework will be conducted with residents throughout the week.

Thank you to Starbucks for their coffee donation.

More news coverage:
Statesman: http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/07/20/0720fire.html
News 8: http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=246880

CEO Update
July 14, 2009

Good afternoon, everyone, iIt’s great to be back in Austin, although I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed the awesome weather in both D.C. and Seattle.

D.C. Trip
Judge Shepperd, Derrick Chubbs and I had a very productive trip to D.C. We, along with the other regional chapter CEOs and board chairs from our division, spent a half day with Gail McGovern, the Red Cross CEO, and another half day brainstorming the future of the national Red Cross. I feel really good about the time spent there and I know we’ll continue to see positive changes as the Red Cross tackles its financial challenges and transitions to a better business model.

KUT Features Babysitter’s Boot Camp
The  Education and Training department is working with the Development & Communications staff to raise visibility about classes. We’ve gotten a great response to the Babysitter’s Boot Camp, and here’s the link to the piece that ran on KUT: http://kut.org/items/show/17460. Excellent coverage!

Welcome Diane Ventresca, Director of Development & Communications
Diane Ventresca is in the house, so we now have a fully staffed Development & Communications department. Welcome, Diane!

Update from Williamson County
Marty has been knocking on lots of doors in Williamson County, and they’re opening! Here’s a quick update from Marty:

• On Monday evening I will meet with a group of 18 neighborhood association leaders to talk about how they can be involved with the Red Cross and to explain how the CASHP works during a hurricane evacuation.
• On Tuesday Steve Hailey and I will meet with the leadership of a citizen volunteer group organized through the Georgetown Police Department.  They also are interested in the role of the Red Cross in local disaster and how they can work with us.
• On Wednesday our new Development director will spend the day in Georgetown to review our Development plan and learn how Williamson County can begin to play a bigger role.
• Later this week I will work with a two large neighborhood associations to help plan a welcome home to more than 500 troops.  We are planning a giant barbeque. These same associations will soon be training their Neighborhood Watch group (more than 100 people) in CPR & first aid through our chapter.
• Finally, on Saturday, Elaine & I will team teach the Red Cross Public Affairs class.  This is the first time this class has been taught at our chapter in several years.

Parking Lot Re-striped
Thanks a million to volunteer Homer Johnson who arranged to have our parking lot re-striped. It looks GREAT! The parking lot striping was donated to the chapter by Bob at B&B Pavement Markings.  Thanks to both Homer for arranging and Bob for the generous donation! 

Don’t forget
The Volunteer Recognition event and annual meeting is scheduled for 4 pm on August 23 at the Dell Diamond. If you haven’t already done so, please RSVP and let us know how many from your family will be attending!  acooney@centex.redcross.org

Until next week…