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Newsroom Chapter Blog
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This is the online blog for the St. Louis Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. Featured items include and will include latest news, events, community updates and other important organizational information. |
"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
1/8/2012 5:37 PM
 What a difference a year makes… that statement has never been more true for me.
Let me take you back – New Years Eve 2010… the day was sunny and bright and WAY too warm for December 31st. We were told there was a good chance for severe weather and the forecasters were dead on. The tornados hit with ferocious winds and at least a 20 degree temperature drop. I was scheduled to ride with our Disaster Action Team (DAT) from 4pm – midnight but came in early after it was clear that this was an all-hands-on-deck kind of a day.
The American Red Cross mobilizes to all national disasters with volunteers from all of over the country. But since all “national” disasters start as a local disaster, the first line of responders are almost always local DAT members.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
1/8/2012 4:59 PM
So join us at our office blood drive on Wednesday, January 11th, 2012 between 8:30am-12:30pm. The Red Cross office is located at 10195 Corporate Square Dr. St. Louis MO 63132.
If you are considering donating here are some tips/requirements:
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/20/2011 12:49 PM
 A few weeks ago, a handful of old Red Cross first aid books appeared on my desk. Not satisfied with the mere existence of these wonderful and colorful instruction manuals from the seventies, I decided to track down their source. I had a feeling that my mini-investigation would lead to another neat Red Cross story, and that’s exactly what I found.
I first tracked the books back to Becky White from our Disaster Services Department. Becky manages our region’s Disaster Action Team volunteers, and one of her current volunteers, Sara Gunn, shared the manuals with her. As it turns out, the books belonged to Sara’s mom. The family is in the process of moving, and Sara rediscovered the books and a few memories.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/12/2011 12:15 PM
 The Twelfth Day of Holiday Giving
Sometime in late February my sister and brother-in-law will have a baby boy. This will be the first grandchild for my parents, and of course my younger sister and I are very excited to be aunts. It’s been non-stop chatter about cradles, strollers, and nursery themes for months now. My mom has been focusing on making baby clothes that I am convinced are too tiny to fit anything besides a Polly Pocket Doll. My dad has taken on the task of securing cabinets, padding corners, and plugging electrical outlets. My contribution as the coolest aunt-to-be has been updating their family disaster kit. In addition to supplies for two adults and two dogs we’ve added diapers in a variety of sizes, wipes, clothes, bottles, and baby formula.
Most new parents probably have some of these items packed in a diaper bag, but is that something you remembered to grab when heading to the basement during a tornado, or suddenly evacuating during a flash flood? Maybe yes, but often times the answer is no.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/11/2011 10:49 AM
The Eleventh Day of Holiday Giving
This year, I thought about buying my dad a new shovel for the holidays. He loves doing yard-work and building things, so I thought that would be a nice gesture. But this year, the shovel I’m thinking about buying won’t help him plant new trees or create a new garden. Instead, it will help families save their homes, crops and lives when floods threaten.
Here’s how. For a gift of $25 to the Red Cross Holiday Giving Catalog, I can provide, not one, but 5 Shovels to protect people in flood-prone communities. Or for $100, my gift would provide a shovel, gloves, wheelbarrow and rake. Not only would my Dad be honored with a gift in his name, but he would be pretty impressed by my bargain shopping skills.
So before you buy another tool to add to your Dad’s overflowing garage collection, check out this video from Jean Frantz Lazard, a Haitian Red Cross volunteer who worked with the American Red Cross this past summer to prevent flooding in Port-au-Prince.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/10/2011 8:23 AM
The Tenth Day of Holiday Giving
When I think back on my elementary school days, I can still remember lining the hallways for tornado drills, crouching down against the wall with my hands tight around my head. I had watched The Wizard of Oz one too many times and I wasn’t going anywhere (even if there was a yellow brick road). We even had to put our bomb threat plan into action once; luckily that was a false alarm.
But sometimes we had to test our skills in real-life severe weather situations. I never knew how my teachers could tell the difference between a drill and real severe weather – I probably thought they were magic…I was very creative – but now I think I have it figured out.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/9/2011 4:33 PM
 The Ninth Day of Holiday Giving
My friends say I travel a lot. That’s true. It seems they know me well. What they may not know is the process it takes for me to get out the door. You see, I have a fear that my house won’t be there when I return because of a fire. I take precautions like making sure electrical appliances are off and some even unplugged. I check the smoke alarm batteries. Almost anything you can think of, I do. Here’s the thing about fires, sometimes it doesn’t matter the precautionary measure you take, it will happen. You just hope someone will be there for you – a family member, a friend or a great organization like the Red Cross. I hope you’ll think about this while reading the story of how one friend’s simple phone call to the Red Cross made a huge difference to Karina Gonzalez after her home was destroyed by fire.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/8/2011 11:30 AM
 The Eighth Day of Holiday Giving
When the Red Cross talks about preparing for emergencies, we always say that preparedness is most effective when it matches the needs of the local community. So you can imagine that while preparedness methods in St. Louis look one way, they might look completely different in a community around the world. For instance…
You might think of a bicycle as just a means of recreation, but in many places it enables Red Cross volunteers to deliver services in remote villages. Read More »
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/7/2011 3:37 PM
The Seventh Day of Holiday Giving
70 years ago today, December 7th became a day which would live in infamy. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor marking the US entrance into World War II. Moments after the attack, the Red Cross sprang into action.
However, The American Red Cross involvement in World War II preceded the entrance of the United States into the conflict. When hostilities began in Europe in 1939, the Red Cross became the chief provider of relief supplies for the civilian victims of conflict distributed by the Geneva-based International Red Cross Committee.
From there on, the Red Cross maintained a historic presence throughout the duration of the war.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/6/2011 10:58 AM
 The Sixth Day of Holiday Giving
Sometimes it takes some gentle teasing from students in a classroom to prompt a person to do something. In the case of Adair Andrew of Black Jack, MO, that “something” has resulted in 400 platelet donations, and a desire to continue donating blood with the American Red Cross.
Andrew began donating blood as a college student in the 1960’s. Later, while working at a St. Louis area school, Andrew says he was typically unable to attend blood drives at the school because of a busy schedule. He says some of his students would good-naturedly tease him about not donating, which inspired him to make time to give blood. Since then, he’s made donating platelets part of his routine.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/5/2011 11:53 AM
 The Fifth Day of Holiday Giving
It’s more than just a cup of coffee…
One of my jobs at the first fire I responded to as a Red Cross worker was to “canteen” for the firefighters and police officers on scene. The back of the Disaster Action Team (DAT) truck is designed to hold Cambros (insulated beverage containers) of water, punch and hot beverages like coffee and hot chocolate. We also keep a container of snacks (cookies and crackers) on the truck.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/4/2011 11:43 AM
The Fourth Day of Holiday Giving
Gori Bibi was fast asleep in her home in Badin district in Pakistan’s southern province of Sindh when she suddenly awoke, soaking wet. Rising from her bed, she found her house surrounded by water which was rising rapidly. She quickly woke her husband and nine children and they escaped the floodwaters with just the clothes they had on.
This was the scene as Recent rainfall has exacerbated the situation in Sindh Province, where communities are still recovering from last year’s floods. Nearly one million homes have been partially or fully destroyed and an estimated 142,000 people are in temporary camps. More than 240 people have died and over 400,000 others have been displaced as torrential rains and flooding continue in parts of Pakistan.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/3/2011 12:16 PM
The Third Day of Holiday Giving
Living a couple hours away from home and my family, I can appreciate the importance of making a phone call and hearing their voice. But I luckily also have the option of hopping in my car to pay them a visit.
For military men and women serving overseas, they don’t exactly have that luxury. That’s why the Red Cross provides phone cards to help our heroes call home. Take for example U.S. Army 1st Lt. Kelvin Carter.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/2/2011 3:07 PM
When I was growing up I saw my dad and uncles volunteer as firefighters in my small town. They would come back from fires dirty, tired and exhausted. They seemed happy to be able to help people, so all the aches and pains were worth it.
My mom and aunts often put in long hours making coffee and sandwiches for the men fighting the fires. They were on their feet for hours, often late into the night and early mornings, doing dishes and sweating over a hot stove. I thought that was what volunteering was – demanding work that gave more to the community than they got in return. My parents said they loved volunteering and that they got so much more out of helping then they gave – I could not understand how that was possible.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/2/2011 11:27 AM
The Second Day of Holiday Giving
Susan Warren and her family were attending a Friday evening Church service when the tornado sirens went off. It was Friday, April 22, 2011. Good Friday. But after the tornado hit, it felt like there was little good left in the day.
When the storm passed, Susan grabbed her family and headed for her Ferguson home – the home that was so new, she could hardly recall the address – the home that she was so thankful to have given the tough economic times – the home that was now blocked by yellow caution tape and obstructed by fallen trees and downed power lines.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
12/1/2011 10:17 AM
The First Day of Holiday Giving
Growing up in rural Missouri (shout out to Salem, MO), I learned to swim at an early age. Whether swimming the doggie paddle in the lake, canoeing down the river or swimming laps in the pool, my love of the water is almost as big as my love for chocolate.
But there’s more… Through the years, I’ve also heard my friends tell of many instances where the swimming skills they learned at an early age helped save their life. And while working at the Red Cross, we’ve recognized several individuals who helped save someone from nearly drowning. In particular, I remember listening to the story of how Terri-Ettling Shell saved her six-year-old neighbor’s life.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
11/29/2011 12:51 PM
Admit it. We’ve all given and received our fair share of questionable holiday gifts. Knitted sweaters. Scented candles. Knitted scented candle-sweaters. It’s all just… sort of… stuff.
For example, I once saved my allowance for an entire year to purchase a 6 foot cardboard cutout of Luke Skywalker for my sister, a huge Star Wars fan. Although I never questioned Luke’s awesomeness, our parents often asked what we wanted with that stuff. Luke definitely meant a lot to my sister and me growing up; he was a great friend and even better confidante. Even now, I still find joy in seeing his dust-collecting face. But judging by my sister’s decision to leave him with my parents when she moved out, I realize that Luke may in fact, just be… stuff.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
11/23/2011 12:40 PM
 Did you see those cool furrowed brow “ Angry Cards” shirts during the World Series? Well, I missed them too, but I’m going to get one!
The Angry Cards story (a spinoff of the Angry Birds phenomenon) is just as much a lightning fast climb as the Cardinals' 2011 year. Who are these Angry Cards you ask? A supporter of the American Red Cross, of course!
The Angry Cards merchandise makers (who have migrated to being very happy) chose the American Red Cross as one of the organizations to receive a financial gift from the sale of Angry Cards merchandise. How much you ask? Well enough to provide comfort kits and blankets to 50 individuals who are not staying in their home because of a house fire.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
11/14/2011 1:41 PM
 Sometimes I wonder if anyone at the Red Cross thinks AmeriCorps members actually work! We have pretty irregular hours from going out and giving community presentations, setting up shelter liaison visits, taking any and all training courses, to volunteering commitments not even related to the Red Cross. And when we waltz in at noon and post “ The Adventures of Randy and Andy” blog, it is hard to say whether we are helping or hurting our reputation for getting things done;) But what people don’t see are the two presentations we did before coming into work, the Disaster Action Team shift we may do after work, and the countless activities we do regularly to gain as many job-related skills as we can. AmeriCorps really is hard work! Read More »
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
11/4/2011 2:14 PM
 It has been a very emotional Friday here at the Centralia office. I responded to a single family fire in Mt. Vernon today. The family of three, lost just about everything they own. The hero of the day was a Chihuahua named Sadie.
This family rescued this little dog seven years ago from an abusive home. They told me that it took months for them to convince her to come out from under the table. Slowly but surely little Sadie became a part of their family.
Yesterday while Dad was sleeping from working night shift, their home caught on fire. Sadie went crazy until she was finally able to wake him up. The fire department said it was a miracle that he survived.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
10/19/2011 10:39 AM
I can’t even begin to tell you just how excited I am that the Cardinals are in the World Series. And it’s not that I’m not trying – I just literally can’t get the words out today. It’s like I open my mouth and the only thing that comes out is a smile and, “I told you so.” ;)
Okay, all ‘sassy Lindsey’ aside, I’ve been believing in this year’s team since the countdown to Spring Training, and I never doubted them once – even when we were 10 ½ games back. Just ask my poor co-workers who had to listen to me hypothesize, strategize and numberize how we were going to get there. Regardless how we…er…they did it…our team captured the Pennant, and we’re starting our quest for World Series glory tonight in St. Louis. It’s a beautiful thing.
If you’re one of the lucky 47,000+ headed to the game, or downtown for the festivities, here are a few things to help you prepare for and stay safe in all of tonight’s excitement!
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
10/18/2011 10:53 AM
 Andy and Randy are twin brothers. While they may have a lot in common, Andy and Randy are complete opposites when it comes to emergency preparedness. Andy lives his life on the wild side, and he’s never prepared for anything! Luckily for Andy, Randy is Red Cross Ready and he’s sharing his tips with Andy and you!
On today’s episode of “The Adventures of Andy and Randy,” the brothers learn a lesson in space heater safety.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
10/12/2011 3:07 PM
The count is 2 and 2…
But I’m not expecting a slider to the outside from Carpenter to fill the count. Instead, I’m catching up from a very busy Tuesday.
Yesterday started as a beautiful day with a couple of planned shelter site visits and preparing for Northwest High School Career Day on Thursday (I will make sure to let the students know that they should plan for the unexpected).
Now, back to the count...
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
10/10/2011 10:28 AM
Andy and Randy are twin brothers. While they may have a lot in common, Andy and Randy are complete opposites when it comes to emergency preparedness. Andy lives his life on the wild side, and he’s never prepared for anything! Luckily for Andy, Randy is Red Cross Ready and he’s sharing his tips with Andy and you!
On today’s episode of “The Adventures of Andy and Randy,” the brothers learn a lesson in smoke detector safety, in honor of National Fire Prevention Week.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
10/3/2011 12:36 PM
 Please join us at the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter Headquarters and donate blood on Wednesday, October 19, 2011, from 8:30am-12:30pm.
To schedule an appointment, please contact Marie Major at mmajor@redcrossstl.org , call 314.516.2882, or go to www.redcrossblood.org and type in the sponsor code STLARC. We’re located at 10195 Corporate Square Drive, St. Louis, MO 63132.
I’ve been asked many times, “I’m on medication, can I still donate?” In general, most medications are acceptable, including over the counter or homeopathic medications, herbal remedies, and nutritional supplements.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
9/12/2011 12:02 PM
There were numerous memorials of the 9/11 anniversary this weekend. We were reminded on TV, at church services and public tributes of the heroism and innocence lost on that day. Many Americans spent at least part of the weekend volunteering – myself included.
I was privileged to be able to help at the Great Fire Engine Rally Ball. 250+ firefighters from around the metro area coming together is an awesome sight. I come from a long line of firefighters, and it was great to be surrounded by their energy, their good hearted humor and their pride in the work they do.
On Saturday, I rode a shift with the Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT). We were tasked with canteening the firefighters who were standing vigil at the memorial site on Art Hill.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
9/9/2011 12:33 PM
 They say New Yorkers are tough. As a former New Yorker (as a resident; I am very proud of “my born on date” as good old St. Louis), I believe this to be true. However, my deployment to New York City and upstate showed me that New Yorkers are more than tough . They are resilient.
On Saturday, September 3rd, Brad and Dave (who were also New Yorkers) let me and another staff member tag along to help with their dinner route in the Red Cross ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle). The route took us to Tuxedo, NY (about an hour North of NYC) to distribute hot meals, water, snacks, the occasional Mickey Mouse and much needed hugs and words of encouragement.
What we quickly learned was that the residents of Tuxedo looked forward to Brad and Dave’s meal visit. For many, this was the only time they took a break from hours of cleaning to rest, eat, and rejuvenate, just to get at it again. As we drove down the street, Dave would announce on the loud speaker in an Italian accent…… “Hi Everyone…the Red Cross is back and we have your grandma’s delicious pasta recipe for dinner; come join us”. Each resident was greeted by name and they in turn knew Brad’s and Dave’s.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
9/6/2011 11:06 AM
I will admit that I am one of those people that cries during movies. And don't get me started on those coffee commercials at Christmas – you know the ones where the son comes home and the little sister is there to share a moment before Mom and Dad wake up – it gets me every time.
As a member of the local Disaster Action Team (DAT) however, I try to keep it together on fire scenes when working with our clients. They don't need my tears on top of everything else they are going through. I usually succeed, but this past Saturday night I almost needed the hankies.
We had been called to a house fire and arrived at the scene before the homeowners (they were out of the house when it was struck by lightning).
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
9/6/2011 9:00 AM
Sunday, September 4, 2011 12:24 p.m. EDT
Hi again,
We are in day 10 of Hurricane Irene response here in North Carolina. We really hit our stride these last couple of days and are starting to wind down our feeding and sheltering operations. So as some of the mass care volunteers out process, we are seeing new people come in their place. I even got to spend a day with fellow St. Louis AmeriCorps member Teresa before she left for a casework fixed site near Blounts Creek, NC.
With caseworkers on the ground and bulk distribution still going strong, those of us over in logistics are still as busy as ever. I thought I had a decent grasp on disaster response procedures, but it's been fascinating seeing how everything for a hurricane is scaled up even further.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
8/31/2011 2:20 PM
So when my Rams and Bradford go long and connect with Amendola for a game-winning touchdown, or kicker Josh Brown makes an impeccable 60 yard field goal, I’m not gonna lie – I’m inclined to consider their actions lifesaving... for me at least.
So you can imagine how super impressed I was when I heard about NFL star and Super Bowl Champ Jeremy Shockey and his actual lifesaving moment. Read More »
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
8/31/2011 10:11 AM
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 8:48 a.m. EDT
Hi everybody,
Just about to go into morning meeting #4. We arrived in NC before Irene made landfall and have been working to feed, clothe and shelter the people of eastern North Carolina ever since. Being assigned to logistics means I'm away from the major damage working out of our disaster relief operation HQ in the Wilson Mall. It also means I'm stationed at a table next to fellow St. Louis Area Regional Chapter volunteers Walt and Denise Wallheimer, and Richard Zeilmann. On an operation this big, with 300 people assigned, it's nice to see a familiar face.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
8/30/2011 10:07 AM
 This year, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter has four AmeriCorps members. Time to say hello to our returning member and three newbies!
► Hey y’all! My name is Erica Suhling, and I will be spending ten months with the AmeriCorps program at the American Red Cross Service Center in Jefferson County doing disaster response. I am originally from Carlinville, IL; just another run of the mill small town, USA off of interstate 55 between St. Louis and Springfield, IL. I will be spending a lot more time in the St. Louis area now, but my favorite part of St. Louis has been and will continue to be the St. Louis Cardinals. Go Birds! I’m excited to get through training and looking forward to serving St. Louis and the surrounding communities!
► Hello again! I’m Katie Beall and I am the Response Member for the St. Louis Area Chapter American Red Cross.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
8/28/2011 9:36 AM
 Red Cross worker, Kathrine Vigil checks in from the field. Kathrine left early Friday morning for the East Coast in response to Hurricane Irene.
Driving into Southbridge, Massachusetts, a place I never thought I would visit, I thought to myself "what a beautiful part of the country."
The past few days have been pretty calm, that is if you don't count the trip to Walmart where there were hundreds of people trying to get the remaining bits of water, non perishable food, flashlights, etc. (Which is why you should have all your emergency supplies BEFORE a natural disaster threatens your area).
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
8/26/2011 11:11 AM
As you’re watching and reading coverage of Hurricane Irene from the comfort of your home in St. Louis, you may be asking yourself, what can I do for my friends and family who may be in the path of the storm? Understandably, you are concerned for their wellbeing and want them to make it through the storm unscathed.
While talking to my dear friend, Deborah, who lives in New York City (where they are evacuating nursing homes in low-lying areas and will suspend much of the public transit system tomorrow) I shared with her some basic preparedness tips and reminded her to make sure she had some basic supplies -- food, water, a flashlight and radio (and batteries!) Read More »
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
8/8/2011 2:08 PM
Have you ever had something so strange happen to you, that no matter how hard you try to ignore it, it plagues you until you decide to share it with others?
A few weeks back I went downtown to check out Gavin DeGraw as part of the Celebrate St. Louis concert series (insert shameless plug for my favorite musician here). The sun was hot and the humidity unforgiving, but I insisted on standing outside to hear Gavin plunk out a few tunes on his piano; always worth it, in my book.
It wasn’t long before I noticed a quirky security guard working nearby. I still haven’t found words to describe his actions throughout the night, but he certainly was a character who took his job very seriously. A friend later likened him to Alan from The Hangover. I suppose that helps. I just smiled a lot, and as soon as the concert started I took him off my radar. After all, Gavin was playing, and this required my full attention.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
7/11/2011 1:13 PM
This year has been a busy one for the Red Cross. Over the past three months, we’ve responded to more than 40 major disasters across more than 30 states. And we’re just passing the year’s halfway point. But there’s another, more personal, kind of disaster that can happen to any of us at any time - the need for blood.
And during this busy summer season blood donations have dropped dramatically. The Red Cross now needs blood donors more than ever. All types are needed, but especially O negative, which can be used to treat any patient.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
6/21/2011 3:15 PM
 Every once in a while I think back to when I was little and the 2 foot deep, 8 foot wide round metal pool that lived in the back yard. It spent the long, cold winters turned upside down to keep the water and critters out, while I looked at it through the kitchen window, just waiting for the first signs of spring and warmer weather. When it was time, my mom and I would spend a couple of days getting it ready: scrubbing, filling and adding a few chemicals to keep the cooties out.
Just like every little kid out there, I couldn’t wait for the water to get warm enough to take the first plunge. Of course a few things had to happen before I could even dip a toe in.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
6/21/2011 2:58 PM
Well summer just kicked off but the weather is already taking a toll on the American Red Cross O negative blood supply. A shortage of type O negative blood often occurs during the summer months when fewer donors are giving because of summer vacations and schools approaching summer break are hosting fewer drives. The type O negative supply is now considered to be critically low which is a concern considering it is always in high demand. Type O negative can be transfused to patients with any blood type, especially in emergency situations.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
6/15/2011 3:21 PM
 Do you love baseball, but hate dealing with traffic-ridden highways and the constant hustle and bustle of Busch Stadium? Well, you’re in luck, because next Sunday, June 26 the Rascals and Club Red team up to benefit our community. No, I’m not talking about Spanky, Alfalfa and the gang; I’m referring to the River City Rascals – the 2010 Frontier League champions!
This is going to be an exciting way to spend your Sunday evening all while supporting a great cause. And it gets even better; by visiting this website and entering the promo code CLUB RED you will receive box seat tickets for the super low price of only $8! That’s a $3 savings; furthermore, $1.50 of that purchase will go the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter. Check out and pass on this flyer for all of the details. Read More »
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
6/9/2011 1:32 PM
 Has it been too hot for you? Why not cool down with a great concrete treat from Culver’s next Tuesday and support your Red Cross! No fancy coupons needed!! Culver’s Day of Giving is happening Tuesday, June 14 th this year, and at participating locations, 10% of your purchases will go to the American Red Cross. That’s right, eat dessert first, and then have a salad or the daily special – 10% of every sale will go to support your local Red Cross.
Local Culver’s owner Dale Hellenbrand started early by placing Red Cross donation cans on the counters for both his Arnold and Eureka locations! Thank you Culver’s for your continued support.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
6/7/2011 9:00 AM
 I joined the Red Cross a year ago yesterday. Since my arrival, I have been touched here by the commitment of staff and volunteers to the mission and to those in the need. Over the past year, I have been exposed to the New Year’s Eve tornado that ripped through Sunset Hills and North St. Louis. I was able to see the devastation and destruction of the tornado first hand. I said to myself when I walked the once tree-lined streets of Sunset Hills “so this is what a tornado does”. I saw firsthand the volunteers assisting and counseling, and when necessary, a warm comforting hug and a reassurance to those who are still in shock as to what they have just endured.
“Who trains someone to be consoling and caring?”, I thought. Where do these unique traits come from? I was moved and amazed by the volunteers’ commitment to those affected by the storm. Neither the time of day or date on the calendar made much difference to the disaster volunteers. Those in need come first.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
6/6/2011 11:03 AM
In the book The Five People You Meet in Heaven, the author Mitch Albom tries to show how ordinary people can have a profound impact on the world around them. I don’t think there is a better example of this phenomenon than at the Red Cross
During the recent outbreak of disasters, the number of people who stepped up, pitched in and accomplished truly amazing things was staggering. I don’t know if people on the ‘outside’ experience the same sensation as you do if you are a responder for the Red Cross, but I can share my perspective. There is this sense, when you are in the middle of a disaster response, that you are part of something really impressive - this massive mobilization of people helping people.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
6/6/2011 9:24 AM
 As a Red Cross volunteer, I’ve had the privilege to be out on disaster relief assignment since April 22 nd before I returned from Illinois on May 19th. I started in St. Louis on the night of the Good Friday tornado at the Red Cross shelter in Maryland Heights, worked my regular Disaster Action Team (DAT) shifts, worked Damage Assessment (DA) then went over to Client Casework Outreach.
I was deployed to Cape Girardeau on Friday May 6th for DA then went to Little Egypt on May 13th again for DA. During this time I was reminded time and time again of the compassion, empathy, and altruism demonstrated not just by Red Cross workers, but the true spirit of the people affected by the disasters. I cannot count the number of hugs I have received.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
6/2/2011 3:20 PM
From the moment the first tornado touched down on Good Friday, till the flood waters rose, then receded and more tornadoes hit, the last 6 weeks have admittedly been a bit of a blur.
A well-oiled blur... but a blur nonetheless.
In that time, we've served nearly 80,000 meals and snacks, distributed over 22,000 bulk cleanup items, had nearly 5,000 overnight shelter stays, and have already provided casework to nearly 600 families. As we wrap-up this current operation and look ahead to the potential threat of more flooding, and the impending hurricane season, it's needless to say our volunteers and staff have truly been doing incredible work.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
5/27/2011 9:07 AM
On Wednesday morning I had the great pleasure of meeting about 20 of our community's leaders at my office. No, it wasn't the President, Governor, or the City Council...it was the Guffey Elementary Character Council. This great group of students had requested to visit the Jefferson County American Red Cross office over a month ago. Who could have predicted the newsworthy events the Red Cross would be responding to in that length of time? The Character Council had learned about the Red Cross earlier this year and came with very good questions. I reviewed with them how the Red Cross serves its humanitarian mission through disaster response, preparedness training, CPR/First Aid training, and a role they were interested in - babysitter training.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
5/24/2011 1:26 PM
 During a disaster, communication is vital – those impacted by the disaster need to know how to get help, and those outside of the disaster area are interested in how they can give help. And at its core, that’s what the Red Cross does: we connect donors and volunteers to those in urgent need of a helping hand. In doing so, the Red Cross provides hope in even the darkest of circumstances.
After a disaster like the Joplin tornado, so many in St. Louis are asking themselves the same question: “Can I do something to help?” And if you happen to be asking that question while driving around St. Louis, you may just get your answer from a billboard:
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
5/20/2011 11:55 AM
 So by now, it probably seems like we don’t do anything but work and serve our community. Sounds tiring, right? I’m exhausted just thinking about it! And while you may not believe me, I swear, we do more than just work all the time! As AmeriCorps members, we also get days during which we get to have fun, meet other AmeriCorps members, and learn lots of interesting stuff.
Katie and I have toured biomedical services, and saw how blood gets tested, stored, and shipped. We’ve visited St. Louis AmeriCorps and our NPRC (National Preparedness Response Corps) counterparts at the Red Cross-including a trip to Lincoln’s home, his grave, and the Old Capital building. We’ve learned how to rescue people from debris and how to put out a fire in CERT classes.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
5/19/2011 12:07 PM
 After a couple-week hiatus, I’m back to Tweeting about my regularly scheduled Wednesday night Disaster Action Team shift. But just to be clear, just because I’m not tweeting doesn’t mean we’re not around. In fact, we have Disaster Action Team volunteers scheduled 24 hours a day/7 days a week/365 and ¼ days a year. Even in the middle of a disaster.
Disasters don’t know when you’re busy. So even though many of our volunteers have been working tirelessly over the last month supporting families affected by the recent tornado and flood, we’re all still keeping up with our regularly scheduled DAT shifts. You just have to be prepared!
But now that things are beginning to slow down (knock on wood), I figure it’s good to get back to the DAT Diary. After all, we’ve been up to some pretty neat things. Read More »
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
5/19/2011 9:03 AM
Here’s the deal: I’m a cat person. Don’t get me wrong, I like dogs, too. I could watch the Dog Whisperer for hours on end. But I just love how cats can be there for snugfests (as I call them with my cat, Luther) and still be so low maintenance. Best deal ever, in my opinion. So when Make A Difference day came around, I was super pumped to volunteer with Partners For Pets, based out of Collinsville, IL to help with an adoption day at PetSmart. I thought I’d have a fabulous day of petting cats, showing them to people who may be their future humans, and hearing lots of lots of purring.
Wrong.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
5/18/2011 8:24 AM
Growing up, most of us are told not to answer the door if strange people are knocking. Red Cross Youth Services staff and volunteers even teach that in our Safe on My Own program at schools. But, somewhere between our sassy too-cool-for-caution teenage years and super-independent I-make-my-own-rules twenties, we tend to lose that rule. Someone’s knocking at the door? Well, we reason, might as well take a peek and see who it is. Ok, maybe just crack the door and figure out what they want…I mean, they came out of their way, right? Oh, they’re with the Red Cross? Let’s get them some lemonade! Read More »
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
5/17/2011 8:26 AM
A few years ago, I set out on my AmeriCorps adventure. Bright eyed and bushy haired, fresh out of college, I loaded up my new (to me) car with every winter coat and accessory I owned and moved to Montana to serve as an AmeriCorps*VISTA.
VISTA is one of the three branches of AmeriCorps, and while I was excited, I didn’t really know how cool VISTA was until I became one. AmeriCorps*VISTA began as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965, a year after PeaceCorps was created. The focus of the VISTAs is to eradicate poverty by building strong and supportive communities. VISTAs do in-direct service to build the capacity and sustainability of existing organizations.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
5/16/2011 1:55 PM
Do you ever have one of those moments that you are so humbled, overjoyed and proud that words seem to escape you? Well, last week I had one as I listened to our CEO, Gail McGovern announce the national launch of the Red Cross Ready Rating Program.
As with everyone in the St. Louis region, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how we’ve been hit with disaster after disaster, and how our resiliency to bounce back has been shown time and time again. Among the New Year’s Eve tornadoes, Good Friday tornadoes and recent flooding, we’ve seen first-hand how disasters can happen anytime, anyplace. We’ve also seen how early warning signs and preparation have helped save people’s lives.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
5/16/2011 9:46 AM
Happy AmeriCorps Week!!! I’m sure you just got excited at me saying that, because even if you don’t know what AmeriCorps Week is, most of Americans love to celebrate. Heck, we’ll even celebrate other countries’ holidays with them! Cinco de Mayo? Yes, please! Oktoberfest? Soo there. In fact, if you’re ever looking for a reason to celebrate, you can find an appropriate holiday here!
But “holidays of the world” is not the point of this blog. The point is to kick off AmeriCorps Week! Now, you may be asking, what is AmeriCorps and why does it get its own week? Well, I can answer that.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
5/4/2011 1:39 PM
Recently I was shopping with a friend, and we wandered into a shop on the Loop that sold cute little pins with funny sayings on them. My friend bought me one that she thought applied to me – it said “chatter” and had a picture of a box = chatterbox. This made me laugh as it is soooo true.
One of my favorite subjects of late has been the Red Cross. With the flood – forgive the pun – of disasters we have had lately, several people at my office have asked me about what I do for the Red Cross as a volunteer. I proudly tell them about riding DAT (the Disaster Action Team) – where we respond to an average of 3 fires a day – and about mobilizing for major disasters like tornadoes and floods.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
5/3/2011 8:40 AM
52 hours. That’s how long I’ve been on the ground at the American Red Cross Little Egypt Service Center. We’ve seen the rain coming down in St. Louis, but the amount of water standing by the side of Highway 57 was astounding. It was about 8:00 p.m. when we rolled into Murphysboro, IL on Sunday, so I thought the water was near the road. Only in the daylight, did I see how close the water came to swallowing the roads.
While we’ve been dealing with tornado relief in St. Louis for a few weeks, the American Red Cross Little Egypt Service Center (staff of two, 50+ volunteers going strong) have been dealing day in and day out with flash flooding; meaning there’s been several voluntary evacuations and now mandatory evacuations for towns along the Ohio River. That’s why several of us from the St. Louis Area Chapter (the regional chapter) came to help provide additional resources and some much needed rest.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/29/2011 2:38 PM
 I arrived in St. Louis early yesterday morning on a deployment with the American Red Cross Advanced Public Affairs Team. I’ve been assigned to work with the St. Louis Chapter. Yesterday afternoon, I took a tour of the city’s storm-damaged areas.
You can follow the twenty-four-mile-long track of the tornado that hit St. Louis on Good Friday by the seemingly endless swath of blue tarps covering the roofs of the shattered houses. And you realize that under every tarp lived a family affected by the storm—maybe a little—maybe a lot.
Almost everyone has seen the video of the storm sweeping across the airport. That was disturbing—the casual smashing of such a symbol of modernity.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/28/2011 12:19 PM
I am a proud member of the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team and love being out in the trenches helping people. I was on the truck on New Year’s Eve night and responded to help in Sunset Hills after the tornado. In the days immediately afterward, it was amazing to be out with the clients - doing damage assessments, seeing up close and personal the damage done; it was life changing.
Fast forward a few short months later and the Good Friday tornadoes ravage the St Louis area. My first impulse is to grab my boots and hit the streets – only one problem – my cast won’t fit in my boot. I fractured my right foot a few weeks ago. Needless to say, I was frustrated because I thought I wouldn’t be able to help during such a time of need. I called in to Chapter Headquarters and asked if there was anything I could do – and surprisingly, I was assured that there is always a need for anyone willing to pitch in.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/27/2011 4:17 PM
On Monday night I had the privilege of working the phones at the Chapter’s Disaster Relief Fund telethon at KSDK. Of the many, many people I had the honor to talk to and collect donations from one immediately struck me as a little different.
It wasn’t uncommon for me to collect $10, $20 or even $50 donations from our neighbors all over Missouri and Illinois. But I have to say, every time I wrote a number bigger than $100 it took my breath away and I didn’t quite know what to say to the person on the other side of the phone! You have to know, taking away my words is a BIG deal. I write for a living.
I took one of those donations and immediately my words got all jumbled up. Upon me sounding like a blundering idiot, the woman on the phone said “I should tell you, this isn’t from me. It’s from my grandchildren.” She quickly explained that her grandkids ranging from age 10 down to 18 months decided they didn’t need the money in their Easter eggs. It became more important for them to give their newly found funds to kids and families affected by Friday’s tornadoes.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/25/2011 1:29 PM
St. Louis loves baseball…Cardinal baseball. And if it weren’t already obvious, I would have figured it out over the weekend. As we were out assessing damage in the community, sheltering, delivering meals, and helping families affected by Friday’s severe weather, I spotted several Cardinal t-shirts, jackets, and hats worn by neighbors along our damage assessment routes.
So when the Cardinals asked if I could take a break from our relief operation for a special presentation at the stadium, I instantly said yes. After all, we both share a passion for the color red and we both love to give back to the community.
And give back is exactly what they did. Upon arriving at the stadium, I had the opportunity to walk on the field with our Board Chairman, Bob Ciapciak of Edward Jones and accept a $30,000 check on behalf of the team and their charitable foundation, Cardinals Care.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/24/2011 8:41 AM
 Are you an insurance adjuster?
Are you FEMA?
Are you the Salvation Army?
As I walked down Myrick Drive in Berkeley on Saturday, careful to avoid downed power lines and shattered window panes, these were the typical first questions. In front of homes that may soon be condemned and at a minimum will lack power and water for weeks, residents weren’t expecting all the answers. They did want to know who I was, why I was snapping photos and taking notes, and how I might be able to help.
“I’m with the American Red Cross,” was my reply.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/23/2011 5:53 PM
 We talk about it all the time in our board meetings: “It’s our ‘mission’ to help others in times of disaster.” But today, there was no time for talk – it was time to act.
So when I received the call from St. Louis Red Cross CEO Cindy Erickson to dust off my vest and come out to help the communications team tell the story of the devastating tornadoes that passed through St. Louis last night, I was game.
Cindy knew of my past as a communications employee with the Red Cross in the 1980s, and like any good chief executive, she knew it was time to leverage whatever I could offer in my current role as a member of the chapter’s board of directors.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/23/2011 2:58 PM
Charlant Davis and his wife, Evelyn Johnson-Davis, were about to have dinner with the family in their home on Shillington Drive in Berkeley on Friday night when they heard the warnings.
“We didn’t make it to the basement,” Evelyn said. “It hit, glass blew everywhere and it was over. “
The house, home to the couple, their five children and a grandchild since 2001, is tucked in at the end of the Shillington Drive cul-de-sac off Airport Road, just east of Lambert St. Louis International Airport – the scene to historic damage caused by the EF3 tornado that slashed through St. Louis on Good Friday evening. From the point of the Shillington Drive, Charlant and Evelyn are able to walk past dozens of homes of their neighbors that today are severely damaged or uninhabitable.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/22/2011 2:11 PM
 There’s nothing pleasant about a disaster, but if you can dig down and find a bit of a silver liner, it’s getting to meet some amazing kids around our community. Following the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, kids from schools all across the St. Louis Area got together and raised funds for the American Red Cross Relief effort. So the past few weeks, I’ve been out and about collecting donations, meeting the inspiring kids who helped with the fundraisers, and educating the students and faculty on how the Red Cross is helping the people of Japan. Read More »
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/21/2011 3:05 PM
While I don’t have kids myself, one of my best friends has an adorable three-year-old little boy. It warms my heart when he walks through the door and says, “Kim’s here! I like Kim.” Then he crawls into my lap. When I give him a quick hug, it reminds me just how small he is, and how much he depends on his mom, dad and even me. Of course, since he’s three, he lets me give him a hug and darts off. I try to keep an eye out for him, but sometimes he thinks “hiding” is more fun. After too much silence, I start to feel a little uneasy.
As you might have seen on the Today Show this morning, one mom recently experienced a similar situation. For just a split second, she took her eyes away from her two-year-old daughter. The next thing she knew the toddler had opened the door and walked outside. Mom ran outside straight toward the pool and saw the toddler was floating in the water. Mom quickly pulled her daughter from the water. She checked for breathing from the little girl. Nothing.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/21/2011 12:40 PM
This time of year, you never know what to expect on a Disaster Action Team shift. While the majority of our everyday responses are house fires, the spring presents yet another challenge: severe weather. Luckily, Tuesday’s severe storms did minimal damage and last night’s shift was pretty uneventful. Thankfully, that means it was another safe night in St. Louis, and another great dinner in the books.
Here’s how it all went down. Enjoy today’s Diary of a Disaster Action Team Crew!
April 20, 20 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone
“Looks like we have a break in the severe weather for a bit. Hopefully that translates into an easy night for us.”
April 20, 20 hours ago via Twitter for iPhone
“On our way to dinner at #LafayetteFireCompany and heard a possible first alarm in north St. Louis County.”
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/20/2011 9:14 AM
Ever thought about donating blood? Then today is your lucky day!
Today, Wednesday April 20 th, we’re hosting a Red Cross blood drive at our Chapter office from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in classrooms 2 and 3. Walk-ins are welcome, but you can also save your spot in line with an appointment. Just contact Marie Major by email or by calling 314.516.2882. But act fast, because there are only a couple of hours left.
A lot of people ask:
Can I donate blood if I have a tattoo?
YES if done by state regulated and licensed entity using sterile needles and new ink; otherwise a 12 month waiting period. In IL and OK, there’s a 12 month waiting period, regardless of where and how.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/20/2011 8:37 AM
 I know it’s springtime in Missouri and Illinois, someone forgot to mention that fact to North Dakota and Minnesota. There is a winter storm warning out calling for up to 19 inches of snow by tonight and the temperature is dropping.
However, that’s not all bad. For the local residents dreading the coming floods, they are getting some respite. The weather is slowing down the flooding conditions. Obviously, this is directly affecting our current Disaster Relief Operation. The director has just announced we will be downsizing. Darn, I thought only the big corporations did that.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/15/2011 2:01 PM
Here we are at the end of our second week of swim lessons with City Academy students and wouldn’t you know it, bad weather tried to spoil our fun! Not many folks know that even in an indoor pool there’s still a threat to our safety during an electrical storm. While most pools are insulated from shock, there are still ways that electricity from a lightning strike can travel underground and enter the pool.
So, to keep everyone safe, I decided to bring the pool to the classroom instead! At first, there were some unhappy faces and some very disappointed kids, but by the time we finished, everyone was smiling and eager to answer questions or share stories.
You may ask, “How exactly do you teach swimming without a pool?” Well, with the help of a big blue whale named Longfellow, a few brightly colored posters and some super fun activity sheets, of course!
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/14/2011 9:29 AM
One of my favorite books is All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. In this book, author Robert Fulghum outlines how we can take the simple lessons we learn in Kindergarten and apply them to our family life, our work, our government and our world.
Here are some of my favorites:
Share everything.
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Put things back where you found them.
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Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
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When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/12/2011 3:08 PM
 Jackson Graves is 9 years old and a 3 rd grade student at St. Joan of Arc Catholic School in South St. Louis. After hearing about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, he wanted to do something to support those in need. So, he decided to organize a family auction. Since his family has dinner at his Grandma and Grandpa’s house every Sunday with all of the aunts, uncles, & cousins (all 19 of them), he decided this would be the perfect opportunity.
Jackson scheduled the auction for Sunday, March 20th and sent fliers and invitations to all. He spent the better part of the week and a half beforehand getting auction items from family, friends, and any other means he could think of. His grandfather donated 4,000 pennies. His cousins created some “original art,” while his grandmother donated some art found in her attic. There were donations of doll clothes, packs of gum, colored shoe strings and lottery tickets—something for everyone!
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/12/2011 2:44 PM
Swimming? In April? Aren’t the pools still closed? Luckily for the students at City Academy, the indoor pool at the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ club is open year-round! For the past 10 years, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter has partnered with City Academy, a private, independent elementary school located in north St. Louis city to provide swim lessons for their students as part of the PE curriculum.
This year, 66 junior and senior kindergarteners, first and second graders are making a splash as they dive in to learning a variety of swimming skills. From water adjustment to stroke development and general water safety, everyone is having fun while acquiring a wonderful life skill.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/11/2011 9:22 AM
Disaster response is a pretty unique area of work. This is something I knew, and thought I was prepared for, when I interviewed for the AmeriCorps NPRC program last summer. The balance between desk work and field work is something I was excited for, and is now one of my favorite things about this job. Since starting in August I’ve heard some bizarre stories both in the office and out on response. Some days, like a couple I had last week, really make you smile and revel in the oddity of this line of work. Luckily I can share some of the crazy experiences with my counterpart in preparedness. Even though we work in different functions, we can occasionally overlap our schedules like we did riding along on the Disaster Action Team a few Mondays ago.
The weather in St. Louis should have been our first clue that it would be an interesting day. Temperatures on Saturday and Sunday had hit the upper 50s, but we awoke Monday morning to 1.5” of snow on the ground and more coming down heavy. We weren’t two hours into our shift when we heard information on a residential house fire come across the scanner.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/11/2011 8:30 AM
 Hello Red Crossers!
This week is National Volunteer Week (April 10-16), and all over the country, Americans are taking a moment to say “Thank You!” to everyone who gives their time and energy to make this country a better place. I want to take a moment and add my voice to thank you, our St. Louis Area Chapter Volunteers for everything you have done and continue to do for our community!
With our increasingly busy lives it’s easy to get focused on the “to-do” list and forget about the things we moved to the “finally done!” list. And no matter how many things we complete, the “to-do” list never seems to get any shorter. It can be hard to stop…take a deep breath…and look back at what we have accomplished.
So stop, breathe, and enjoy a look at some of the things we did together in 2010:
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/8/2011 8:23 AM
Of the many activities I get to participate in with the American Red Cross, perhaps one of my favorite is going out to dinner with my fellow Disaster Action Team (DAT) members during our shift. The decision process on where to eat is usually quite involved, and then we have to make sure we are loaded with all requisite equipment – scanner, phone, clipboard, paper, pens and… oh yeah, the keys! Dinner always gives us a chance to get to know our teammates better, maybe see a part of the city we are not familiar with and eat somewhere we may not have tried before.
It also gives us the opportunity to be ambassadors for the Red Cross. A lot people in the community are not aware of all of the branches and services that the Red Cross provides. Just last Saturday when spring finally peeked through in St Louis, we decided that Ted Drewes was a must!
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/7/2011 10:54 AM
Last night’s Disaster Action Team shift was a busy one! In the door, out the door, in and out. Luckily most were false alarms. However, we did provide assistance to a few families at a multiunit apartment fire.
Here’s how it all went down. Enjoy today’s Diary of a Disaster Action Team Crew!
April 6, 4:19 p.m. via Twitter for iPhone
"Barely in the door and we're out! Fire near Chapter."
April 6, 4:31 p.m. via Twitter for iPhone
"And false alarm! Headed back. Hope that's all the action for tonight!"
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/5/2011 1:54 PM
Oh boy. If there is something that I try to keep secret but do a really bad job at, it is my love for the band Hanson. Yes, you may remember them as the long-haired, mmmbopping brother musicians of the late nineties, but I have come to love them for the semi-long haired, still mmmbopping, yet mature songwriting, indie music-making, and ‘make-a-difference in the world’ musicians that they have become…among other things.
Musical preferences aside, these guys are already huge social activists for their own project, Take the Walk; they are raising funds one mile at a time for five causes facing great challenges in Africa (I’m happy to report that I’ve taken the walk twice now). But now, they are doing even more.
Overwhelmed by the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Hanson is momentarily turning their focus and working to raise funds for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
4/5/2011 8:41 AM
Like the many thousands of people across the globe, I have become captivated by the streaming webcam of the Decorah Eagles (In Decorah, Iowa- my home state!). I spent hours on Sunday watching them feed and nestle their chicks and hoping that just maybe, I’ll catch a glimpse of the third chick hatching. These majestic creatures display a tenderness for their fuzzy, adorable eaglets (and the still unhatched egg) that seems almost counter to the strength and power we typically associate with them.
I also will admit I spent a little time at work watching the eagles- I happened to look at it just as one of the parents brought home a fresh muskrat (or other brown, furry rodent-thing) for dinner and how excited the little eaglets were to enjoy this fresh meal! It makes me almost giddy to share in this experience with people all over the world and with mama and papa eagle.
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
3/29/2011 9:48 AM
Red Cross Month is nearing a close, but not before we squeeze in one last episode of Tuesday Trivia with Lindsey. So here we go!
It’s only been viral for a few days, but by now, I hope you’ve seen Air New Zealand’s latest in-flight safety video. The New Zealand airline group is already well-known for their clever advertising and high-energy attitude, but they may have taken it to a whole new level by featuring fitness guru Richard Simmons in their new safety video. The "Sweatin' to the Oldies" star is the perfect flight attendant teaching travelers how to be “fit to fly.” With his sequin shirts and jazzercise hands, buckling your seat belt and storing your luggage has never been so much fun.
"First let's stretch it out, and loose that baggage. Stretch it up to the overhead locker or slide it under the seat in front of you. Stretch and slide! Yeah! You're a giraffe!"
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
3/25/2011 10:45 AM
In the two weeks since the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami, we’ve received a lot of support from the St. Louis Community. Generous donations have come in from corporate partners, caring individuals, school groups, and more. Not to mention the $59,000 we raised from the amazing viewers who tuned into our telethon at KSDK Newschannel 5.
But sometimes it’s a simple gift from our smallest donors that leaves the biggest impression…
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"By St. Louis Area Chapter Web Team on
3/24/2011 9:39 AM
 In 2005, I deployed to the Gulf Coast as a FEMA volunteer in response to Hurricane Katrina.
I recently returned home from a return visit to the Mississippi Gulf coast to meet with some of those living there who I worked with for six weeks after Katrina hit. It was my opportunity to see the progress being made and renew friendships.
While on my return trip to Biloxi, I stayed at the Imperial Palace where I was billeted while working during the Katrina recovery efforts. In fact, this stay was on the exact same floor. But this time around, the room, instead of being sparse, was elegant and unlike after Katrina, there was hot water. As a FEMA Disaster Assistance Employee (DAE), I was deployed just days after the storm hit to work in FEMA’s Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts. Nothing I had seen on TV or in the newspapers prepared me for the devastation and heartache I experienced when I arrived in Biloxi, Mississippi.
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