The American Red Cross of Upstate South Carolina serves Greenville, Abbeville, Anderson, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, and Pickens Counties.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Volunteers Respond to California

Since Sunday, several wildfires have swept across Southern California, destroying homes and forcing hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate. The American Red Cross was among the first on the scene responding to the wildfires, providing food, shelter, counseling and other emergency assistance made possible, in part, by the financial support from members of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program.

As winds are forecasted to spread flames across the state over the next several days, the Red Cross will remain on the ground providing emergency assistance. In the coming weeks, the Red Cross will continue working with community partners to identify resources that can aid in the recovery of individuals and families affected by the wildfires.

Eight disaster volunteers have left the Upstate en route to San Diego to join the 3,000+ Red Cross workers already there providing relief. Four of our volunteers will be providing Mass Care services of sheltering and feeding; Three more will provide client casework assisting evacuees determine their disaster-caused need; and one will provide her skills as a Red Cross nurse. All of our volunteers give of their time knowing they are facing a three-week deployment.

If you would like to get involved in this relief operation, you can make a financial contribution through this chapter securely on-line by logging onto www.upstatescredcross.org, or by stopping by the chapter. If you wish to directly impact the lives of future victims, call the Upstate Chapter today at 271-8222 and sign up for training in disaster services.

Monday, July 09, 2007

Upstate Red Cross Sends Volunteers to Help with North Texas Flooding

Shallow puddles suddenly rose from ankles to knees, and then to the shoulders of residents in North Central Texas. Flooding in Texas began two weeks ago, centered near Gainesville (60 miles north of Ft. Worth, just below the Oklahoma border) in the north central section of the state. It spread to over 47 counties in the north and north-central areas of the state.

These floods have caused tremendous damage and inflicted extreme hardship on those in the affected counties. Eight volunteers from the Upstate Red Cross were activated and responded last week to calls for assistance. They conducted damage assessment in areas known to be affected, assisted in shelter operations to house those displaced from their homes, and staffing needs for Red Cross responders.

They joined 528 Red Cross volunteers from many chapters throughout the country who came together to care for the immediate, disaster-caused needs of the Texas victims facing flood damage.

We are proud of our volunteers. We wish them well and look forward to their return in a couple of weeks.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Red Cross Rushes Aid to Victims of Taylors Crossing Fire


11:30 p.m., the American Red Cross, Upstate South Carolina Chapter, received a call that victims of the Taylors Crossing apartments were in need of assistance due to a fire that gutted nearly 20 units and caused a degree of damage to another 10.

Four highly trained volunteers left their homes in the middle of the night to respond to the needs of the victims offering hope and the sense that a better day will soon dawn when the sun begins to rise.

At 1:00 a.m., the mood amongst the victims was somber. Daddies were holding their children close, neighbors were hugging neighbors, one young mother sat alone, clutching a photo of her eight month old daughter who was safely sleeping at a friends house. The mother told the story of a knock that came in the night awakening her to dark smoke and the chocking smell of fire. She had just enough time to grab her shoes and the photo she held so tenderly while her husband grabbed the child. Together, all three rushed out the door to safety.

The Chief of the Taylors Fire Department told of the heroic act of two firefighters that propped ladders against the burning building to rescue an elderly victim who would not leave her apartment until her dog was safely removed. The firefighters rescued the dog and returned for the victim. The victim was carried down the ladder and safely evacuated to a nearby hospital where she was treated for smoke inhalation.

Amazingly, no victims or firefighters were seriously injured in this fire. Many who lost there homes and possessions have begun to make there way into the Red Cross to begin rebuilding their lives with the assistance of the Upstate Red Cross. Some victims will need food, shelter, medications and emotional counseling. All of which can be provided by the Red Cross because of the generosity of the Greenville community.

Upstate residents trust the American Red Cross with their financial contributions as a means of caring for their friends and neighbors. Highly-trained staff will provide only the assistance needed based on the individual victims disaster-caused needs.

Individual house fires and multi-unit fires are the Upstate's number one disaster. This scenario has played itself out 271 times across the Upstate this year. For this one disaster alone, the Red Cross will commit approximately $20,000 in assistance to the victims. The victims of last nights apartment fire have 951 predecessors who have received over $260,000 in disaster assistance; all of which is provided free of charge to the victim.

We are honored to serve the victims across our community, but we need the help of Upstate residents to ensure the continued and effective delivery of service to these victims and the victims of disasters yet to come. We urge the community to get involved and make a difference by making a financial contribution to the Upstate chapter. Contributions can be made by calling (864)271-8222 or by logging onto upstatescredcross.org and making a secure, online contribution.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Volunteer Rhonda Hunt teaches life-saving skills

When Rhonda Hunt was 10 years old, she watched wide-eyed as emergency personnel attempted to revive her grandmother using CPR. Unfortunately, her grandmother did not survive, but Hunt decided then that she wanted to learn how to save lives.

"It was something I always wanted to have the knowledge to do, even as a kid," she says. "You often wonder what impact you might have in trying to save a life."

Today Hunt is a health and safety professional with Michelin North America. She also uses her knowledge to benefit the Upstate Chapter of the American Red Cross by serving on the health and safety committee and training other volunteers about safety, life-saving techniques and emergency preparedness.

Hunt initially became involved with the Red Cross through her previous employer, Fluor Corp., where she was in charge of emergency response. Hunt says when she moved to Michelin, the company encouraged her to stay involved.

"It's something I need to know for my employer. But then I can also pass that training on to my community and my church members," she says.

Hunt's most memorable experience was about two years ago when she was asked to stand in as the temporary health and safety director for the Pickens County chapter of the Red Cross. There, she says, she felt the full impact of what classroom experience can mean to real people when she worked with families who had lost their homes to fire.

The volunteers under her not only provided shelter and basic necessities to the victims, but also emotional support and comfort kits with teddy bears for the children.

"They are just so compassionate," she says.

Hunt spends between two and 10 hours a month at the Red Cross, depending on if she is teaching a class. She hopes she never has to use her life-saving skills on someone but says it gives her confidence knowing she can respond.

"I've had to respond to several emergencies, but I've never actually utilized CPR or resuscitation in saving someone's life. But it's always in the back of your mind, 'What if?' " Hunt says.

Having the skills to respond to an emergency is the main reason Hunt believes people should get involved with the Red Cross.

"It is very important that more people in the community be trained and able to respond," she says, using the example of Hurricane Katrina as a time when there were not enough trained volunteers to take care of all the needs.

"And you never know when you might become a recipient of Red Cross services," she adds. "The things that we've been blessed with are only temporary and can be taken away in the blink of an eye. That's what continues to stay in my mind."

Monday, April 30, 2007

Volunteer Sue Conklin Makes a Difference


When Greenville businesswoman Sue Conklin sees a need in her community, she fulfills it. Whether as the owner of The Puppy Nanny or as a volunteer for the American Red Cross, she has a true passion for making her community better.

Experience has taught Sue that animals respond better to compassion rather than force, a business philosophy she learned from Horse Whisperers, Monty Roberts and John Lyons. The gentle technique has served her well as she and her husband Paul trained thoroughbred horses for 20 years, managing farms in Ohio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

When career changes brought Sue to the Upstate and back to dog training, she identified a need in the community for in-home training services. As do many successful business owners, Sue filled a niche in the market and built her business, The Puppy Nanny, on home consultations. The ability to offer a flexible schedules and training in both behavioral and puppy consultations distinguishes her in the field of training.

A true “dog whisperer,” Sue’s expertise is in demand. She has been featured on local TV shows speaking about dog training and safety. She appeared on the Montel Williams Show and has given demonstrations on obedience and training at pet expos across the country. She has been written about in articles for national dog magazines and has authored commentary on training issues featured in local newspapers.

Believing strongly that education is the key to making positive change, Sue took the Pet First Aid class offered by the Upstate South Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross. Seeing the value of this skill for her business, Sue became a volunteer instructor for the Red Cross and now teaches Pet First Aid to her clients and others in the community.

As an active volunteer instructor of the Red Cross, Sue realized that the pet first aid equipment owned by the Red Cross needed repair. Again, seeing a need, she turned to her friends, students, and local businesses to raise the funds necessary to purchase new pet manikins. Through her efforts and generous donations from the Cleveland Park Animal Hospital, Andrew and Diana Gilbert, Sam and Linda Ross, Gene Johnson, Terri Kiker, Ann Martin, Marc Balsa, and Graham and Katharine Greene, enough funds were raised to purchase two CasPeR the CPR Dog Manikins for the Red Cross; no small feat as the cost for the manikins totaled more than $400.00.

Sue’s career as a pet trainer has spanned nearly two decades and more than 2000 dogs. Some of her training graduates have gone on to become Search and Rescue and Pet Therapy dogs and have made television appearances. Mostly, her trainees have simply become beloved family pets.

Sue exemplifies the high-caliber of volunteer making a difference at the Red Cross and in the community. In addition to being a wife, a mother, and a business owner, she gives of her time ensuring the Upstate is ready when emergencies happen.

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Today, We Are All Hokies

It is a phrase of unity heard around the campus, the community, and the world. Students, faculty, staff and alumni are now returning to the campus attempting to make sense of the incomprehensible.

The Drill Field at the heart of the Virginia Tech campus is a place of sacred honor as many memorials to the fallen and injured can be seen. It is a place of great emotion. Tears from friends, and loved ones sprinkle the ground as they remember the horrific events that unfolded here less than one week ago.

The American Red Cross was on the scene less than an hour after the incident offering mental health counseling and spiritual care. Although this is not a natural disaster, to this community and to those who experienced this horrific event it is an emergency with immense impact.

It is a privilege to be on the campus of Virgina Tech to offer hope as part of the American Red Cross response effort. The services available to those in need are numerous. Mental health counseling, spiritual care, transportation for the families of victims, assistance for medical expenses, and even assistance for funeral expenses are some of the services that are offered through the Red Cross.

Soon the students will return to class and resume life on campus as normal...if there can be a normal after an event like this.

As time permits, I will post more on the hope effort in Blacksburg.

Monday, April 09, 2007

Red Cross Responds to Disasters Here

By Bob Hammersla, Chairman of the Board

Recently, I heard the story of Janie Turmon. Janie cares for her mother, brother, sister and three children, some of whom have physical disabilities. She and her family were the victims of a terrible house fire.

"Everything I had worked so hard for went up in flames," she said, "We sat on the curb in front of our burned up house. I cried and cried. We were homeless. ... I had no idea where to go or what to do. What an awful feeling!"

But Janie and her family did not stay on that curb for more than a few minutes, thanks to immediate assistance provided by the Upstate Chapter of the American Red Cross.
As you may know, the Red Cross is not just a single national organization -- there are individual chapters throughout the United States.

Volunteers from the Upstate Red Cross were the ones who showed up at the scene of Janie's home fire. Resources from the Upstate Red Cross enabled them to shelter Janie and her family and see them through their ordeal.
Most of us, however, are totally unaware that the funds to create these resources come only from our community. We are the ones who make it possible for the Red Cross to respond to local disasters.

Our Upstate Red Cross has offices in Greenville, Anderson, Abbeville, Greenwood and Laurens counties. Why? Because it takes a network of volunteers and resources to serve our region, to respond to local disasters and keep us and our neighbors out of harm's way. For the past two years, our Red Cross has responded to an average of one disaster a day locally for an average cost of $1,000 per family.

So far this year, our Red Cross chapter has expended over $225,000 to help more than 798 of our friends and neighbors survive catastrophic events -- mostly single-family house fires -- that don't make the news.

The chapter offers other critical community programs, such as CPR, First Aid, Automated External Defibrillator training, lifeguard training, teaching our toddlers to swim, certifying nurse assistants to qualify them as caregivers and providing emergency communications for the armed forces.

Our local Red Cross touches the lives of 5 percent of the Upstate population. Some of the activities the chapter is involved in are chartered to the Red Cross by the U.S. Congress but not funded in any way by the government.

These programs and services are delivered by a corps of more than 700 volunteers. In fact, the local chapter is so heavily driven by volunteers, they outnumber the paid staff 30 to one. Each volunteer averages 23 hours of training to provide various Red Cross services. These community heroes donate services worth more than one million dollars a year! The chapter could not function without them.

So where does the money come from, then? Most of it comes from us -- from our responses to local fund-raising events and from individual and corporate donations (39 percent). In addition, some program funding does come from United Way (17 percent), grants and course fees.
You and I and every corporation and every citizen in the five Upstate counties benefit from the local Red Cross. It's in all of our interests to support them -- from the smallest company to the largest corporation whose employees might someday need assistance to survive a fire, or a flood, or a tornado.

The American Red Cross is always there when we need it. But what if it wasn't? How would that impact our community? Think of this:
Some 1,500 disaster victims would not receive food, shelter, clothing and other immediate emergency assistance.

More than 17,000 professional, lay rescuers and citizens would no longer be able to provide CPR and First Aid to victims in the community.

Nearly 5,000 lifeguards and children would not learn water safety.

That's why I'm excited to share that Alvin and Wanda McCall are issuing a challenge to our community:

They have pledged $50,000 and are challenging the community to match it between now and April 30 as a way to support this vital community resource.

I encourage you to take this opportunity to get involved with the Red Cross. When you do, remember Janie Turmon. Without the Red Cross, she and her family would have been left with nowhere to turn.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Upstate Red Cross Provides Relief in Alabama

Tragic events over the past few days have left people reeling throughout the Midwest and the South due to severe weather. Two Red Cross volunteers from the Upstate left their homes and families this past weekend to provide relief in Enterprise, Alabama.

Enterprise, a town of 22,000 residents, is home to Enterprise High School, the site where eight students lost their lives when a tornado struck the school collapsing part of the structure. In total, 50 residents of Enterprise were hurt by this storm.

In an email message to the chapter, deployed volunteer John Ligon reported that it is a pretty big operation in Enterprise with 50 people assigned to the Red Cross headquarters alone. Relief workers from Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Arizona, and many other places from across the U.S. have merged on Alabama to lift up their hurting neighbor.

Ligon and Seth Harrison answered the call to help by providing computer networking support to operations headquarters and Client Assistance Centers in Alabama. "We are here to give support to the residents of Enterprise" states Ligon, "but they are doing all they can to give us great support" eluding to the indomitable spirit of the devastated region. Ligon's and Harrison's efforts will greatly speed up the support provided to the victims by the Red Cross.

The Upstate Red Cross is seeking volunteers to join in disaster relief efforts both locally and nationally. Interested individuals should call the Red Cross at (864) 271-8222 and begin the training process today.

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

The Janie Turmon Story

The American Red Cross is a preparedness and response organization driven by volunteers. It is an honor to be able to share stories from victims who have received services through the Upstate Red Cross. It is they, the disaster victim, that can convey better than anyone, the Red Cross story. The following testimonial is from Janie Turmon, a fire victim in Anderson, South Carolina.

"On June 6, 2006, while at work, I received a call from my daughter asking me to come home because our house was on fire and fire trucks were on the way. I grabbed my purse and headed out the door not knowing what I would find when I arrived home. I prayed all the way and it seemed to take an eternity as I was stopped by every red light along the route. The closer I got to home, the more smoke I could see. There were cars and fire trucks everywhere, blocking my driveway. I panicked and jumped out of my car and began to run toward the house. My thoughts were to save whatever I could, but was stopped short by a firefighter saying that I could not go into the house. My heart sank as I watched everything I had worked so hard for go up in flames.

I cried and cried because at that moment I was homeless along with my three children, my mother, my sister, and my brother who all lived with me. I wondered what we would do. There was no place to go. I didn't have home owner insurance. I intended to get it, I just kept putting it off. Each time I went in to pay my car insurance, I would talk with the agent about it, but I never got around to signing a policy.

As I sat outside with my family, a feeling of hopelessness began to set in. When I looked up, a van appeared. Not just any van. This one had a bright red cross on the side and four ladies who brought help to my family. They supplied water and all the assistance we needed to get back on our feet. I believe in the Lord, but until that day, I never experienced angels coming to assist me at that magnitude.

As I stated, we had nothing. The Red Cross ladies supplied funds for clothing and housing, and they provided contact information for agencies that could assist in my recovery. I truly believe that you have to be a special person to take time to help others who are in need.

I will be forever grateful to the American Red Cross. I will forever support their mission and the mission of other agencies that provide assistance to disaster victims.

I want to say thank you. Without the help of the American Red Cross, my family and I would not be where we are today."

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Chapter Honors Greenville Hero

On Thursday, February 8, the Upstate South Carolina Chapter, bestowed honors upon a Greenville Hero.

Virgil Whitted, of Mitsubishi Polyester Film Company, was having lunch in the employee cafeteria when a co-worker began to choke on some food that lodged in his windpipe. Virgil sprang into action and performed abdominal thrusts, dislodging the food and saving his co-workers life. Virgil provided further assistance by checking for injuries and escorting his co-worker to the plant medical department.

For his life-saving act, Virgil was given one of the Red Crosses highest awards, the Lifesaving Award for the Professional Responder which is given to an individual who saves a life by using skills and knowledge acquired in a Red Cross Health & Safety course. The certificate bears the signatures of the President and CEO of the American Red Cross and the Chairman of the Board.

Virgil's actions exemplify the highest degree of human concern anyone can display toward someone in distress.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Highly Trained Red Cross Volunteer Retruns From Florida

Red Cross Damage Assessment Volunteer, Bill Vaudreuil of Greenwood, returned home Monday morning from his deployment to Paisley, Florida.

The small town of Paisley boasts a population of just over 700 residents who lived sprinkled throughout the Central Florida countryside in mobile or single family homes. Many of its residents chose to live in Paisley because it is a peaceful location providing shelter and respite from Florida storms--until now.

"I was called to deploy Friday night and arrived in Florida early Saturday morning," stated Vaudreuil. "We arrived ahead of any Federal Agencies and began to assess the damage." Vaudreuil reflected on what he saw and remembered the distinct path the tornado carved into the countryside. "Trees were torn down and homes were destroyed where the tornado traveled," he paused then began again, "no, the homes were not just destroyed, they were gone!"

Volunteers like Vaudreuil are highly trained having taken basic, intermediate, and advanced Red Cross courses which provide expertise in a chosen field of service.

Potential volunteers can select from many areas of service at both the local and national levels: Health Services, Mental Health Services, Sheltering, Feeding, Disaster Assessment, Facilities Management, Procurement, Transportation Management, IT, Public Affairs, and Fundraising are only some of the specialties.

The American Red Cross never allows a volunteer to enter a disaster situation with out training. If you would like to provide relief, either at the local or national levels, contact the Upstate Chapter today at (864) 271-8222 to become involved.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Local Volunteers Continue Relief in Florida

Friday's storm was the second-deadliest combination of thunderstorms and tornadoes in Florida history. Joe Hawkins and Robert Neil, two seasoned Red Cross relief workers from Greenville are there and amazed at what they see.

"The devastation is extensive," remarks Hawkins who daily drives an Emergency Response Vehicle through Valusia County neighborhoods. Echos of chainsaws, hammers, and dump trucks can still be heard there. Hawkins continues, "Trees are twisted off and ripped from their roots, homes have been blown apart down to the foundation, people are in shock over the damage."

Joe and Robert are working long hours providing a vital life-link to Florida residents. Together, they have delivered nearly 4,000 meals working from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The violent F4 tornado packed winds as high as 165 mph, about 30 mph higher than Hurricane Katrina. Many Florida residents without homes today say they never felt a breeze the night the storms ravaged the state. The Red Cross estimates that over 2000 homes received major or minor structural damage, or were destroyed completely totaling near $70 million dollars in damage thus far.

The need for Red Cross services continues as a curfew is still in effect for Florida residents in storm damaged areas. Progress Energy and Sumter Electric Co-op have restored power to the homes that can safely receive electricity. "We expect to be here until next weekend," states Hawkins, "but as long as there is a need, we will remain."

Joe and Robert are two of the 434 "Red Crossers" that responded to Florida. They represent some of the finest citizens the Upstate has to offer. They are truly modern day heroes.

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Reuniting Families in Tragedy

When tragedy strikes, the Red Cross is there to lend a hand enabling disaster victims to begin the recovery process.

Reconnecting with family, friends and loved ones jump starts the healing process, and one way Florida's disaster victims can convey their welfare is through the American Red Cross' Safe and Well website. The Red Cross encourages individuals and families to register themselves as “safe and well” on the site, which is accessible at all times via www.redcross.org.

With Internet access, people within a disaster area are able to select and post standard “safe and well” messages on the Safe and Well Website. Sample standardized messages for posting include:

􀂃 I am safe and well
􀂃 Family and I are safe and well
􀂃 Currently at a shelter
􀂃 Currently at home
􀂃 Currently at friend/family member/neighbor’s house
􀂃 Will make phone calls when able
􀂃 Will email when able
􀂃 Will mail letter/postcard when able

Using a last name and phone number (home, cell, or work) or complete home address, family members outside of the disaster-affected areas can search the website for the “safe and well” messages left by their loved ones.

The Safe and Well website complies with all privacy and child protection laws. Because of these concerns, no location information will be publicly displayed on this website. Every person maintains the right to determine how best to communicate their contact information and whereabouts to family members.

The Safe and Well website is just one more way the American Red Cross provides peace of mind for those directly or indirectly affected by tragedy.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Upstate Red Cross Responds to Devastating Florida Tornadoes

Central Florida residents and vacationers received a devastating blow to the start of February as tornadoes ripped through communities across the state, prompting Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to declare a state of emergency in Lake, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia counties.

Overnight, volunteers from the Upstate Red Cross sprang into action. "When we heard the news, we knew we had to help," stated Joe Hawkins, a seasoned disaster response volunteer whose most recent deployment was to Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina.

The Upstate Chapter has deployed four volunteers so far, some of whom left late last night for Daytona Beach one of the hardest hit, Valusia County cities in Central Florida. The deployed relief workers will be doing a variety of activities while on their two-week assignment. Some will deliver meals in the affected neighborhoods, others will comfort victims who find solice in Red Cross shelters, while others will comb weather-torn neighborhoods assessing the extent of damage.

"Red Cross volunteers are some of the Upstate's most selfless residents," states Red Cross spokesman Brian Scoles. "Our volunteers will leave their homes, families, and jobs in the middle of the night if need be. They leave knowing it will be two or three weeks, sometimes longer, before returning home."

The Upstate Chapter's mission is to care for the emergency, disaster-caused needs of residents throughout the Upstate, but they also care for the needs of friends and neighbors across the country.

If you would like to get involved with the American Red Cross, call the Upstate Chapter at (864) 271-8222 or by logging onto the Chapter's website at upstatescredcross.org to begin the process today.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Red Cross Employee Dedicates Effort to Strengthening Community Preparedness

There is strength in the Greenville Community in the vast array of organizations that have the capabilities and resources to respond in times of disaster as well as the individual spirit of volunteerism among citizens to help those in need. The Upstate Red Cross Chapter employs the nations first and only Community Disaster Preparedness Specialist (CDPS) to ensure that the strength continues to grow and that our communities ability to respond to disaster becomes more efficient through the maximization of resources and manpower.

Evidence of this strength was shown in 2005 when our community hosted individuals and families at the Palmetto Expo Center who had been displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina. There are many organizations poised to offer assistance in times of disaster--working to create partnerships with those organizations maximizes the strength and effectiveness of disaster response.

The Community Disaster Preparedness Specialist is charged with assessing what disaster response programs are currently available in the Greenville community, determining community readiness for disaster response and working to create partnerships around this issue.

At the heart of the CDPS position is the revitalization of the Greenville County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. The VOAD movement is based on the values of cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration. The Greenville County VOAD brings together organizations in the community that will assist residents in the event of a disaster, coordinate service delivery planning, and reduce the duplication of services to victims of disaster.

The CDPS also supports the work of the local Citizen Corps, the Community Emergency Response Team (or CERT) program and the Local Emergency Planning Committee which all work to raise public awareness about disaster preparedness and trains ordinary citizens in how they can respond in their local area during times of disaster.

The CDPS is a partnership between the American Red Cross and local government. The hope of those at the Upstate Chapter is that as the benefits of this pilot position become evident through a well-oiled community disaster response, other chapters and communities across the nation will duplicate this effort, thereby helping countless thousands of Americans become better prepared to respond to, prevent, and survive any disaster that may strike there hometown.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Upstate Chapter Helped More Than 1,100 People Rebuild Their Lives

The core of Red Cross disaster relief is the assistance given to individuals and families affected by disaster to enable them to resume their normal daily activities independently. When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, clothing, health & mental health serivces to address basic human needs.

In addition to these services, the Red Cross also feeds emergency workers, handles inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area and helps those affected by disaster to access other available resources.

Over the past year, the Upstate Chapter responded to 268 local disaster and assisted 1,141 individuals in rebuilding their lives. The sole community provider of these types of services, the Upstate Chapter is a private, non-profit organization that depends primarily on local donations and volunteer support to meet its mission of disaster response and preparedness. Each year, the Chapter must anticipate the community's needs and budget its services accordingly.

The 2006-2006 fiscal year was a record for the Upstate Chapter in terms of supporting our communities and a record in terms of contributions.

Katrina was largely responsible for the record donations. When funds are sent for a specific disaster, they are forwarded to the Disaster Relief Fund-the funds do not stay in the local accounts. Nonetheless, the Chapter was able to commit more than $410,000 to local disaster response, which was nearly three times our budget. Without the generosity of the community-individuals, business leaders, and the United Way-over and above the Karina donations, this commitment would not have been possible.

In addition to the disaster response, the Red Cross also provides ongoing health and safety training and education in a number of specialized outreach efforts. These include programs for the Hispanic community, youth leadership, CPR and First Aid training, Certified Nurse Assistant training, water safety, and more.

It might have been a record year of need within our communities, but is was also a record year of volunteer and financial response.

Monday, January 22, 2007

"Gray Ladies" of the Upstate

As the Red Cross organization, and this chapter, grows and changes, it is important to remember our history. Even though the organization may change as it progresses, this article is reflective of our constant, long-standing commitment to the Upstate community and its health and welfare-a factor that will never change.

In 1919, the Upstate Red Cross pioneered the field of public health nursing by becoming the first to employ registered nurses (RNs) to teach home hygiene and maternity care. This eventually led to the formation of the Greenville City and County Health Departments and positioned the Upstate Red Cross Chapter in partnership with the city of Greenville and an important influence in the development of city services.

During the 1930s, Upstate Red Cross nurses led nutrition instructional programs in the schools, which was the forerunner of the School Lunch Program. Following the national mandate to create a cadre of hospital volunteers, in 1941, the Gray Lady Service was organized to serve the Greenville Army Air Base Hospital. By 1950, the Upstate Gray Ladies were serving in local civilian hospitals and institutions. The first Greenville County unit was formed at Allen Bennett Hospital. In the 1960s, Upstate nursing volunteers began to work in school health rooms; by 1970, Upstate Chapter volunteers served in 55 local school health rooms; and by the mid-1970s, blood pressure screenings were in full force at locations throughout the county. Through those placements, the Upstate Chapter could target young persons for blood pressure screenings with its award winning Student Hypertension and Risk Reduction Program (SHARRP) targeted.

In a similar growth pattern, the Red Cross nursing program—another historical national organization flagship program—has changed its focus in the Greenville community. Today, the Upstate Red Cross nurses help ease the shortage of qualified health care professionals in the Greenville community through its Vocational Health Care Training program.

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Upstate Hispanic outreach has multi-cultural impact


Reaching out to a diverse community and delivering our vital programs and services effectively to all Upstate cultural communities is a goal of the Upstate Chapter. Catalina Solis, the chapters Hispanic Outreach Specialist, works hard to educate, train, and take the Red Cross mission into the Hispanic Community.

This Outreach Program, funded by BI-LO, LLC., educates the Hispanic community on HIV/Aids awareness, First Aid/CPR, and Disaster Services. Catalina is instrumental in translating materials into Spanish and recruiting volunteers to assist with service delivery. Currently, the program has 126 Hispanic volunteers! The Upstate Outreach Program has three bilingual instructors and 19 instructor in fire prevention and the Together We Prepare initiative.

Monday, January 08, 2007

Quality As Well As Quantity

Many of you may know that the way the American Red Cross does business is changing. From the top down, the organization is streamlining its board of directors, national offices, and field units (chapters) all in an effort to refocus the organization on its core commitment to the American Citizen, disaster relief.

On a local level, beginning January 1st, the Upstate Chapter became a Regional Chapter and accepted a degree of responsibility for six additional counties, thus expanding its area of service to the 11 counties that commonly comprise Upstate South Carolina. This may seem to conflict with my opening statement, but in actuality, it allows community chapters and service centers to concentrate their efforts on service delivery.

Prior to January 1st., there were four individual chapters in the Upstate. They all had the administrative responsibility of reporting its financial, disaster response, and Health & Safety numbers to the Service Area Headquarters in Raleigh. The Service Area Headquarters would then convey them to our National Office. Reporting requirements for larger chapters was no problem. For smaller chapters, compliance with the procedures was far too expensive and time consuming.

Since the change, smaller chapters became Community Chapters and shifted all of their administrative responsibilities, and its expense, to the Regional Chapter. The shift accomplishes a few things: first, fewer hands touching donor dollars increases accountability and accuracy in reporting to the Regional Headquarters. Second, the Community Chapters now have the opportunity to concentrate on delivering quality services tailored to meet the unique needs of the community it serves. This becomes more significant as we see a rise in disaster responses across the Upstate. Quality as well as quantity.

When the quality of Red Cross services rise, along with it occurs a rise in community awareness, community voluntarism, and donations to the local chapter. So, the American Red Cross making voluntary changes from the top down is a good thing, not only for the victims of disaster, but for the Red Cross itself.

By Brian Scoles