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Press Releases
Share a Priceless Gift—Give Blood. The American Red Cross will be having a community blood drive on Monday, December 4th, Lebanon Armory, 1000 East Cumberland Street, Lebanon, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Hans Gartner will be providing his delicious homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and all donors will have an opportunity to win one of six – 3 month adult memberships to the Lebanon Valley YMCA. Save up to three lives in about an hour. The simple act of giving blood can touch up to three lives in the time it takes to run an errand. The American Red Cross Blood Program believes blood is a precious natural resource that should be available to all who need it regardless of economic status, ability to donate, place of residence, or membership in specific group. The Red Cross does not require replacement of blood and works tirelessly to ensure lifesaving blood is available whenever and wherever it is requested and needed. Anyone who is at least 17 years old, who weighs over 110 pounds, has not been tattooed within this last year and is in good health, may give blood. You can donate blood every 56 days. Or every 112 days if you have given double red cells. To schedule an appointment call the Red Cross Office at 273-2671 or at www.nepagivelife.org. Walk-ins are welcomed but with an appointment you are in and out at a quicker pace. Photo ID is required. Be Red Cross Ready.
Red Cross Urges Caution Heating Homes This Winter Home Heating Fires are the Leading Cause of Winter Fires, and the Third Leading Cause of Deaths Lebanon, PA, November 9, 2006— As temperatures start to dip across the country, the American Red Cross urges families to be cautious when using space heaters and other heating sources, and to plan ahead for the possibility of a home fire. Home heating fires increase during the late fall and winter months, and portable heating fires are more deadly than others. A recent Red Cross poll found that nearly half of American families use heating alternatives such as a space heater, fireplace or wood/coal stove to stay warm. Fires kill more Americans each year than all natural disasters combined, and the Red Cross urges families to develop a fire escape plan and to take steps toward fire prevention and safety. Preparedness is important for all families, and African American families are disproportionately more affected by home fires. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, African Americans make up less than 13 percent of the U.S. population but represent 25 percent of all fire deaths, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Children are even more affected within the African-American community, as they are more than twice as likely to die in a home fire than the rest of the African American population. To prevent heating related fires, the Red Cross recommends keeping all potential fuel sources, including newspapers, matches, bedding and clothing, at least three feet away from heat sources such as a space heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves. In addition, portable heaters and fireplaces should never be left unattended. Read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how, when and where to safely use heating equipment, such as space heaters and wood stoves. “Ever year in Lebanon County, home fires are the single most common disaster threat said Dawn Vitéz, Executive Director. “In fact, the Lebanon County Chapter responded to 71 home fires this year here in Lebanon County, and provided 24 families with immediate emergency assistance.” “The good news is that preparing for a home fire doesn’t require a lot of expensive equipment or training,” said Dawn Vitéz. “In addition to functioning smoke alarms, one of the easiest ways to prepare is to develop and practice a home fire escape plan so that every family member, including young children and the elderly, can escape quickly and safely.” Fire escape plans include at least two exit routes for every room in the home, and a convenient meeting place at a safe distance from the fire. Escape ladders should be used and stored near windows in floors above ground level, and all family members should know how to locate and use the ladders safely. Families should practice their escape plan at least twice a year. The American Red Cross provides fire victims with assistance for food, clothing, prescription medications, temporary shelter and other special needs an affected family might have. This relief is made possible by generous donations from people throughout Lebanon County For more Red Cross fire safety and preparedness information please visit www.redcross.org/homefires. Simple Tips to Prevent Home Heating Fires:
For more information on fire preparedness, please visit the Lebanon County Chapter or contact our office at 273-2671. Be Red Cross Ready!
“HELP THE TROOPS CALL HOME” You can help deployed service men and women stay in touch with loved ones this holiday season. The American Red Cross of Lebanon County will be accepting financial donations to “Help Our Troops Call Home” – This program distributes Military Exchange Prepaid Phone Card to U.S. troops stationed throughout the world . This makes it easy for our military men and women stationed here at home, abroad, and on ships at sea, to call home and stay in touch with family and friends. Hearing a familiar voice is one of the best ways to boost the morale of our troops. Each card costs $39 and provides more than two hours of calling time. All donations will be used to purchase as many cards as possible. Send your donations to: 1220 Mifflin Street, Lebanon, PA 17046. Please specify that your donation is for "Holiday Help for the Troops."
Crossing The Lebanon Valley Message From Our Chapter Chairman Pauline Heisey Fall is here – a new season of change and reflection. In the past month we were also reminded of change – changes we endured as a country since the events five years ago on September 11th. The American Red Cross was on the scene September 11, giving safe haven, counseling and support, to thousands who desperately needed it. Through our Red Cross Liberty Fund we’ve helped more than 60,000 families and individuals, watching and guiding in their recovery over the years. In the face of increasing public expectations, the American Red Cross is implementing systems to ensure our relevance and connectivity in our communities, excellence in the ways in which we provide services, and the ability to develop state of the art operational systems that will allow us to most effectively help the people of Lebanon County. As summer fades to fall, why not use this time to make positive change? Strengthen your family and community by making them better prepared – and not just for national disasters, but for a house fire in the night, or other emergencies, that are no less tragic to the people involved. Take a Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED course. Donate Blood. Prepare yourself, family and car for the upcoming winter season. Mission of the American Red Cross The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its congressional charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disaster and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies Holiday Help For The Troops! You can help deployed service men and women stay in touch with loved ones this holiday season. The American Red Cross of Lebanon County will be accepting financial donations to “Help Our Troops Call Home” – This program distributes a Military Exchange Prepaid Phone Card to U.S. troops stationed overseas which makes it easy for deployed military members to call home and stay in touch with family and friends. Hearing a familiar voice is one of the best ways to boost the morale of our troops. Each card costs $39 and provides more than two hours of call time from call center locations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait. All donations will be used to purchase as many cards as possible. Get Prepared! Being prepared for emergencies is crucial at home, school, work and in your community. Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force you to evacuate your neighborhood, workplace or school or can confine you to your home. What would you do if basic services -- water, gas, electricity or telephones--were cut off? Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away. Therefore, the best way to make you and your family safer is to be prepared before disaster strikes. In the midst of rushing through everyday life, it's important to take a minute or two to prepare for emergencies. Being prepared helps you and your family minimize the impact of a disaster such as a hurricane or an emergency such as a broken leg. The best way to make your family and your home safer is to be prepared before disaster strikes.
Make a
Plan
Get a
Kit Know what may happen and how you can help. Learn what disasters or emergencies may occur where you live, work and play and how they can affect you, your family and community. Identify how authorities will notify you and how you will get important information. Learn what you can do to prepare by contacting the Lebanon County Chapter at (273-2671) to ask about first aid, CPR and disaster training, and most importantly, share what you have learned. Automated External Defibrillator In the time it takes you to read this information, sudden cardiac arrest will have claimed another victim. Statistics show that more than 200,000 Americans die of sudden cardiac arrest every year. Up to 50,000 of these deaths could have been prevented if someone had initiated the Cardiac Chain of Survival, and an automated external defibrillator (AED) had been available for immediate use at the time of the emergency. The American Red Cross has a vision of one person in every household being trained in First Aid and CPR lifesaving skills, and all Americans being within four minutes of an AED and someone trained to use it in the event of sudden cardiac arrest. All American Red Cross Adult and Child CPR courses contain defibrillation skills and information. We invite you to learn more about the technology and training that could save the life of a co-worker, family member or a friend by contacting us. Red Cross Tidbits!
Measles Initiative Confronted with a number of devastating disasters in recent years including two tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the children of Indonesia face another deadly, but preventable threat: measles. To combat this disease and provide other life-saving health interventions, the Measles Initiative – a partnership led by the American Red Cross, United Nations Foundation, World Health Organization and U.S. Centers for Disaster Control and Prevention will support the Indonesian Ministry of Health in providing measles vaccinations, polio vaccinations and vitamin A shots to strengthen children’s immune systems. An estimated 30,000 children die from measles in Indonesia annually. This initiative is aimed to reach 7 million children. In addition, approximately 1.5 million long-lasting insecticide-treated nets will be distributed to protect children and their families against malaria.
Annual Report Disaster Services The Lebanon County Chapter of the American Red Cross responded to 33 disasters throughout the Lebanon County. These disasters were broken down as follows 28 fires, 2 floods, 1 wind storm that caused a major power outage, 1 police incident, and 1 hazardous material leak. 118 families were directly affected with damage caused to 77 single family dwellings, 28 apartments, and 13 mobile homes. 317 people received Red Cross assistance and $43,843.17 was spent providing the emergency personal living needs which include food, shelter, clothing, furnishing, and health needs. 81 people attended disaster-training courses and 11,686 received/attended Community Disaster Education information/presentations. Armed Forces Emergency Services Members of our United States Armed Forces and their family members have access to a wide range of Red Cross services. Both Chapter office staff and night duty volunteer caseworkers handled a total of 3,325 cases. These cases were broken into categories as follows: 147 Active Duty or National Guard military members: with $1,755.27 in financial assistance provided, 661 veterans, 1,920 civilians and 430 patients at the Lebanon VA Medical Center. In addition, 167 deploying service members and their family members attended our “Get to Know Us Before You Need Us” pre-deployment presentation. The services provided include emergency communications, financial assistance, counseling & referral to other community agencies, casework done for GPU Energy, and social events for veterans at the VA Medical Center. Someone is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide these valuable services to the community. Blood Services In the sixth year of Blood Services operation in the chapter, 22 certified volunteers worked at 41 blood drives within the community with a total of 1,004 units of blood being collected. Active volunteers and a very positive image of the American Red Cross have enhanced the number of blood drives and the efficient operation of each event. Lifeline Program The American Red Cross Lebanon County Chapter has 335 active Lifeline subscribers. Founded in 1974 Lifeline is the leading Personal Response Services supplier, ever dedicated to helping elderly, disabled or people with a medical necessity live independently in their own homes. Health Services During this past year the Health & Safety Services was able to provide training to 3,546 members of the community in First Aid, CPR, AIDS, Child Care, Babysitting, Water Safety, and other community educational services. These courses where serviced by 177 dedicated instructors. A total of 9,400 members of the community participated in Blood Pressure Screenings, Health Fairs, and HIV/AIDS presentation. We also relied on the invaluable services of 22 volunteer nurses. Volunteer Services A total of 1,212 volunteers provide 103,261 hours of service to 66,082 people. A total of 544 RSVP volunteers served Lebanon County through impact programming designed to meet diverse community needs. They served at station placements in settings such as nursing homes, historical societies, museums, schools, theaters, social service agencies, libraries, and hospitals. Besides the services already mentioned, volunteers also assisted with activities at the VAMC, Fort Indiantown Gap, and the Red Cross office. Please contact us if you would like to join the Red Cross family. The Mission of the American Red Cross The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. It does this through services that are consistent with its congressional charter and the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross movement.
Annual Chapter Financial Statements Assets Investments -
Long Term $198,366
Liabilities and Net Assets Mortgage
Payable – Long Term $116,105 Statement of Activities
Expenses and Losses
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