By Pat Kondas, American Red Cross of Colorado and Wyoming Public Affairs
On Thursday, Feb. 2, American Red Cross of Wyoming Executive Director Janet Lewis and several board members and volunteers took advantage of the Wyoming Legislature being in session to explain to legislators the work of Wyoming Red Cross over the last year. It was also a good opportunity to demonstrate Red Cross feeding operations.
Utilizing an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV), Executive Director Lewis, along with Board Members Candis Pickard (Board Chair) and Bob Sherard, and other Red Cross and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers served lunch to 55 Senators and Representatives, following the same procedure that would be used if a natural disaster had happened and hot meals needed to be provided to those affected. Lunch consisted of fried chicken, cole slaw, dinner roll with butter, a cookie, an orange and water or coffee.
Lewis said, “It allowed Red Cross volunteers to work with CERT volunteers and gain valuable mass feeding experience that they can use in the case of a large disaster, like a wildfire.”
Lewis said, “Today’s Lunch for Legislators gave Red Cross of Wyoming staff, board members and volunteers an opportunity to show our appreciation to our legislators. We let them know what the Red Cross achieved in 2022 and what services and trainings are available for them and their constituents.”
She said the lunches were appreciated, as was the packet of Wyoming Red Cross information which included services and programs they could share with their constituents, like the Home Fire Campaign program that installs free smoke alarms, and other preparedness programs and training.