Volunteers Make Things Happen; Weekly Highlight for December 12, 2016

Each week we will highlight some important updates and information you might be interested in knowing! For instance, did you know, between November 28 and December 11, YOU helped 52 people including 15 children? It’s true. We had requests for emergency relief due to flooding, fire, and a building collapse in the past two weeks and we were there…because of YOU. Thank you!

Read on to:

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On January 7th from 9am-5pm The Mile High Area will be hosting a Preparedness Facilitator Academy. This is your chance to learn how to deliver all of our preparedness programs: Be Red Cross Ready, Pillowcase Project, Home Fire Campaign, Ready Rating and a new program, Active Threat. Interested individuals will also learn how to train volunteers to deliver services. Please contact Prepare Colorado Program Specialist Diana Rawles at diana.rawles@redcross.org for more information on instructing classes.

Prerequisites for Home Fire Campaign, Pillowcase Project, and Instructor training are listed in the attached information sheet; these will accelerate the certifications for delivering and training new volunteers. Lunch will be provided and you are encouraged to bring a friend who would be interested in volunteering in the future. I have attached a flyer with more information and you can register here. Space will be limited so please sign up early!

This is a great opportunity to renew your volunteer commitment to the Red Cross and to learn more about what the Red Cross does to prepare communities before a disaster hits! Looking forward to seeing you there.

Would you enjoy being behind the scenes?  Talking to other volunteers?  Supporting both local and national disasters without leaving home? If you answered yes, Staff Services is looking for you!

Staff Services is responsible for getting the right people, at the right time, where they need to be to support a disaster response, and to ensure our staff and volunteers needs are met. Tasks may include deploying volunteers to another state to assist in hurricane recovery, calling local chapter members about a shelter opening from a nearby wildfire, managing event based volunteers during a local DR, coordinating lodging, and so much more. Also, much of the work we do is from the comfort of our own home!  We will be hosting a Staff Services Institute on January 28 and 29, and we hope you can join us!

If you are interested, there is some work to do ahead of time, but it won’t take much more than an hour or two: please take the prerequisite classes listed on the attached sheet. Instructions on how to find them on EDGE are also attached. Once those are completed, RSVP to troy.staples@redcross.org.

Your local military community needs your support! Will you answer the call and assist the Red Cross in helping members of the military, veterans and families prepare for, cope with, and respond to, the challenges of military service by volunteering as a briefer at newcomer orientations and/or pre-deployment town halls? The intent of the briefings is to educate the service members and their families on Red Cross services, particularly the Emergency Communications Messages. To learn more of the importance of this service, please view: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2O2gBguX6Y

Volunteers are needed who can commit to a regular shift. The following shifts are in need of your support:

National Guard – Ad Hoc Saturdays – 1100-1200

Upcoming Events include:

December 3

January 8

March 4

Also, if you are willing to travel to Colorado Springs area and are a military ID cardholder and can commit to a regular recurring shift, these shifts are also in need of support:

Fort Carson – 3^rdTuesday of the Month – 0730-0800

Fort Carson – 4^thTuesday of the Month – 0730-0800

Fort Carson – 5^thTuesday of the Month – 0730-0800

Peterson AFB – 4^thMonday of the Month – 1245-1345

Peterson AFB – 5^thMonday of the Month – 1245-1345

Peterson AFB – 1^stSaturday of the Month – 0930-1030

The briefings are typically scheduled from 10 – 30 minutes. There is additional online training and shadowing that must be completed prior to volunteering. If you are interested, please contact Tim Bothe via email at Tim.Bothe2@redcross.org or at 303-607-4785.

The Red Cross has some upcoming events and we need your help to make them a success. The events are all posted in Volunteer Connection (hover over the “My Shifts” tab, and select the “American Red Cross – Events” option.  Or click this link to be directed to the page) awaiting you to self-register, but should you encounter difficulties, you can also email the Red Cross POC for the event for assistance. As a reminder, all events registered for in “My Shifts” in Volunteer Connection will automatically track your hours, so you do not need to independently submit for those hours! Basic on the job training to be provided.

Some upcoming opportunities to support our mission are listed below. Email Kristen at kristen.gietzen@redcross.orgif you’re interested in any of these:

Air National Guard Pre-Deployment Yellow Ribbon

·         Description: Staff an informational table and help educate service members and their families on Red Cross services.

Mass Care Workday

Air Force Reserves – Yellow Ribbon

·         Description: Staff an info table and distribute info about Red Cross services and programs. Anticipate 350 members for pre- and post-.

At least one volunteer must take Red Cross vehicle with supplies day of and pick key up from Red Cross office the day before between 0800-1600

Report and check-in by 0700 AM at registration table. Orientation briefing @ 0715.

One or both volunteers will participate in Parade of Stars around 0930 (you do not talk, youre just simply introduced as Red Cross)

Breakfast and lunch is provided by Yellow Ribbon.

As a reminder, please log your hours for any time spent volunteering, training, and meeting, as well as traveling to and from any activities.  We appreciate all you do and recognize your time is valuable. In fact, it has a direct impact on the financial well-being of the organization in the eyes of our supporters. If you have any trouble logging hours, please feel free to contact your Volunteer Services lead.