April Showers Bring May Flowers! May Flowers Bring…..ALLERGIES!!

AAACHUUUU!  Gesundheit!  It is getting to be that time of year where the warm weather graces us with its beauty, the birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and of course many people are indoors because it is allergy season!  I know what you are thinking, “What can I do to prevent my allergies from keeping me from enjoying this beautiful weather?”  Well, we have some helpful tips here at the Red Cross that can save you from being stuck inside and sneezing the day away!

Pollen from those May Flowers is one of the leading causes of allergies.  Try to stay indoors during peak pollen times of the day, between 5:00-10:00 A.M.  If you do need to go outside, be sure to wear sun glasses or some type of eye protection to keep the pollen out of your eyes.  If you’re eyes start to feel itchy, STOP!  Do not rub them!  That could introduce your eyes to even more pollen, dirt, and germs.  Instead, dab them with a wet cloth for relief.

Cleanliness is essential for staying healthy.  Make sure to wash your hands regularly.  This will reduce your exposure to pollen and other germs that can cause allergies.  Also, if you have been outdoors for an extended amount of time, be sure to shower or bathe before you go to bed and close your windows closed at night.  Allergies can keep you up at night, causing you to not get a good night’s rest, in turn causing your next day to be less productive.  Don’t let allergies keep you down!

Allergies can be a major cause of sickness in our area from year to year, don’t let allergies keep you from being the best you can be!

We took the liberty of gathering these tips from consumerreports.org!  If you want more tips on First Aid, download our smartphone app Red Cross First Aid!

13 is the Lucky Number for the Red Cross!

Jolando Thornton is no ordinary 13 year old.  While most kids his age spend their spare time playing video games or playing outside, Jolando spends his time volunteering for the Red Cross!  “I like to help people because it makes me feel happy.”  Jolando is a unique 13 year old in a lot of aspects.  “I like to spend my time volunteering with the Red Cross and going to school.  I love to learn and help people.”

Jolando has done many different things with the Red Cross.  From helping with Easter egg hunts and building vials of life for volunteers, to helping collect mail cards for the Heroes Mail Campaign to send Christmas letters to soldiers overseas, he has been a very busy Red Cross volunteer!  “I like volunteering for the Red Cross because it always makes me feel better when I help people.  When people don’t help others, people get grouchy, and I don’t like to be grouchy.  I like to see how other people are and what situation people are in.  I just like to help others.”

Jolando likes helping the Red Cross in part because of Christine Birhanzl.  Christine was one of the Red Cross professionals that helped Jolando get involved with the Red Cross.  “Two years ago I met Christine and started helping her with the Red Cross.  She is my go to guy for volunteering.  She lets me know how and where to volunteer.  I wouldn’t be volunteering for the Red Cross if it weren’t for Christine.”

Needless to say, Jolando has a very bright future ahead of him.  “I want to go to college and graduate and work for the Red Cross when I grow up.”  But before he can do that, Jolando has many great opportunities ahead of him with the Red Cross.  Christine Birhanzl says, “Because of Jolando’s hard work and dedication to the Red Cross, I am taking him on a mission trip to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota to help me build houses and schools for two weeks this summer.  It will be an amazing opportunity for us.”

Jolando is an amazing Red Crosser and he inspires us everyday to do good things in our community.  Jolando says, “Volunteering for the Red Cross is a fun opportunity and they are a GREAT organization!  I love volunteering for the Red Cross.”

Since this week is National Volunteer Week for the American Red Cross, we wanted to say thank you to Jolando for his amazing service to our organization!  You rock, Jolando!

We know there are many other youth out there that love to volunteer their time and we would love for you to get involved with the American Red Cross by applying for the 2013 Leadership Development Center (LDC)!  It is a 4 day and 3 night event for youth in grades 8-11 that would like to learn more about leadership, public speaking, and volunteering with the Red Cross!  The LDC this year is from July 18-21.  If you would like to apply please go to http://american.redcross.org/ldccincinnatiarc to apply for this awesome opportunity!

What You Can’t “Dodge” Can Kill You! Dodge Ball Teaches Kids the Rules of War!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwqRo4Xkix8

Dodge, duck, dip, dive, and avoid landmines!  These are 4 of the 5 D’s used in the movie DodgeBall plus a rule implemented in our IHL Action Campaign!  On Tuesday, April 9 4 students (Three from Walnut Hills High School and one from the School of Creative and Performing Arts) staged an International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Action Campaign at the School of Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati to educate the students on the rules of war.  And they did it by playing dodge ball!

Students in the 9^th and 10^th grade ducked, dodged, and even hopped their way through the game that simulated the laws of war. If the students stepped on a “landmine”, they had to hop on one leg for the rest of the round.  If the student is hit with a “weapon” or an enemy soldier catches a weapon (ball), the student must sit on the ground until a Red Cross “doctor” revives them.  Halfway through the game, the student facilitators stopped the game and identified a certain group of students, based on the first letter of their last name, who had been “killed” by chemical warfare.  After this, the game continued until the time ran out.

Most people do not realize that there are rules everyone must follow in times of war to make it fair and ethical for all sides that are involved.  This program focused on illegal weapons and law, but other topics that our International Humanitarian Law Action Campaign covers are torture, war crimes, justice, protection of civilians, rights of the prisoners of war, genocide, and child soldiers.  While this program was held by the Red Cross, it was our youth volunteers that facilitated the event.  Alyssa, Carolina, Emma, and Nicholas all did a killer job teaching their peers about the rules of war and about our IHL Action Campaign.

In the activity, the students participated in a dodge ball competition which simulated warfare.

There will be more IHL Action Campaign coming up this month!  April 18 at Withrow High School and April 27 at Wittenberg University are both opportunities to learn more about the International Humanitarian Law Action Campaign!

Don’t Just Bark About It!

Don’t just sit there and bark about safety, be about it!

April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month, and all month we will be giving tips on how to keep your pets safe and healthy with Spring starting.  Pets are part of the family, so whether you are a dog person, a cat person, or have other types of pets, we all need to keep them safe and keep them in the family!

There are many things we need to look out for as the weather warms up and our pets are outside having a good time.  Heat Stroke is a serious problem for pets.  You can tell that your pet has heat stroke if your pet is panting heavily and his or her gums are bright red.  This means that their body temperature is over 105 degrees.  Cool the pet off with a hose until the temperature hits 103 and take the pet to a veterinarian immediately.  We always want to look out for the safety of our beloved pets!

There are many steps we can take to ensure that fido stays healthy and happy.  Pets need exercise!  Going on walks with your pets can be a great way to give them exercise.  Along with exercise and just like us, pets need lots of cool water to rehydrate them.  People say that, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”  Pets need to go to the doctor for yearly checkups!  To ensure health, veterinarians need to check up on all of your pets.

Just like us, pets must evacuate in emergencies as well.  We prepare care kits for our family including food and water, but rarely do we think of packing for our family pet.  In the case of emergency, pack up a care package for your pet as well including food, water, leash, and toys to keep them entertained.  They will be just as worried as you are.  Also, if you are forced to evacuate to a Red Cross shelter, please make arrangements for your pets.  Because of health and safety concerns, we can not accept pets at our shelters, so know who you can leave your pet with in the case of an emergency.

For more information, please visit http://www.redcross.org/news/article/April-Is-Pet-First-Aid-Awareness-Month.

March: Red Cross Month and National Women’s History Month

March is Red Cross Month as well as National Women’s History Month.  Here at the Red Cross, this is a particularly special time of celebration.  Not only are we celebrating Red Cross month and our amazing volunteers and supporters but we also have a special tie to National Women’s Month as so many influential women have made their mark on the Red Cross.  One of those women, in particular, is our founder, Clara Barton.  Clara was one of the most influential women to ever lead an organization in this country.  Women have accomplished so much in our society, we would like to take a moment to celebrate how Clara shaped our organization to become great.

Clara Barton was a Massachusetts school teacher who worked as a clerk for the US Government.  When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Clara saw a need for nurses on the battlefield and quit her job to go help those in need.  She saw a glaring need for volunteers and her heart led her to what needed to be done.  After the war, she traveled to Europe in 1869 to learn about the International Red Cross movement.  She was determined to help all people in need, and in 1881 founded the American Red Cross.  12 years after Clara started the Red Cross, she and the other volunteers helped over 30,000 people who were left homeless after a hurricane in South Carolina.  The Red Cross was there when we first started and we are here today as strong and passionate as ever.

In March we celebrate the Red Cross past, present, and future.  We cannot possibly celebrate what we have done in the past without celebrating the accomplishments that women have made in our organization.  Clara Barton was the first woman of the Red Cross, and there are many more women today doing very important work for the Red Cross.  So, during Red Cross Month, remember all of the women who have made a difference for the Red Cross and in your lives.  Celebrate Red Cross Month and National Women’s History Month with us!

Flood Safety Awareness Week!

 

This week is Flood Safety Awareness Week!  For many of you this may not mean much.  But let’s see if we can get you to think of it in another light.  Did you know, that in the Cincinnati and Dayton area’s the disaster that is most prone to occur is A FLOOD!!  Let’s take it another step further, did you know that March 26,2013 will mark the 100 year anniversary of the 1913 flood; one of the greatest floods of our time.  The 1913 flood devastated much of Ohio.  There were 467 deaths and over 40,000 homes were flooded, and rainfall averaged between 6-11 inches throughout the state from March 23-27.  In fact, the 1913 flood was one of the reasons the local chapters of the American Red Cross began to form.

So, after hearing all of that, NOW do you understand why we are recognizing Flood Safety Awareness Week?  While we remember those who were affected by this massive natural disaster 100 years ago, it is also important to think about the precautions we can take if ever we experience a massive flood in our area.

When severe weather hits, listen to the news and radio for updates and be ready to evacuate your home at a moment’s notice.  Another tip is to stay away from water.  This might seem obvious, but countless people try to drive through the water or swim.  To ensure the safety of yourself and others, stay away from all sources of water (rivers, creeks, ponds, lakes, streams, etc.)

While nobody can prevent a disaster like the 1913 Flood, we can be sure to prepare for one.  Stocking up on food, water, batteries, light supplies, tools, and first aid kits can go a long way in a disaster situation.  If you do have to evacuate, be sure to have fun items like board games or playing cards you can use to take your mind off the situation, and to keep children happy.  A positive attitude can go a long way in disaster situations.

Red Cross Month: Everyday Hero Style!

Eh, Everyday Hero
Op op op op oppan RED CROSS Style!
Eh, Everyday Hero
Op op op op oppan RED CROSS Style!

Red Cross Month is here!  And this year, we’re celebrating the month Everyday Hero style. What does that mean, you ask? Well, we’re telling the Red Cross story through the eyes of our supporters, recognizing our Everyday Heroes who help their community by giving of themselves – the volunteers, class takers and financial supporters who help us assist those in need. These stories bring to life the experience of going through a disaster, being volunteer, or donor, in their own way.  Which was a much more authentic, more power, more trustworthy story. Real stories by real people, from our area! We can’t think of a better way of sharing the Red Cross story.

We kicked off the month with a press conference, last Thursday commemorating the Red Cross response to the March 2^nd Tornadoes and officially launching the COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster).  The press conference began with a reading of the March is Red Cross Month proclamation, by Councilman Cecil Thomas, on behalf of the mayor of Cincinnati!

This year, through celebrating and recognizing everyday heroes, we want to inspire people to get involved with the American Red Cross.  You can become one of those who help with disasters, volunteer their time, or help in any way.  With that said, here are a few stories, told from the eyes of our supporters that really touched our hearts.

 Izabella Hall is a 6 year old girl that has inspired us.  While most children her age yearn for a large pile of presents on Christmas morning, Izabella asked Santa to give her presents to children who lost their homes in Hurricane Sandy.  According to Izabella, the American Red Cross is an organization that “helps people when they need help.”  So, when Izabella heard about children losing their homes to Hurricane Sandy, she wanted to help people too.  With the help of her family, Izabella raised $105 for the Red Cross in her donation only bake sale.  She donated the money with this letter to Santa, “Dear Santa, I don’t want presents for Christmas.  Please give my presents to people who lost their homes.”

Every person can he a hero in their own way.  To learn more about the Red Cross and how you can become a Red Cross hero, visit redcross.org/cincinnati