World Link, Foreign Exchange Students, Students with a Cause!

Over the past few months the Red Cross Central Valley Region southern counties has had the opportunity to work with the wonderful students from World Link. World Link is an organization that conducts exchange programs nationwide. The program connects youth from varies countries with educators, families and government projects within the United States. The purpose of the program is to improve people’s understanding of the different cultures from around the world.

While in the United States World Link students are to participate in community service, leadership activities and demonstrate leadership skills. The wonderful students homed at various high schools throughout Tulare and Kings Counties did exactly that! Sandra, Preparedness Coordinator and I had the opportunity to work with the AMAZING group of youth during the 2013 Tulare County Team Firestopper Fire Safety Seminar event. These students were at the event from morning to late afternoon and they were excited the whole entire time! Once trained at their designated booth/station they were all set to teach families about the different areas of preparedness including, Build-A-Kit, Make-A-Plan, Pet Safety, Smoke Alarm and Carbon Monoxide Safety, hands only CPR and how to operate a fire extinguisher. We were excited to see how engaged the students were and their great leadership skills. By the end of the day they were experts. I was glad that the students realized the importance of this information; they took full advantage of the day and were genuinely concerned about one another’s safety that at the end of the event they went around to each station and taught each other all the educational material.

Since the World Link students have volunteered their time and met the criteria for a FREE CPR class we welcomed them back to the Visalia Branch Office for their training. In addition to their training, as a showing of appreciation, we thought we would give them some little keep sake presents to take with them back home. Some students will return to countries that do not have such an elaborate emergency services system. Among the stories shared, a student who lost a grandfather due to no insurance or money to pay the emergency responders and a student who was worried that emergency responders back home could not reach a loved one in time. If you think about it, these are life changing events that can occur within any country, but we often take for granted the fact that we here in the U.S can receive help in a timely matter and regardless of insurance. In the U.S. a paramedic will not ask for payment first and refuse care if we cannot pay. Therefore, we are glad that these students now have the knowledge, training and skills in CPR to save a life of a friend, loved one or neighbor back home. The smile on their faces at the end of the day and the sincere thank you was absolutely heartwarming and priceless!

We at the American Red Cross Central Valley Region are so grateful and thankful to have had the opportunity to meet each and every one of these students. Their stories are touching and their personalities are electric. We look forward to the continuum of the partnership and the new group of students that we will receive during the 2013-2014 school year. As for the students we had this year, we will miss you and we wish you the best of luck in the future!

Below is a list of students, their home country and high School! Pretty cool and awesome stuff, check it out!

Anna-Kazakhstan-El Diamante High School

Nurgul-Kyrgyzstan-El Diamante High School

Vladimir-Kazakhstan-Tulare Western

Ani-Armenia-Mount Whitney High School

Krystyna-Ukraine-Tulare Union

Kamila- Kazakhstan-Mount Whitney High School

Lilit-Armenia-Hanford High

Aleksandre-Georgia-Tulare Western

Aneela-Pakistan               -Redwood High School

Srishty-India-Sierra Pacific High

Andrey-Tajikistan-Hanford West

Zuhro-Tajikistan-Hanford West

Niso-Tajikistan-Mount Whitney High School       

Zarina-Kyrgyzstan-Exter High School

Madina-Kazakhstan-Tulare Union High School

Dmytro-Ukraine-Mission Oak High School

Azniv-Armenia-Golden West

Lidia-Moldova-Hanford West

Sopio

Darima

Tangiz                  

Khamis                                

Mariya

John Mettler - Lending A Helping Hand.

I want to share a moment with you. Last night, early this morning really, I had the great chance of meeting two people who just went through a sad moment in their life. Victims of a fire. The humor and time I spent with them is one for memory. Their attitude was wonderful, they joked with me and each other and are able to pick themselves up and strive forward. There was no depression, crying or feeling sorry for themselves. It made what this job is all about. It gave me a new insight to the good side of people. They helped each other and allowed us to help them. I thank God I was able to experience this moment. I hope the other team members learned from this. Not all disasters have to be depressing, weird as it sounds they can be fun. Sadly the fire was not their fault, so I pray God will wrap His healing hand around them and help them. An experience I appreciate.

My hopes is that everyone will know, disasters have many parts. Life, death, dismay or confusion but every once in a while you are able to experience dismay with humor and how the victims are able to beat the odds of the cards that were dealt them. Yes, they have a lot work ahead but they will survive because of their attitude. And this is what gives us hope and lets us want to do our job better, and open our spirit to their needs.

If you would like to join John and become a Red Cross volunteer, please visit redcross.org/kernchapter or call (661) 324-6427.

John Mettler, Disaster Action Team Volunteer
Kern Chapter, Bakersfield CA

World Red Cross Day

This day marks the birth of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent network's founder, Jean Henri Dunant, who began to advocate for the humane treatment of the sick and wounded during the Battle of Solferino in 1859. The Red Cross Red Crescent is at the foundation of international humanitarian action and of modern international humanitarian law. In 1863, Henry Dunant’s ideas, presented in his landmark book A memory of Solferino, were transformed into reality with the creation of the ICRC and the establishment of the first National Societies, followed in 1864 by the adoption of the First Geneva Convention. Today, his ideas remain pillars for the Movement, giving it strength and purpose.

This year we are celebrating 150 years of humanitarian action. Today the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network is the world's largest humanitarian network comprised of more than 13 million volunteers and assists more than 300 million people worldwide each year. Over the past decade, Red Cross Red Crescent volunteers and staff have supported more than 160 million people in emergency response, ranging from disaster to civil unrest. Together and building on each other's strengths, our 187 Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies, the IFRC and the ICRC mobilize the power of humanity – to help people prepare for, respond to and recover from crisis – now and well into the future.

On this day, let's remember our roots and spread Dunant's vision of the Red Cross' seven fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

Jean Henri Dunant (May 8, 1828 – October 30, 1910)

Ten Interesting Things You Didn't Know About Henri Dunant:

1. At the age of 19 Dunant founded the so-called "Thursday Association", a band of young men that met to study the Bible and help the poor.
2. He spent much of his free time engaged in prison visits and social work.
3. He was kicked out of college for bad grades.
4. In 1867 he was forced to declare bankruptcy after a scandal involving the financial firm he directed, Crédit Genevois. 
5. He was staunchly against slavery and his idol was Harriet Beecher Stowe. He got to meet her when she visited Geneva. 
6. Clara Barton and Florence Nightingale were his inspiration for establishing an organization concerned with the alleviation of human suffering. 
7. Gustave Moynier was among the original 5 that helped Dunant start the International Red Cross, but later in life he and Dunant became archenemies. 
8. He was from a family of devoted Calvinists, but later he spurned organized religion.
9. The first ever Nobel Peace Prize went to Henri Dunant in 1901 for his role in founding the International Red Cross movement and initiating the Geneva Convention. He never spent any of his 104,000 Swiss Francs prize money.
10. In his will, he donated funds to secure a "free bed" in the Heiden nursing home always to be available for a poor citizen of the region.

Restoring Family Links

This past Friday I had the privilege of meeting with Restoring Family Links (RFL) mentor, Mike Farrar. Mike is one of 14 RFL mentors in the nation and works out of the Long Beach Chapter. He heard from National Headquarters about the grant that the Central Valley Region received for World Refugee Day on June 20^th.  Being one of the only RFL caseworkers in the region, I was thrilled to have him come by and give me guidance on how to maximize the use of the grant money and how to get the Restoring Family Links program operating in our region.

Restoring Family Links is a program of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). It is a program designed to reunite family members separated internationally due to armed conflict, migration or disaster. The ICRC and the American Red Cross work together to locate people and put them back into contact with their relatives. The attached map shows what areas throughout the nation have active RFL programs.

In the Central Valley we have a large immigrant and refugee population, which we have yet to serve in this capacity and, in order to serve in this capacity, we need trained volunteers. Mike Farrar has generously volunteered his time to conduct a RFL Caseworker training at our Fresno office. If you, or anyone you know, is interested in participating in this training please contact Cayce Baierski: Cayce.Baierski@Redcross.org or 559-455-1000.

My First Fire Call...

Amy Mayer, Volunteer Coordinator, Kern Chapter

Being an employee of the Kern Chapter of the Red Cross for 6 months now, I am a bit ashamed to say it has taken me this long to go out on a fire response.  Alas, the call came at 6:30pm last night.  Although I was not happy about the fact there was a fire in someone’s home, I was quite excited to have the opportunity to go out with the team.  Two volunteers and I met at our office and loaded up the ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle).  I opted to sit in the back for the ultimate riding experience. 

The incident was in a not-so-great part of town that I was later told is actually one of the most dangerous.  As we pulled up to the scene, we were met with the image of a charred home.  The front windows were blown out and the inside consisted of piles of scorched belonging that were once a life for a family of three who now had nothing.

I finally was able to witness first-hand the impact the Red Cross can make.  We were able to provide the family with adult, child, and pet Comfort Kits (toothbrush, comb, shampoo, deodorant, etc.) as well as referrals to community centers in town for food, clothing, shoes, and other necessities.  We also provided them with a 2 night stay at a nearby hotel until they can hopefully find an alternate residence and get back on their feet.

As we left the scene a little over an hour later, knowing that our volunteers locally and throughout the country are in some way able to ease the heartache and dry the tears that come with losing one’s home is honestly the greatest feeling and makes me extremely proud to be a part of and support the extraordinary mission of the Red Cross.     

Big Hat Days

This weekend the American Red Cross' booth at Big Hat Days was a big hit! With the help of 50 fabulous volunteers, and sponsorship from Pacific Gas and Electric and State Farm, the Red Cross taught over 1,000 visitors how to build their own emergency kits, make emergency evacuation plans, create emergency kits for their pets and learn how to save a life by performing hands-only CPR.

Everyone we spoke to was incredibly eager to start preparing their own families and was excited about the free services that Red Cross offers. We were even able to schedule several preparedness presentations to schools and community organizations! 

A big shout out to all my wonderful volunteers who came out to help and my teammates, Alex and Sandra, for helping me make this event a success. Below are some fun pictures from our event. Enjoy!

Where I Love To Be

Ever since October, I have been interning at the Red Cross chapter office. Sure, it's not jam-packed with action and thrills and doesn't include showing up at the scene of disasters or saving the day, but I realized its more than just that. It's not about being the superhero, it's about being a part of the team.

Society always sees the people in the spotlight, outside saving the day. In movies, you see the superhero getting all the credit. In reality, you see the firefighters, the police officers, and the medical team rushing to save the day, but what about the people behind the scenes? What about the lady who answers the phone when you call 9-1-1 or the man who sends out the public broadcast message when a disaster is about to strike? Where is their medal of honor? Without these people behind the scenes, you wouldn't have anyone to save the day. They don't get all the credit they deserve, but trust me, they aren't forgotten.

I know it doesn't seem like it at times, but all the people who sit behind a desk and organize all the papers do contribute to the bigger picture. The gals handing out the flyers at booths about fire safety and preparedness are saving lives. The ones driving across the state to deliver presentations are making a difference in people's lives. The students knocking door to door inviting guests to events do impact the community. Without even realizing it, these small actions actually can change someone's life. Just by taking the time out of your day to volunteer at the Red Cross, you can save a life.

My experience at Red Cross has allowed me to mature and change my perspective on a lot of things. I was one of those people who never realized how much of an impact I was making. I thought, "Oh, they don't need me; I'm not important." But I was definitely wrong. In order for any organization to function, you need supporters and volunteers every step of the way. They are the backbone and skeleton of the organization. They are the ones who do the planning, the organizing, and the ones committing their time. They make up a team and every single one of them has that same motivation and drive to continue giving back. They are the real heroes saving the day. Together as a family.

Everyone who contributes their time to the American Red Cross is a hero in my eyes.

-Kelly Chu, Intern who sits behind a desk/Superhero in training