On Thursday, October 16, 2008, I donated a pint of much-needed blood to the American Red Cross at the Blood Drive held at our ADM Wellness Center. This was my 200th pint donation, or 25 gallons of blood. A donor can donate blood each 56 days (eight weeks). I have made a personal commitment to continue this donation process each 56 days and to inform others how necessary and virtually painless it is to become a blood donor.
Two personal tragedies in my own family have led me to my commitment. The first occurred when I was about ten years old. I watched as my father almost died from the loss of blood due to a bleeding ulcer in his stomach. During his life-saving surgery, 30 pints of blood were utilized during a 24 hour period.

More recently, my brother was the victim of a robbery attempt where he was shot at close range in his side. During life-saving surgery, doctors removed his kidney, spleen and part of his liver. The doctors utilized 25 pints of blood to stabilize him and save his life.
In both cases, neither my father, nor brother would have lived through the night without large quantities of donated blood being available at the time of their emergencies.

No amount of money can place this life-saving blood into blood banks and hospitals. Only donations from healthy individuals can accomplish this most vital act of kindness and responsibility to all our families. In a few minutes, you too can give the gift of life to another individual. In fact, the donation of a single pint of blood can actually help up to five separate patients depending upon the particular blood component that is necessary. Despite rumors, no one has ever contracted a disease from donating blood.

Please sign up and donate a pint of life-saving blood. This can be done at a scheduled blood drive at ADM or any Tuesday or Thursday at the American Red Cross in Decatur. The life you save could be a member of your family…….or even your own.

Please become a blood donor - become a life saver.

Dr. Alan Grusby
Senior Scientist
ADM - Research

by Fred Moore There were special things going on when the Dewitt County Disaster Action Team (DAT) responded to a house fire in Wapella in late February. For one, it was the first disaster call for the team's new van. On two previous disaster calls, the old van had failed to start and private vehicles were called into service. But this time, the new van started up immediately and whisked the team to help a family who had been displaced by the fire.
As the team arrived at the home, an unexpected obstacle arose: both parents of the affected family were hearing impaired.
DAT Team Co-Captain Deb Shull knew who to call. Her counterpart, Co-Captain Teresa Hall, is trained in
sign language. Hall grew up with a hearing impaired cousin, who was her inspiration to learn sign language. It had been a while since Hall had practiced her signing skills as she had not seen her cousin in some time, but it came back to her like riding a bike.
Hall quickly arrived at the fire scene to help.

“The parents were very upset about losing their home. But after I introduced myself, a look of relief crossed their faces. I knew we would be just fine.” - Teresa Hall

She communicated with the parents to find out what they had lost in the fire, passing their needs on to the rest of the DAT Team, who worked to take care of
the family’s needs. “The process took a bit longer than usual, but we were able to gather all the information we needed to provide services to the family”, said Hall.
The family received assistance to buy food and clothing, lodging at a nearby hotel for several nights and a referral to a local store, Mission Mart, to help the family obtain other items lost in the fire.
Shortly after the fire, Hall moved the parents to the Sheriff's Department at the request of officers, to help interpret during the fire investigation. Staying until 2 a.m., Hall interpreted for the local investigators, then took the tired parents to the hotel to make sure they were checked in and ready for a rest after a traumatic night.
Hall is a major asset to the Dewitt County DAT Team, but she could not have done it alone. After finishing their own paperwork, around midnight, Red Cross volunteers Lu and Cecil Dunlap
had earlier taken the family’s children to the hotel.
“The Dunlaps' kindness and compassion for this family was outstanding; we have such a great team
in DeWitt County”, said Hall.
“Our volunteers worked together closely and diligently to serve the special needs of this family”, said Hall, “the Wapella Fire Department, the Dewitt County Sheriff's Department and the Mid-Illinois Chapter’s Dewitt County Disaster Action Team all worked independently and collectively to address
this incident. It was public service and humanitarian concern at its best. I am so proud to be a Red Cross volunteer”.

Together, we can save a life. Actually one blood donation from you can save three lives. Your generous donations assure that people in need of blood receive the gift of life. All blood types are needed, particularly Type O. The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 21st at the First Baptist Church, 1000 W. N. Sixth Street, Shelbyville.

If you don’t know your blood type, find out by donating blood to the American Red Cross. After the drive is over, the Red Cross will send you a card with your name identifying your blood type.

This drive is sponsored by the Shelbyville Monical’s Pizza. The Red Cross would like to thank Monical’s Pizza for their support and their generous donations of hot pizza to all blood donors.

Summer creates a double-edged sword in the world of blood donation. Because of the pleasant temperatures, Memorial Day Weekend soon upon us, and children being out of school, many families are on the road and the lake more. This creates a greater risk for accidents and yet because of active summer schedules many donors do not take the time to donate as faithfully as they would in winter months. With more accidents and trauma in the summer and less donation, demand for blood supplies increases greatly.

Please help by being part of the solution. Join us this Thursday for our community blood drive so that we can insure the blood supply will remain stable.

February 18, 2009 The Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross has lost one of our most valuable staff members. "Kuchy", as she likes to be called, has taught lifesaving skills to thousands in the community, and will surely be missed as she pursues future endeavors in Texas.

Maureen Kuchy has touched thousands of lives in Macon, Dewitt, Moultrie, and Shelby Counties. While teaching life saving skills such as CPR and First Aid, Kuchy has helped spread the mission of the American Red Cross. Kuchy has taught more than 600 health and safety classes, given over 250 Red Cross and Health & Safety presentations to local companies and community groups reaching over 5,000 residents, and has certified more than 12,000 people (in CPR, First Aid and AED) during her eight years at the Mid-Illinois Chapter.
Kuchy’s passion for the Red Cross and dedication to its mission is unmatched. Her enthusiasm and dedication to the community will surely be missed.



“Maureen has been a true asset to the Health and Safety Department over the past eight years and has taught so many people how to save a life. I will miss her as my right hand and wish her well in her future endeavors,” said Jennifer Hendricks Director of Health and Safety at the Mid-Illinois Chapter.

Taking over Kuchy's duties is new staff member Christy Quintenz. Christy is a Decatur native and former sales manager for the Illinois Chiropractic Society in Springfield. She has also worked at WAND-TV and the Decatur Herald and Review. Because a major responsibilities of her new job is to assist and train local businesses in CPR, her business experience and passion for training made her a perfect fit here at the Red Cross.



"Christy makes such a great addition to our team. She is such a passionate and hard-working person. We are lucky to have her on staff", Said Jennifer Hendricks, Director of Health and Safety at the Mid-Illinois Chapter. Christy is certified as a Red Cross Instructor Trainer.



"I have a passion for the work that the Red Cross does", Quintenz said. "I am blessed to be able to work for such an organization that, first and foremost, helps people, no matter who they are."

Quintenz and her husband Doug live in Decatur and have two children and a granddaughter.

Flu Could Spread Fast and Kill Thousands
By Glenda Plunkett
Get the lastest flu update.

There is a truism in our industry that disaster services never rest. First a disaster team prepares for disaster while helping individuals and families in the community get prepared. Following this preparedness, the disaster strikes, tflu-pandemic-simulation.jpghe team responds and emergency relief ensues.
After the disaster and relief efforts have come to an end, preparation for the next disaster begins, only reinforcing the fact that disaster services is a never-ending cycle.
The Mid Illinois Chapter is all too familiar with this cycle. In October at Eagle Creek Lodge, the Red Cross joined other local emergency management agencies at an all day table-top drill where emergency response plans were made, should pandemic flu ever infest the local community.
Pandemic influenza by definition is a global or widespread viral outbreak that spreads easily from human to human and can cause serious illness or death. Three major outbreaks swept the world in the 20th Century causing concern among emergency responders.
Authorities estimate that a “medium-level” epidemic
in the U.S. could cause as many as 200,000 deaths
and 700,000 hospitalizations.
Lynn Reagan, Emergency Response Coordinator for the Illinois Department of Public Health said, “The overall purpose of such an exercise is to really improve the health of our communities and provide a benefit to them by getting our counties in various regions together to work on their influenza plans and identify gaps in service. Then we can fix those gaps and share resources to solve issues before we deal with this problem.”
With these planning sessions, emergency medical service agencies, the American Red Cross, public
health officials and police and fire departments, can form a unified plan to avoid duplicating services and delegate responsibility among organizations.
An old adage says, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” All who attended the table-top drill that day agreed that together they identified and resolved response gaps, gained a greater awareness of issues surrounding pandemic flu and made the county safer and better prepared for a pandemic flu outbreak.

Red Cross Teams Up with Prairieland A.B.A.T.E., Miller Lite, WEJT and Coziahr Harley Davidson for a Fundraiser

Calling all motorcycle enthusiasts and Red Cross supporters! Join the Red Cross this Friday, May 22, for a hot dog and a cold drink at the Shelby-Moultrie Mid-Illinois Chapter Red Cross Office at 1403 W. Main Street in Shelbyville.

On Friday the Red Cross is showcasing a 2009 XL 883C Sportster Custom Harley Davidson retailing at $9,000. Take this opportunity to purchase a raffle ticket for a chance to win this beautiful bike. Raffle tickets are $20 each or 3 for $50.00.

While there, you can also sign up for the second annual Ride for the Red poker run, which will be held on June 6th. Enjoy two fun events for one ticket price. For $15.00 you will become part of the Ride for the Red poker run and will also be admitted to the Rally in the Valley weekend festival hosted by Prairieland A.B.A.T.E. for the day.

For many years, the Mid-Illinois Chapter has hosted our free community blood pressure screenings at Hickory Point Mall in Forsyth. Recent developments required the Chapter us to move these services to a new location.
The new locations for blood pressure screenings, offered free of charge to community members, are at Johns Hill Senior Center every other Monday from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and the Macon County Senior Center every other Thursday from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The Mid-Illinois Chapter has offered free blood pressure screenings to the community for more than ten years and is excited to partner with the local Seniors Centers to continue this important service, free of charge to the community.

BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING DETAILS
John's Hill Senior Center
601 S Jasper Street Decatur, IL 62521
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Each Monday

Decatur Macon County Senior Center
1430 N 22nd Street Decatur, IL 62526
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Each Thursday

If you would like more information about blood pressure screenings or the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross and its
services, please call or visit 217.428.7758 | 2674 N. Main Street Decatur, IL 62526.

Fido is just another member of the family; so register today to learn valuable lifesaving skills that might one day save his life. The Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross and Northgate Pet Clinic is hosting a Pet First Aid & CPR class that will teach pet owners on how to care for their pet when faced with a life threatening emergency.

cute_dog.jpeg

Veterinarian Dr. Larry Baker of the Northgate Pet Clinic will teach pet owners how to care for their pet(s) when faced with breathing emergencies, poisoning, cardiac arrest, life-threatening bleeding and other injuries. The class will be hosted at the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross at 2674 North Main in Decatur on Saturday, July 11 2009 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. The deadline to register is Wednesday, July 8, 2009. Advance registration is required. There is a $25 per person fee to attend the class. Call 217-428-7758 to register today.

If you would like more information on this class or others being offered, please contact the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross at 217-428-7758, stop by at 2674 N. Main St. Decatur, IL 62526.

There has been a change in American Red Cross policy on how to survive in a tornado.

The specific change pertains to what you should do if caught outdoors, or in a mobile (manufactured) home, or in a car without access to sturdy shelter during a tornado. Previously the American Red Cross adhered to the National Weather Service's recommendation that people should lie flat in a ditch or low-lying area.

However, after careful consideration, the Advisory Council for First Aid, Aquatics, Safety and Preparedness (ACFASP), an independent panel of health and safety experts that advise the Red Cross, found no scientific evidence to support this long-held tenant. Therefore, our revised American Red Cross recommendation is as follows:

If you are caught outdoors, seek shelter in a basement, tornado shelter or sturdy building. If you cannot get to shelter, a recent study* suggests doing the following:

*

Get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt, and try to drive at right angles to the storm movement and out of the path of the tornado.
*

If strong winds and flying debris occur while you are driving, pull over and park, keeping seat belts on and the engine running. Crouch down below the windows, covering your head with your hands and a blanket if possible.

If you are unable to get to a building or vehicle, as a last resort, lie in a ditch or depression and cover your head with your hands.



* Schmidlin T., et al, 2002: Unsafe at any (wind) speed? American Meteorological Society, 1821-30 .



This change is consistent with the findings of numerous scientific inquiries and is reflected in the tornado preparedness check list.

The Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross hosted a Disaster Preparedness Tour on April 4th. In the spirit of Red Cross month, volunteers from the Mid-Illinois Chapter took their knowledge outdoors and into local parks. The Disaster Preparedness Tour was designed to reach younger children in various smaller towns in the Mid-Illinois Chapter’s jurisdiction which encompasses Macon, Moultrie, DeWitt and Shelby Counties. Volunteers distributed handouts to children in the parks, teaching emergency preparedness topics, such as what to do in tornadoes and flooding. Experienced volunteers on the tour have seen and served in disasters of every kind, from tornados to floods to hurricanes and house fires.
Children took tours of the Red Cross’ Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) and the First Aid Response Vehicle (FARV). Volunteers opened a Shelter Response Trailer (below) to show the cots stored inside

"Our volunteers especially enjoy meeting the people they serve during calmer times when a disaster is not in progress. We hope the children enjoyed talking to the same volunteers who will answer the call when their families need help in a disaster", said John Weibull, Director of Emergency Services for the Mid-Illinois Chapter.

The tour visited Farmer City, Weldon, Moweaqua, Bethany, Sullllivan and Lovington covering more than 200 miles.

The First Annual Heartland Heroes Awards Dinner
by Alex Reed
People flooded the dimly lit room with anticipation on their faces. Some came to enjoy the entertainment and keynote speaker while others came because a friend or family member was being honored for their courage. A select few wore a modest smile, eager to accept their award but nervous to be in the spotlight, while others came straight from work and were eager to unwind after a long day and enjoy a complimentary drink chilled to perfection from the Ketel One ice sculpture. Regardless of the reason, on Wednesday March 25th, 2009 more than 300 people filled the Decatur Conference Center for the first annual Heartland Heroes Event. How it looked.
Despite their expectations for the first-year event, each guest left feeling a little more inspired than before. The evening was heartfelt, honoring local ordinary citizens who have done extraordinary things.
Among the great food, complimentary cocktails, and an inspiring speech from decatur native and former University
of Illinois All-Big-10 linebacker Brit Miller reflecting on what a hero means to him, the presentation of the awards was a moment that seemed to touch the crowd most of all. After each winner’s bravery and heroism was highlighted by one of the
event’s media sponsors, guests watched each heroic story captured on video by WAND and applauded the winners as they
accepted their award.
The awards included the Valor award, presented to the Shelby County Dive Team for rescuing a woman trapped in her pickup by swiftly moving flood waters; the Everyday Hero Award given to teacher Nick Niemerg for using his CPR training to save the life of a kindergartner choking on a hot dog; the Citizenship Award given to George Gagnon for his years of service volunteering with multiple organizations, and the Young Courage Award given to high school juniors Lucas Nale and Brian
Blankenship for saving a drowning man in the Gulf of Mexico.
The evening was both heartwarming and inspiring. "I want to thank you for your service, your courage and your dedication to make our community a better and safer place to live," Director of the Mid-Illinois Chapter Dennis Eller said to the award winners. "You have all demonstrated the highest and best instincts that we human beings possess."


Director of Public Support Jody Cox could not have been happier with the night.

“Every day we are bombarded with news about war and crime and it becomes tiring,” Cox said. "It is important to have events like the Heartland Heroes where we can celebrate the good in our community.” Cox emphasized her appreciation towards all those who helped make Heartland Heroes possible.

“It is uplifting to see people and organizations take an interest in their community and acknowledge the importance of everyday heroes. Without the help of those who attended the event and the generous businesses who sponsored it, the night would not have been possible.”
If you are interested in helping sponsor the second annual Heartland Heroes or nominating a deserving individual for an award please visit midillinoisredcross.org or call 217.428.7758.

Teamwork the Key at Wapella Fire


by Fred Moore

There were special things going on when the Dewitt County Disaster Team responded to a house fire in Wapella in late February. For one, it was the first disaster call for the team's new van. On two previous disaster calls, the old van had failed to start and private vehicles were called into service. But this time the new van fired right up, whisking the team to help a family in need whose home had just burned.
But as the team arrived at the home, a new problem arose: both parents of the family which had lived in the home were deaf.
Team Co-Captain Deb Shull knew who to call. Her counterpart, Co-Captain Teresa Hall, is trained in sign language. Hall grew up with a deaf cousin living with her family; this was part of her inspiration to learn signing, but it had been a while since Hall had used her signing skills – she had not seen her cousin in some time.
Hall arrived at the fire scene to help.

“The parents were very upset about losing their home. But after I introduced myself, a look of relief crossed their faces. I knew we would get along just fine.” - Teresa Hall

She communicated with the parents to find out what they what they had lost in the fire, passing their needs on to the rest of the Disaster Team, who worked to take care of the family.
“The process took a bit longer than usual, but we were able to gather all the information we needed to provide services to the family”, said Hall.
The family received a credit card to buy food and clothing, was given lodging at a nearby hotel and a referral to local store Mission Mart for other needs.
Shortly after the fire, Hall moved the parents to the Sheriff's Department at the request of officers, to help interpret during the fire investigation. Staying until 2 a.m., Hall interpreted for the local investigators, then took the tired parents to the hotel to make sure they were checked in and ready for a rest after a traumatic night.
After their own paperwork was finished, it was nearly midnight, so Volunteers Lu and Cecil Dunlap took the children to the hotel.
“The Dunlaps' kindness and compassion for this family was outstanding”, said Hall.
It was new team member Pam Ellsworth's first disaster call. “She did an excellent job”, said Hall. “She definitely got to see a lot of skills in action.”
“Our volunteers worked together closely and diligently to serve the special needs of this family”, said Hall, “the Wapella Fire Department, the Dewitt County Sheriff's Department and the Red Cross Mid-Illinois Dewitt County Disaster Action Team all worked independently and collectively to address this incident. It was public service and humanitarian concern at its best. I am proud to be a volunteer”.

The Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross depends upon private donations to continue this humanitarian work. Please help us if you can.

New Vehicle Brings Reliability When Disaster Strikes
by Jody Cox
The Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross purchased a new vehicle for its DeWitt County Disaster Action Team (DAT) to replace the team’s older cargo van.
The van will replace an older cargo van whose reliability was always questionable when the DAT team responded to disaster calls.

“Right before Christmas there was a big fire in Kenny. We got the call and our team started to respond but the van would not start,” DeWitt County DAT Captain Teresa Hall said. “We were forced to use our personal vehicles to respond to the disaster.”

Two days later, the team received another disaster call and was once again faced with the same predicament; the van would not start. The team realized that it was time to say goodbye to the Red Cross cargo van that has served during hundreds of disasters.

The DeWitt County Disaster Team felt strongly that purchasing a van locally was an important way to support their community.
“We found that all the local dealerships were very supportive and gave us the best deal possible. That meant a lot to us because it showed how important our presence in the community is to them,” Hall said.
Steve Wilson from Wilson Chrysler-Jeep offered the best value and went above and beyond his normal duties to help the team with their vehicle needs. Another local supporter, Rick Sullivan of Kathy’s Collision Center, donated their services to remove the signage from the old cargo van, helping the team prepare it to be sold. The Mid-Illinois Chapter thanks Wilson Chrysler–Jeep and Kathy’s Collision Center for their generosity and support.

The purchase of the van not only gave the team a reliable means of transportation, but also something that they could be proud of.
“Our service is always the same, but being able to reach a family as quickly as possible when disaster strikes is something we’re all proud of,” DeWitt County DAT Captain Deb Shull said.
The DAT team was able to use their new means of transportation immediately after the purchase responding to a house fire in Wapella… and it started right up!

Volunteers and Board Members Recognized for Outstanding Service to the American Red Cross
The Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Mid-America Blood Services Division hosted the Chapter’s annual meeting and co-volunteer celebration dinner June 17, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at the Beach House at 2301 E Lake Shore Dr. in Decatur.

Along with the evening’s keynote speaker, State Representative Bob Flider, the Mid-Illinois Chapter and the Mid-America Blood Services Division recognized and awarded volunteers, donors and board members for their outstanding service. The Mid-Illinois Chapter presented four Volunteer of the Year Awards and awarded fourteen volunteers with Leadership Awards.

Volunteers of the Year – Mid-Illinois Chapter:
Dick Dubs – Macon County
Bil Reedy – Moultrie County
Ted & Dorothy Jarrett – Shelby County
J.D. McRoy – DeWitt County

Leadership Awards – Mid-Illinois Chapter:
Beverly Beck | Joan & Ron Brunner | Don Davis | Teresa Hall | Caroline Hobson | Phil Hunolt | Nichole McDonald
Fred Moore | Debbie Shull | Marilyn Stevens | Betsy Tille | Darla Weltmer | Richard Wessel

Additionally, the Mid-Illinois Chapter welcomed Julie Shafer, Beth Evans and Ana Nape, to its Board of Directors and said farewell to two dedicated members, Phil Anello and Lauren Donofrio, who stepped down from the Mid-Illinois Chapter’s Board of Directors.

Red Cross staff and volunteers are delighted to welcome these new Board Members to the Mid-Illinois Chapter’s Board of Directors:
Julie Shafer, Vice President, Flora Gems
Beth Evans, Director of Student Programs, Millikin University
Ana Nape, DeWitt Piatt Bi-County Health Department

Red Cross staff and volunteers would like to thank the following Board Members for their dedication and service as they step down from the Mid-Illinois Chapter’s Board of Directors:
Lauren Donofrio, Physician Recruiter, St. Mary’s Hospital
Phil Anello, former Macon County EMA Coordinator


For more information on this event or Red Cross services, please contact 217.428.7758.

An unoccupied church, located at 5326 East North Fork Road in Decatur, caught fire early this morning. While area firefighters responded to put out the blaze, volunteers from the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross responded with mass canteen services.

Fortunately, the church was unoccupied and no one was harmed. Area firefighters responded to the fire and called the Mid-Illinois Chapter to provide mass canteen services to the first responders. Red Cross volunteers responded with water, hot coffee and doughnuts to keep the first responders hydrated and nourished while they worked to put out the fire.

“When there is a fire or other disaster, first responders many times work through the night and/or for long hours at a time. They need to be cared for and the Red Cross is always ready to respond to that need,” remarked John Weibull, Emergency Services Director for the Mid-Illinois Chapter.

If you would like more information about Red Cross services or would like to donate to the Mid-Illinois Chapter, please contact 217-428-7758, stop by at 2674 N. Main St. Decatur, IL 62526.

Gerrick Smith, 19, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry, died as a result of a non-combat related injury in Afghanistan.

Citizens and American flags lined the streets as Smith was escorted home on August 5th to Sullivan, IL where he was later laid to rest in the Moultrie County Memorial Park Cemetery for veterans on Rt. 121 near Bethany.

Smith was attended by family members, Patriot Guard Riders, local EMT departments, fire departments from Mt. Zion, Bethany, Sullivan, Lovington, Dalton City, Mattoon, Pana, the Military Honor Guard, police from Moultrie, Douglas and Shelby County Sheriff’s offices, Sullivan Police Department, and Illinois State Police; as well as others paying tribute to Smith.

Wanting to do more than just escort the soldier home, volunteer Bil Reedy hatched a plan to feed the entourage who escorted Smith as soon as they arrived in Sullivan. Reedy quickly put together a menu and called upon local merchants and vendors for their support.

All who were asked heeded the call. A full menu with many options, including a variety of fruit pies for dessert, soon filled the menu bill.

The Red Cross thanks the following businesses for their contributions, without which this event would not have been a success: Jerry’s IGA; the Sullivan American Legion Post #68; Dollar General; McDonalds; Pizza Hut; Monical’s Pizza; O’Malley’s Restaurant; the Coffee Bean; the Sullivan Park District; the Faith Lutheran Church; and Bob & Julie McClain.

Twelve Red Cross volunteers fed approximately 150 of those who guided Smith home. The Red Cross also provided a counselor on the scene for those who needed a shoulder.

“Gerrick Smith is a hero whose sacrifice shall not be forgotten. Feeding the honor procession was an excellent suggestion from Bil. He did a masterful job laying out the operation and I am proud that we were able to be a part of it.” stated Dennis Eller, Executive Director of the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross.

An apartment caught fire Monday evening displacing a female resident. Volunteers from the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross responded with emergency aid to help the woman get back on their feet.

On Monday, June 22, an apartment at 305 N. Jackson in Clinton caught fire. A female resident affected by the fire was displaced and needed alternate shelter. The fire department called the Mid-Illinois Chapter around 8:00 p.m. to respond. DeWitt County volunteers from the Mid-Illinois Chapter responded and provided the resident with lodging at a local hotel for two nights as well as basic hygiene and toiletry items.

The Red Cross provides assistance to meet immediate, disaster-caused needs.



“When disaster strikes, victims need help as soon as possible,” remarked John Weibull, Emergency Services Director for the Mid-Illinois Chapter. “Within one hour, our volunteers can respond to help families affected by disaster answer their immediate concerns of what to do next.”

If you would like more information about Red Cross services or want to donate to the Mid-Illinois Chapter, please contact 217-428-7758 or stop by at 2674 N. Main St. Decatur, IL 62526.

2009-07-13:
Red Cross Responds with Emergency Assistance
A home caught fire Sunday evening displacing a couple and their child along with three out of town relatives who were visiting the couple. Volunteers from the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross responded with emergency aid to help the family get back on their feet.

Around 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 12, a home located at 2275 East Hickory in Decatur where a family of three resides caught fire. The family had smelled smoke earlier in the evening and after the smell grew stronger they went outside to discover smoke bellowing from their roof. They called the fire department and close behind were volunteers from the Mid-Illinois Chapter who were called to provide aid to the family. The three out of town cousins that were staying with the family were also displaced. The Red Cross was able to offer the family some relief by providing them with lodging (two rooms) at a local hotel for three nights as well as assistance for food, clothing and basic hygiene and toiletry items.

The Red Cross provides assistance to meet immediate disaster-caused needs. “When disaster strikes, victims need help as soon as possible,” remarked John Weibull, Emergency Services Director for the Mid-Illinois Chapter. “Within one hour, our volunteers can respond and help families affected by disaster answer their immediate concerns of what to do next.”

If you would like more information about Red Cross services or would like to donate to the Mid-Illinois Chapter, please contact 217-428-7758, stop by at 2674 N. Main St. Decatur, IL 62526.

2009-07-21:

Red Cross Responds with Emergency Assistance
July 21, 2009 Decatur, IL – A home caught fire this afternoon displacing a couple and their five children. Volunteers from the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross responded with emergency aid to help the family get back on their feet.



Smelled Smoke

Around 3:00 p.m., volunteers from the Mid-Illinois Chapter were called to provide emergency assistance to a family displaced from their home due to fire. Located at 889 West Grand in Decatur, the residence is home to two adults and five children (ages 3-16). The family had smelled smoke, but could not locate the cause; after they saw smoke filling the downstairs room where the family was residing, they were forced to flee. They called the fire department and close behind were volunteers from the Mid-Illinois Chapter who were called to provide aid to the family. The Red Cross provided the family with relief in the form of lodging (two rooms) at a local hotel for three nights as well as assistance for food, shoes, clothing and basic hygiene and toiletry items along with teddy bears for the children.
The Red Cross provides assistance to meet immediate disaster-caused needs.



“When disaster strikes, victims need help as soon as possible,” remarked John Weibull, Emergency Services Director for the Mid-Illinois Chapter. “Within one hour, our volunteers can respond and help families affected by disaster answer their immediate concerns of what to do next.”

If you would like more information about Red Cross services or would like to donate to the Mid-Illinois Chapter, please contact 217-428-7758, stop by at 2674 N. Main St. Decatur, IL 62526.

2009-07-28:
In preparation for their Emergency Preparedness badge, the members of Girl Scout Troop 3087 partnered with local Dollar Tree stores to host a flip flop donation drive where flip flops were collected for the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross.

The Mid-Illinois Chapter responds to dozens of local house fires every year. Many fires occur in the middle of the night and most often families lose everything from their toothbrush to their prized family possessions. The Red Cross responds to these families’ needs with emergency assistance for food, clothing and shelter to help get the family back on its feet. However, Red Cross volunteers have seen a need for immediate temporary shoes for families and individuals who are forced to leave the house before they are able to grab a pair of shoes and, especially in extreme weather conditions, shoes are necessary to protect the feet.

The Girl Scouts of Troop 3087 have responded to this need. In preparation for their Emergency Preparedness badge, the troop held a flip flop donation drive at the Dollar Tree locations in Decatur and Forsyth from June 15 to July 7. The Girl Scouts made signs to encourage shoppers to participate in the drive. On July 8, the Troop presented the Chapter with 457 flip flops. The drive was such a success that each store ran out of flip flops; the Troop continued to collect teddy bears (45) and slippers (18) to be given to local families affected by disaster. The items will be distributed among the counties in which the Mid-Illinois Chapter serves: Macon, DeWitt, Shelby and Moultrie.

The Mid-Illinois Chapter was thrilled to see these girls get excited about emergency preparedness and helping others and would like to extend their gratitude to the Girl Scouts and Troop leaders of Troop 3087 and both Dollar Tree stores in Decatur and Forsyth. Thank you for helping us help your community.

If you would like more information on this event or Red Cross services, please contact the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross at 217-428-7758, stop by at 2674 N. Main St. Decatur, IL 62526.

2009-08-05:

Calling all bike enthusiasts and Red Cross supporters! The date has been set for the 3rd Annual Ride for the Red poker run held in conjunction with the Prairieland A.B.A.T.E. Chapter’s 10th Annual Rally in the Valley.

Ride_logo.jpg On Saturday, June 5 hundreds of motorcycle enthusiasts will depart from Coziahr Harley Davidson/Buell in Forsyth picking up a poker card at several stops along the way. The ride will end at the 10th Annual Rally in the Valley where riders will enjoy live entertainment, specialty vendors, food and refreshments and camping.

So save the date and join Classic Hits WEJT 105.1, Coziahr Harley Davidson, the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross and Prairieland A.B.A.T.E. for the 3rd annual Ride for the Red!

For more information on the Ride for the Red call 217.428.7758.

Be sure to check back for more updates on the 3rd Annual Ride for the Red!

2009-08-17:

With a new, six-bay garage recently finished, the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the Red Cross needed more organized storage space inside. Around the same time, Boy Scout Christian Rau was looking for a project to complete his requirements to become an Eagle Scout. So Christian enlisted the help of six fellow Scouts from Decatur's Troop 202. Christian, as required by scout rules, drew up the plans and the list of materials for a set of built-in shelves. Some materials were donated by Sims Lumber. The crew set to work on the project on May 9. Six hours later, the sturdy plywood shelves, with 2 X 4 supports, were complete, and the Red Cross had new, easy-to-access storage for cots, blankets and other shelter supplies sorely needed during a disaster.

Veteran Red Cross volunteer Don Davis was there during construction of the shelves. "This is a good bunch of kids", he said, "and they are hard workers, too."

To earn the rank of Eagle, Christian not only had to draw up plans and lists, but was required to supervise the entire construction crew, including Scoutmaster Jeff Burnhamm and Christian's Dad, Brad Rau.

“A project like this”, said Burnhamm, “builds a young man's planning and communication skills. These are critical to becoming a good leader”.

Scout Troop 202 built shelves for the Red Cross chapter about five years ago, just after the move into the Inez Andreas Center at 2764 North Main Street.

The shelves were finished just before Christian's 18th birthday, as scout rules require for Eagle rank qualification. The project was a success and the troop is now waiting for approval from scout headquarters of his application for promotion to the rank of Eagle.

2009-09-14:

The very first "Cruise 11" Event happened Friday, September 11. Organized by Ayn Owens, and hosted by State Representative Bob Flider, D-Mount Zion, it benefited The WW II Memorial Fund, Operation Enduring Support and Operation Santa. I was proud to be asked to be a vehicle judge at the car show and motorcycle show.

See the pictures.

I arrived at Nelson Park, near the Beach House, around 2 p.m. with vehicle judging to begin around 6 p.m. I had a late lunch with local vendor, ZB's Hotdogs, then dinner later at Vinnie's BarBQ. The food was good and plentiful. The rest of the time I mingled with the crowd, looking over the vehicles (some of which are pictured) and watching the bands set up. The entertainment was comprised of two bands, Canadian Customs and The Hitmen.

The Macon County Honor Guard staged a moving memorial ceremony. Featured speaker, Dave Zien, who lives in Wisconsin, fired up the crowd and aroused the "patriotic bones" in all of us with his inspiring speech.

Amy Patient, A Red Cross Volunteer in New York after 9-11, also reminded us, in her remarks, how quickly things can change, and that we must maintain vigilance.

An eleven mile cruise of classic cars and motorcycles, wound from Nelson Park, down Eldorado Street to Fairview Park, and back.

Earlier, when the crowd started to arrive, more and more vehicles did too. I soon realized, after seeing all the beautiful cars, trucks and motorcycles, that this "judge" job I had willingly accepted, was no “piece of cake”. We did finally manage to pick a few winners, but in my book, everyone who entered a vehicle deserved a trophy for supporting this wonderful cause.

I was personally touched by the response to this event: I lost 175 former colleagues in the Trade Center attacks.

Cruise organizer Ayn Owen was pleased: “Our premiere cruise went very well. We thank everyone who came and we hope to make it an annual tribute to all of our heroes”.

I pray that it will be.


Phil Hunolt

Mid-Illinois Chapter Volunteer

2009-09-15:

The Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross announced that Amber Kauffman of Lovington, Illinois, has joined the organization as Financial Development Director.

With experience in public relations and fundraising, Kauffman brings a history of revenue-generating campaigns for non-profit organizations to her work, where her primary responsibility will be to ensure the Red Cross is promoted and funded with consistency, imagination and efficiency.

“A passion for the non-profit industry is something that has come naturally for me as an observer of needs in the communities around me,” said Kauffman. “I hope to contribute an innovative perspective to the Red Cross and offer my experience to continue the organization’s tradition of excellence.”

Prior to joining the Red Cross, Kauffman worked as the director of the Illinois Amish Interpretive Center, an Amish museum and tour company in Arcola, Illinois.

Kauffman holds a B.S. in Speech Communication with an emphasis in public relations from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

2009-10-08:

The Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross is offering cardiopulmonary resuscitation/automated external defibrillator (CPR/AED) training for professional rescuers on November 5, 2009 from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at the chapter office. This training offers two-year certification to healthcare providers.

“Healthcare providers are often the first people to respond to a life-threatening emergency on the job, so it is critical that they have the skills necessary to save a life,” said Jennifer Hendricks, health and safety director for the Mid-Illinois Chapter.