Author: American Red Cross California Gold Country Region

The California Gold Country Region serves a twenty-six county territory including Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba counties

Disaster Response Lodging: How One Red Cross Volunteer Spent His Summer

By Mimi Teller, Volunteer

American Red Cross volunteer Peter Lancellotti juggled a jam-packed schedule this summer.  Between June and August, he worked remotely on five separate Red Cross disaster responses, with no immediate plans to stop.

Peter LancelottiPeter joined the Red Cross after retiring from a career as a human resources consultant and a CEO. Originally from the East Coast, Peter moved west to be closer to his family and to eventually became part of the Southern California Region family.

As a member of the National Virtual Lodging Team, Peter works one of the more difficult assignments of a disaster response. Working closely with Red Cross partner CLC Lodging, Peter manages all lodging requests and matters related to housing for both Red Cross workers and those we serve. Due to the COVID-19 environment, the preference for non-congregate housing options has placed a tremendous demand on the lodging team’s expertise and workload.

“Working virtually is not as easy as people might think,” Peter reflected. “Even though I can do chores around the house and go grocery shopping, I am on the phone 14 hours a day.”

Peter’s whirlwind schedule began early in the summer.  In June, Peter came on board to arrange lodging for the Red Cross response to the Minneapolis St. Paul civil unrest. Shortly after, Peter’s efforts turned to support the wildfires in Arizona and New Mexico. A month later, Hawaii’s Hurricane Douglas displaced local residents and sent Red Crossers to the islands, all in need of lodging. Come August, Peter donned the manager hat for the Apple Fire Temporary Evacuation Points, before resuming his lodging duties for the Northern California wildfires.

“It’s emotionally trying when you hear people’s circumstances,” Peter said. “When I hear of people sleeping in their cars, I am determined to secure them a room.”

When asked if he plans to skip the next possible disaster to take a little time off, Peter was hesitant about his answer.  He acknowledges that the Lodging Team is a small cadre of specialists. However, with the possibility of more wildfires and hurricanes on the horizon, Peter says he plans to take time off and recharge before accepting his next virtual assignment.

The American Red Cross remains committed to providing shelter, food and emotional support to victims of disasters. If you are in need of shelter or would like to learn more, call 1-800 RED-CROSS or visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org.

Registration Open for Drive Fore Disaster Relief Golf Tournament Benefiting the American Red Cross

Once again our partners at Rancho Murieta Country Club are hosting Drive Fore Disaster Relief, a golf tournament to benefit the American Red Cross!

Funds collected will benefit local Red Cross disaster relief and preparedness efforts.

There is still time to register so contact RMCC at the number or email addresses below. Hope to see you there!

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Wildfire Evacuee Thanks Red Cross Volunteers: ‘U Have No Idea’

By Stephanie Gaito, Volunteer

On Monday night, August 17, Margaret Grant received an after-hours call from her insurance agent. Evacuation warnings had been issued for the North Complex fires near Susanville, but she was waiting for more information.

Once the phone rang, Grant knew the call from her agent must be urgent, and she was correct. The agent urged her to immediately evacuate the home she shared with her fiancé and parents. Their property was in danger as the fire rapidly headed in their direction.

Grant and her fiancé, Rick Duckworth, moved six years ago to rural Susanville from Southern California to help her parents care for their family home and surrounding property. That Monday when they were evacuated, her family’s safety was the main concern. As each family member headed to a safe destination, her worries were put to rest.

“As long as my parents are safe with my brothers, Rick and I would have slept in our car and done whatever we needed to do,” Grant said.

Grant and Duckworth used their own resources to cover the expense of staying two nights at the Diamond Mountain Casino in Susanville. They didn’t want to bother anyone or use resources for others in need.

“At that point, it has been over two days, and we had pretty much run out of funds” she explained. “We didn’t know what we were going to do. Later that day, a lady called and asked if we had eaten, and at that point we hadn’t,” she explained through tears. “She called and took care of our food and she has called and checked on us every single day since.”

The woman who called Grant was a Red Cross volunteer, and she Textmade sure to take care of the family’s needs. The Red Cross assisted by covering additional nights at the hotel and by providing meal tickets and vouchers to Grant and her fiancé so their stay was as safe and hassle free as possible.

Grant and her family had made considerable efforts to protect their home from wildfire, including maintenance of defensible space and adding fire suppression tanks to the property. When asked if there was anything she would recommend to those looking to protect their homes, maintaining well equipment was high on her list. She said to make sure all equipment has been serviced and maintained to ensure sufficient water pressure, as this could save your home.

“I’m just grateful for the firefighters up here. Between the Red Cross and the firefighters, we would have lost our house if it wasn’t for them.”

If you would like to support Red Cross disaster relief efforts, visit redcross.org.

How the Lebanese Red Cross is Helping Those in Need

A massive blast struck Tuesday at a port in Lebanon’s capital of Beirut. The impact was intense, rippling through several areas of the capital and could be heard 149 miles away on the island of Cyprus.

According to the Lebanese Red Cross, the reported loss of life is more than 100 people and 4,000 injured. Currently, search and rescue teams are still digging through rubble looking for missing persons.

Read more here.

Reflections on Volunteering with Amador County’s Interfaith Food Bank

the gang FB 2020The American Red Cross California Gold Country Region is helping to fill vacancies in the volunteer workforce at the Sacramento Food Bank and the Interfaith Food Bank in Amador County.

Both endeavors have added up to many hours of volunteering, many thousands of pounds of distributed food and a lot of pride in serving these communities.

Below is a note from Disaster Program Manager Debbie Calcote on what the experience has meant to her:

When the sheltering in place order was set, I was already working in the local Emergency Operations Center. My role was to help make sure that our food banks were able to maintain a supply of food for the communities.

Adel Welty and I worked with local churches to find all the places that had small food pantries, and we have maintained open communication with them throughout.

But working with other agencies to make sure food got out was way different than working the food bank.

When I was first reaching out to volunteers and friends to help there, I heard a lot of different excuses.

Here are some of the responses:

  • “It’s too far to drive.”
  • “Why would I want to stand all day and sort fruit and vegetables?”
  • “Can’t they (the food bank) just put stuff in a bag and hand it to them? Do we really have to bring it out to them?”
  • “ I really have to clean my house and go grocery shopping.”

These were just a few examples of what I heard. When my Operations Coordinator Carolyn Stinemates advised that there was a real need for more support there, I decided it was my duty to step in and help.

Well, I received an eye opening, and a heart filled with sadness, joy,  and much gratitude for having this opportunity to be there and to help our communities.

The first day, I was sorting good vegetables and fruit in the morning. Then the bank opened for people to come park in front.

We take their order and note the number of family members. We run that back inside to the warehouse where there are other people bagging and boxing just about everything (including some sweet treats, which everyone needs now and then).

Then someone brings the cart out to us to deliver to the car.

My first car was a piece of cake. It went smoothly. They said thank you and I told them to have a nice day.

My second car was an elderly woman in her late 80s to early 90s picking up for herself and a neighbor. I loaded a couple small boxes into her trunk and walked away waiting for them to bring out her shopping cart of groceries.

I just got back inside when I heard someone ask for some assistance. I walked to the door and there by her car was my little lady. She needed help closing her trunk.

When I asked why she wanted it closed her response was, “I can’t drive down the road with it open, dear.”

I smiled and told her the rest of the groceries would be out shortly. Her eyes got big and she said, “There is more?”

I smiled and said yes, there is more.

Shortly thereafter her cart came for me to load into her car. She stood there looking at me with bewildered eyes. “Who does all that belong to?” she asked.

When I told her it was hers and her neighbors, she started to cry. She was so grateful.

But best of all, she and her neighbor had been sharing the small amount of food they had left in their cupboards since neither of their families had come to bring them shopping in about six weeks due to Covid-19.

 Someone told them they could go to the food bank for groceries, but she told me they still had some canned food and powdered milk left and we didn’t want to take away from those who really needed it.

My heart swelled and we both had tears in our eyes. To watch as we loaded bag after bag into the trunk, the tears falling down her cheeks were priceless to me.

I was bringing joy, and much needed food to two wonderful ladies.

So to me, seeing the need, the gratitude, and overwhelming joy from receiving food was more than words could express.

Every person who has come when I have been there has so much appreciation. You cannot help but enjoy being there and be a part of a community that helps those less fortunate and  especially, our senior population.

The work is priceless. It will fill your heart and soul.

Working as a team with others and the staff at the food bank to accomplish this task is amazing. They are the best. I am grateful to help.

 I greatly appreciate everyone who will, has, and have been supporting this important mission.

Thank you all!

Embassy Suites Employees Honored by Red Cross After Saving Colleague’s Life

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Embassy Suites Sacramento Riverfront employees David Thrailkill and Amit Raj, along with their colleague and Red Cross CPR instructor Darryl Smalley (from left to right) were recognized with the Red Cross Lifesaving Award in January.

CPR and first aid classes are something that so many of us are mandated to do in our respective fields. It can become something that we dread if we already feel proficient and have been re-certified countless times. There are times, however, that this class proves most useful and ultimately saves a life.

For years, Darryl Smalley, the security manager of Embassy Suites Sacramento Riverfront, has been certifying his employees in CPR and first aid. By providing this service to them, Darryl was able to equip two employees with the skills and knowledge that they needed to save a friend and coworker.

On Thursday, June 6, 2019, at about 8 a.m., David Thrailkill, the guest services manager, was walking down the hallway and found his coworker flat on his face, tucked behind a cart in cardiac arrest. David had seen him just 30 minutes prior on the roof of the hotel where they work. He radioed out to Amit Raj, the assistant chief engineer, for help and then called 911.

They had trouble rolling their colleague over because of how he was positioned. It took four people to roll him onto his back in order to start CPR.

The 911 operator gave step by step instructions on what they needed to do as Amit started CPR. There was no response for the first few minutes as David and Amit took turns.

The man gasped once — a sign that CPR was working. Compressions continued with slight gasps coming from the man they assisted as they waited for EMS to arrive. Eventually he was taken to an area hospital for care.

The Embassy Suites team was then assembled in the board room to discuss what had occurred. It was hard to go back over the incident so soon after it had happened, it was said. In the moment, there had been adrenaline and calm, there were tasks to do and composure had to be kept in order to save a life.

When David and Amit went to the hospital later that day, it was shocking to see their coworker in his present state. David and Amit had been preparing for the worst but they were relieved to see him conscious.

Months later, that day is not one that David or Amit will forget. “The CPR class is the best way that you could spend six hours of your day,” said David.

Other employees at the hotel have shown interest in becoming trained in CPR as well. This incident showed hotel staff how important it is to be prepared and to have a team that is well trained.

David and Amit were recognized by the American Red Cross in January with a national Lifesaver Award, signed by President Donald Trump, the honorary chairman of the Red Cross.

If you know someone who has saved a life after taking Red Cross CPR or first aid training, you can nominate them here.

Red Cross Statement to Address Community Unrest and Uncertainty

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The American Red Cross joins millions of Americans in feeling deep sadness about the senseless death of George Floyd in Minnesota and uncertainty about the state of civil unrest in this country. This is a moment—many decades in the making—for families across the United States to reflect on this sorrow, to question their assumptions, and to truly take care of one another in a collective spirit of humanitarianism.

Communities across the country are struggling with feelings of pain and anxiety – and our dedicated employees and volunteers are assuredly not immune to these emotions. As one Red Crosser shared last week, “Dealing with fears associated with being black, while dealing with fears associated with our personal health during a pandemic, is mentally draining, to say the least.”

The American Red Cross strongly and resoundingly rejects hate, racism, violence and bigotry of any kind. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, we are proud to stand by our seven Fundamental Principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. These principles are at the very root of our mission to prevent and alleviate suffering. As Red Crossers, we reach out with compassion and empathy to those who’ve been targeted by hate, and we promote human dignity.

Now, more than ever, we need to care for one another and reaffirm our commitment to diversity by supporting one another. We need to listen deeply as people of color talk about their experiences. The Red Cross will continue to fulfill our mission during this difficult time for individuals and families. Red Crossers aren’t driven by ideology or politics. Our concern for humanity is what drives us and guides us.

Two Virtual Concerts Supporting the American Red Cross Tonight

Brett Eldridge

Calling all Brett Eldredge fans!  This afternoon at 4 p.m. PT, Brett Eldredge is the featured performer on iHeart’s Living Room Concert Series streaming on iHeart’s Facebook and YouTube channel.

It’s a 20-25 minute, commercial-free show with Brett entertaining his fans and raising money for the Red Cross. Brett personally chose the Red Cross as the beneficiary for his episode and the Red Cross will receive a $75K donation from iHeartRadio, plus fan donations during during the stream.

You can tune in and watch Brett Eldredge’s special and intimate at-home performance via iHeartRadio’s YouTube Channel, as well as across iHeartRadio stations nationwide and iHeartRadio’s iHeartCountry Radio station.

southwest

Are you a fan of Train, Andy Grammar or Carly Pearce?

If so, tune in tonight at 5 p.m. PT to Southwest Airlines’ Facebook and Twitter platforms that will stream Southwest Heart Strong Concert while raising money for charities, including the American Red Cross.

Viewers can choose to donate to the American Red Cross and Southwest Airlines will provide 10 Rapid Reward points for every dollar donated with a minimum required donation of $25 and a maximum of 10,000 Rapid Reward Points per person.

The show will last approximately 40 minutes.

Visit the Southwest Airlines Facebook event HERE for more details and to tune into the event.