In the most frightening moments of our lives, it is reassuring to know neighbors are there to help.

Jen Dwiggins, wife of Board Member Will Dwiggins, was taking her two boys, William, age 2, and Nicholas, 7 months, out for a stroll recently.  She happened to glance over at Nicholas in his stroller and he looked limp and his lips were bluish. She screamed for help and her neighbor heard her and rushed outside.  This neighbor also happens to be one of our volunteers in disaster, Mary Barnett.  Jen handed Nicholas to her neighbor and ran inside to call EMS.  The neighbor gave Nicholas three breaths and he groggily came around.

Twenty-four hours later, the doctors determined that there was no lasting damage to Nicholas and have no idea why he stopped breathing.  Will, Jen and William are very grateful to this Red Cross volunteer for her training, quick response and calm demeanor.

The Northwest North Carolina Chapter will nominate Mary for the American Red Cross Certificate of Merit for saving Nicholas’ life. 

On January 30, 2007, I awoke to my dog’s frantic barks. As I stumbled out of bed to see what she was trying to tell me, I was met by my mother who told me that our house was on fire. My dog ran under my bed, and I decided not to leave my little hero behind. Just as the lights went out, Cookie, my dog, and I escaped through the back door.

My family was in the front yard, waiting for me, and I was stuck in the back. The fence had caught on fire, and I had no way to get to them or even let them know I had gotten out. Soon, neighbors helped me over a safe part of the fence and we were reunited.

 We sat in a police car in front of our house and watched it burn. Before long, the police officer said, “The Red Cross is here. You can get some coffee.” Before that night, I thought the Red Cross was just about blood drives, so I figured they had come for the police and firemen. Then, the officer told us to go back to the truck (Emergency Response Vehicle).

 My mom and I walked back and were greeted by two Red Cross volunteers.  The gentleman helped my mother into the truck and then he helped me. I would not let go of my little dog. I was so happy when they let her come aboard with me. Then, they gave us blankets because we had only our night gowns on.

 I don’t remember everything about that night, but I do remember how caring they seemed. The female volunteer asked us if we had homeowners and/or car insurance because our cars had burned also. She even helped me call my insurance company, and that saved us so much time later.

 As we talked to them, we voiced our concerns. Where would we go?  How do we replace our identification and medication? How do we access our funds? We had no clothing or food. What would we wear and what would we eat? They both reassured us that everything would be okay, they would find us a place to sleep that night and help my mother get her medication. My mom asked if we could stay somewhere where our dogs could stay with us, and they found us a place.

 Watching the two work together brought a sense of normalcy that for us had just been lost. They gave us hope and comfort and treated us with so much dignity. They were with us for hours because our house just kept burning.

 Before we left for the hotel, the volunteers handed each member of my family a little bag with items that we take for granted everyday, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes and razors.  My mom cried because now this was all we had. How grateful we were for those little bags!

 We have been fortunate and have been able to rebuild our lives. I even decided to go back to school for social services. One of my assignments was to volunteer for three hours anywhere I chose. I thought about the American Red Cross and how much I wanted to give back to an organization that gave so much to me and my family. I figured there would be something I could do, so I drove by and noticed the “Disaster Action Team Members Needed” message on their marquee. I couldn’t believe those wonderful people that helped me that night were volunteers that got out of their beds in the middle of the night to help ME.

So far, I have been to three fires and have been lucky enough to have gone out with the volunteers that helped me at my house fire, MoAna and Tom Dunn. I love the time I spend with the Red Cross. It has filled a part of me that was so empty after our loss. I hope to volunteer for years to come. I would like to again thank MoAna and Tom for all that they did for us that night and the hope they gave us when we had none.

Anonymous

 I'm writing to you because I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all of the help my roommate and I received from the Red Cross on May 23rd, 2007.  I was one of the five kids (NC School of the Arts' students - ed.) who lived at the house that burned down at 1805 Sunnyside Ave in Winston-Salem.  Right now, I am at home in New York City trying to slowly rebuild my life.  It's been tough, but I am so thankful for your pure kindness and generosity.  Without it, it would have been so hard for me to start again.  But I have, and I'm slowly moving on.  It's people like you that are making my journey so much easier.

Lilly Zettersten

Long-time Red Cross volunteer Lilly Zettersten received nearly 50 units of blood and blood products after she suffered a ruptured abdominal aneurysm earlier this year.  Lilly and daughter Marcia truly appreciate your generosity and support of the NWNC Chapter.

Addie Todd

When Addie Todd’s sister received several pints of blood during surgery, she realized this blood was available because of the kindness of strangers who had given blood and donated money to the Red Cross.  At that moment, she began a new tradition—the entire family now donates blood together at least once a year.  Mrs. Todd says, “giving blood is our way of giving back to the community and paying back those who helped my family.”

Kasey Brazier

Kasey has lots of things that are typical for a nine year old little girl.  Her favorite color is purple, so she has lots of purple clothes.  Her bedroom is filled with Pooh Bears.  She has a signed photo of Jeff Gordon, her favorite Nascar driver.  But Kasey has two things most other nine-year-olds don’t have – a “port-a-cath” in her upper chest and a form of liver cancer.  Kasey receives blood transfusions on a regular basis to help her live.  Her chemotherapy treatments attack the blood cells as well as the cancer cells, thus making Kasey susceptible to infections as well as decreasing her stamina and energy.  Mike, Kasey’s father, says the various transfusions helped his daughter regain her strength.  “I can tell immediately how much it helps her- she is more like herself.  It’s like giving her a foot long chocolate bar! It gives her energy so she can play with her friends… We want her to be able to continue as normal a life as possible.

The Meltons:

Donald, Karen, Kiarra (4), Ryan (9), and Donald, Jr. (12)  

Thanks to your past financial support, the Meltons received shelter, food, and clothing through the NWNC Chapter when their home and belongings were destroyed by a fire on February 6, 1995.

The Millers:

Richard, Tamika (22), Doris, Nikeya (17), Rodney (15), Anaria (9), David (5), and Richard (7)  

Thanks to your past financial support, the Millers received shelter, food, and clothing through the NWNC Chapter when their home and belongings were destroyed by a fire on September 21, 1997.

Ricky Surratt

 Thanks to your past financial support, Ricky Surratt received training in C.P.R. and first aid through the NWNC Chapter’s Health Service’s program and saved the lives of his son and co-worker.

Anonymous

When August was 6 years old and in the first grade, he took the F.A.C.T. (First Aid for Children Today) class at the American Red Cross.  One evening he was laying on his back on the flood in his bedroom, playing with a Dick Tracy action figure toy, which came with a toy gun.  He was playing with the gun in one hand and the action figure in the other, the gun slipped and fell down August’s throat.  August knew, because of the Red Cross class he had taken, to immediately tell an adult and call 911.  August also knew not to drink or eat anything because it might move the object.  August was taken to the hospital, several X-rays were taken because the doctors could not locate the toy gun, they thought the gun had gone on down.  But August insisted that the gun was still lodged.  When the doctors finally found the toy gun they rushed August into surgery.  The doctor said because of where the gun was lodged, if it had moved either left or right it could have killed him.  Today, August is a healthy and active 10 year old.

The Brooks Family

On September 21, 1995, Bonnie Brooks awoke to find her 14 year old son, Joe, with a fever of 105 and vomiting, so she rushed him to the emergency room.  Doctors said Joe had gone into septic shock and gave him a 50/50 chance of surviving.  Joe survived seizures, cardiac arrest, and a platelet count that had fallen to 16,000—a healthy person’s count is 160,000 to 360,000.  He immediately began plasma and aphaeresis exchange treatment and his platelet count went up.  Joe was diagnosed with a rare clotting disorder called TTP.  TTP occurs in only one out of a million adults annually, chances of a male child having TTP are so rare, no statistics are kept.  Joe is back home, he no longer requires the plasma and aphaeresis exchange, but his blood is checked every Wednesday to monitor his platelet count.  Bonnie Brooks is grateful people had given of themselves through their donations of blood and platelets.

The Parson Family

On March 11, 1997, Hayden and Chris Parson’s home was completely destroyed by a fire.  The Parsons had no idea where to turn.  They were surprised and comforted to see the American Red Cross arrived to offer their assistance.  The American Red Cross provided the Parsons with a place to stay, food, clothing, and medication for Mr. Parsons.  (The Parsons are featured on the chapter video.)

Bruce Melton

Bruce Melton, a U.S. Air employee, learned CPR skills from a Red Cross First Aid and CRP course, which he took at work.  He took the course because his son, Christopher, was born with several chronic conditions including lung and heart problems.  One afternoon while the Melton Family was in their back yard, Bruce’s daughter realized Christopher was turning blue and wasn’t breathing.  Mrs. Melton called 911 while Bruce tried CPR on Christopher.  When the infant CPR technique (he’d learned in a Kentucky hospital when Christopher was born) wasn’t working – he remembered to try the child CPR technique he’d first learned two months before in the Red Cross CPR/First Aid class taught.  The CPR worked, and he saved Christopher’s life.  Bruce will tell you that if he hadn’t known how to do child CPR, he’s convinced Christopher would have died before help had time to arrive.

William M. Smith, Jr.

William M. Smith Jr., a regular blood donor, never gave much thought to who may have received the pints of blood he donated; until July 1992.  Mr. Smith, a marathon runner, decided to see a doctor after experiencing sensations in his chest.  After several examinations and tests, the Rural Hall resident discovered he needed heart-bypass surgery.  Hours after the surgery there were complications; he began to bleed internally and needed corrective surgery and a blood transfusion.  Two pints of blood later, Mr. Smith is still running marathons and he runs races which benefits the American Red Cross, because when he needed it the American Red Cross was there.

Dr. Dennis Pruett

Dr. Dennis Pruett entered the hospital for bypass surgery in November 1996, the surgery had no complications and went very well.  A couple of days later, doctors noticed Dr. Pruett was bleeding from a tube in his chest; he was immediately rushed back to surgery.  During his surgery, Dr. Pruett received over 90 pints of blood and blood products.  Because of blood donors and financial donations which support the blood services program, Dr. Pruett is living a healthy and full life and has continued to see patients.

Vickie Banner

Vickie Banner is a nurse for the American Red Cross Triad Blood Center .  On May 19, 1996, Ms. Banner was at her home in Pilot Mountain when she has an accident with a container of gas and the pilot on the hot water heater.  The pilot lit the gas on the floor, Vickie fell and received third degree burns on both legs, second degree burns on her right arm and chest and singed her hair.  She was transported to Baptist Hospital Burn Unit, where she recovered for three weeks.  She received four pints of red blood cells and skin graphs.  She returned to work at the Blood Center , July 15, 1996.

Mae Green

February 9, 1995, a cold wintery night, my home was destroyed by fire…at that time I never thought I would be a recipient of a United Way agency…but the American Red Cross came to my rescue.  I shall never forget the love and concern the American Red Cross showed me.  They gave us housing, purchased medicine for my handicapped son, we received vouchers for food and clothing.  When my house was rebuilt 3 months later, we also received vouchers for furniture.  I shall never forget how the American Red Cross blessed me during my disaster.

The Boza Family

Art Boza’s son Casey, almost drowned during the summer of 1996.  Casey was at a pool with his babysitter and friends, he slipped into the water while looking for his swimming goggles.  Casey was rescued from the water, a man immediately began CPR.  Casey was revived and rushed to the hospital; he hadn’t breathed for nearly 11 minutes.  Casey’s dad, Art, realized if he had been at the pool he would not have the life-saving skills Casey needed.  Art Boza decided to take CPR training from the American Red Cross.  One day he hopes he can repay the gift that gentleman gave him.

The Clowney Family

Fire started on the stove one afternoon when Mrs. Clowney was making dinner (stove had a short); Mr. Clowney was at work when the fire happened.  The fire destroyed their home.  ARC provided two days of lodging at the local hotel, new shoes and clothes, meals and groceries, miscellaneous household items (mattresses, pillows, linens, cooking and eating utensils), prescription eyeglasses, and baby items.

            The Clowneys are now settled in another home in Winston-Salem .  They are extremely grateful for the services provided to them by the NWNC Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Robyn Ferris

When Robyn Ferris was 15 years old she had to collect leaves as a school project.  After collecting the leaves she stopped and talked to her neighbors who had been hunting.  A gun was passed from one person to another and the gun went off and shot Robyn.  It was only 10 feet away from her at the time.  Robyn received eight (8) pints of blood.  Today Robyn has two children of her own and is a V.I.P. blood donor, she has made a commitment to donate blood every 56 days.  She is grateful to the blood donors who saved her life and feels that the best way to say thank you was to become a blood donor herself. 

The Reavis Family

Mitzie and Jacob Reavis were expecting their first child.  Mitzie went into labor Saturday, October 12, 1996.  After giving birth to her son Grant, Mitzie’s hemoglobin dropped from 13 to 6.5 and she began hemorrhaging.  Mitzie had lost half of her blood volume.  She relieved four (4) pints of blood.  Mitzie and Grant are both doing great.

Anonymous

When the news said prepare for a tornado, Tyrone went downstairs and waited.  The windows were blown out.  A baby’s high-chair crashed into his dining room wall (and he and his wife don’t have children), the ceiling in the master bedroom was lifted and could still see the sky, and the walls in most rooms were wallpapered with leaves, glass, dirt, and debris.  Water damage caused the ceiling to collapse in the bedroom.

            The Red Cross provided shelter that night to victims of the tornado.  The following week, The United Way and the American Red Cross provided food for victims as well as D.O.T. workers who were clearing the roads.  The Red Cross also provided damage assessments to home owners and mental health professionals to assist parents of children disturbed by the storm.

 Anonymous

Jim didn’t think in 1,000 years he would ever have to use CPR.  Three days after taking a CPR course for work, his two year old daughter stopped breathing.  She was riding a scooter outside and suddenly fell off and was turning blue.  “At first I thought I was saying bye to my daughter as she was laying on the floor, but it came back to me.”  Jim performed CPR while waiting for the paramedics.  “It seemed like an eternity before the paramedics came.  I’m real thankful for the training.”  His daughter’s temperature rose so fast that it put her into a seizure which caused her to stop breathing twice.

Delma Crosby

Soon after Delma Crosby has won WXII’s Jefferson Award for her volunteer work with a lot of community charities, she needed help from volunteers.

“I went to the store to purchase formula and when I came back my house was burning,” Said Delma Crosby, a recent victim of a single family house fire.  “The Fire Chief called the American Red Cross and they responded quickly, providing medication for my son and me and the family with shelter at a local hotel.”  Ms. Crosby’s house was destroyed and her four children were in need of food, clothing, shoes, glasses, and household items.  “The American Red Cross has since worked with me, counseled and kept close contact with how my family is doing,”

            “Help the American Red Cross so they can further help others because I don’t know where we would be without their help.”

The Martin Family

Over 1,000 of the local blood donors are over the retirement age.  “These donors represent the backbone of our blood program.  There are over 1,500 blood donors in the 65-79 age group and 72 blood donors over 80 years old in the Davie , Forsyth, Stokes, and Yadkin County area.

            It is not often that one comes across as spirited and selfless an individual as Eddice Martin, the oldest local African-American donor.  Ms. Martin began her affiliation with the American Red Cross in the nineteen fifties when she donated blood for the first time at a blood drive held at her church.

            Ms. Martin attributes her desire to give to her experiences as a nurse.  “I saw, firsthand, the great need for blood and felt that I had to do my part to help,” said Ms. Martin.  “Once you start giving, you will be encouraged to keep giving because you will realize just how easy it is and consider the lives you could be saving.”

            She donated over 95 pints during the last fifty years.

Anonymous

On February 6, 2000, six people with developmental disabilities were displaced due to a house fire.  The residents of this group home lost everything in the fire.  In some cases no family was available to help with assistance.  The American Red Cross provided clothing and shelter.

            “You cannot imagine the relief that this assistance provided in the very difficult time of transition.  We are very grateful and inspired by the incredible service afforded through the American Red Cross.”

            The house is currently being re-built and the group home will move back soon.

 Anonymous

6:00 a.m., Sarah was at work when she received the call that her house was on fire.  Her husband and children were safe outside when she got there.  The house was gutted by the fire.  The fire melted part of the family van.  The American Red Cross “came to rescue” providing blankets, food, and other things the family needed.

Zettersten Family

At 2:15 AM on Thursday, July 2, my mother suffered a major heart attack!  The diagnosis, I was told, was serious…a quadruple bypass procedure was necessary to save her life.  After thoughtful consideration, surgery was scheduled for the following Monday, and I began the task of contacting friends and family to give them the news.

            The first call I made was to my brother, Garry and his family, who live in Germany , where he works with the Army Corp of Engineers.  Together we agreed he needed to come home as quickly as possible.  So, whom do you call on when military personnel need emergency family leave…well, the answer is the American Red Cross!

            All I needed to do was make one call on Saturday afternoon and, by Tuesday I was able to meet my brother, his wife and three children at the hospital.  A simple phone call to our 24 hour case worker, and my brother was on his way across the Atlantic !

            After surgery, Mom struggled to recover.  But, once she was past the post operative period, she began to show improvement.  Then, suddenly in the early hours of Wednesday morning, her blood pressure dropped to a dangerously low level.  So, where did the doctors turn to get her help…well, the answer is the American Red Cross!

            Very quickly a call for blood went out, and a unit of precious O positive brought her pressure back to a safe level.  Only one pint of blood, and my mom was on her way to a full recovery!

The Williams Family

The Red Cross was awarded a grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation to offer extended housing for families left homeless by disasters.  After a single-family fire, those displaced usually receive shelter for three days.  In a new partnership with Crossland Hotel, three suites are available for families who need longer to find housing.  They must also meet special needs requirements by the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation.

            Delores Williams and her daughter have used the new extended stay program for two months.  “The fire was on April 24 and there wasn’t much to salvage.  I didn’t know what to do after the fire.  I spent the first night with a cousin, but I didn’t want to overstay my welcome.”  So far, four families have used the program for over 13 weeks.  “The extended stay program has allowed us to focus on finding a new home without worrying about having a roof over our head or food to eat right now,” said Ms. Williams.  The American Red Cross is also providing vouchers for food and clothing.

            The Crossland program consists of extended housing for those victims who meet certain requirements.  Victims are accepted into this program based on current income and whether or not they have existing insurance to cover damages.  They may reside in the housing for a period of one week to three months. 

The Riggs Family

            On Saturday, November 6, 1999 my husband Dan, our sons, Shane and Ryan and I were rehearsing for a play at the Little Theatre when we were notified that our home was on fire.  The Fire Marshall told us on the phone that it was bad.

            We rushed across town to find our house engulfed in flames.  I was in shock as we sat and watched the floors give way.  Everything we loved was going up in smoke.  Ginger, our 13 year old dog, died in the fire.

            As we sat in despair, bewildered and not knowing where to turn, the Fire Marshall asked if we would like assistance from the local American Red Cross.  I would have never thought to call the American Red Cross.  When they arrived, the volunteers calmed us down and explained that free assistance was available.  They had food for us and provided vouchers for clothes, because the only clothes we had were on our backs.  The Red Cross volunteers offered us a place to stay and didn’t leave until our immediate needs were taken care of.  They were genuinely concerned for our safety and well being.

            The fire had completely changed our lives.  We often cry when we’re alone—the memory still fresh and frightening.  The only thing we have left from our home, is a box of picture the firefighters were able to salvage.

            We have insurance and are planning to rebuild, but as we watched our home burn, insurance didn’t matter.  We needed the basic necessities of life—food, water, clothing and shelter—and the American Red Cross was there for my family and my.

            That’s why I am writing you today.  The Northwest North Carolina American Red Cross needs your financial support to insure that they will be there for the next family, and the next and the next.  It could be a fire, flood, tornado or hurricane, but those families will be just like us—alone, frightened and in need of a calming voice, a warm heart, a helping hand- someone to take care of them immediately – until the shock wears off and the first tears dry.

            With kind regards,

            Deb Riggs

The Morales Family

In May of this year, Disaster volunteers had a different kind of disaster to deal with.  On that morning in May, the Morales family heard the roar of engines and within seconds a commuter plane had crashed into their home.  Emma Morales’ daughter Samantha was in her bedroom asleep when the plane went down.  A neighbor pulled her from the wreckage unharmed physically, but quite shaken.  The Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) and volunteers were on the scene within an hour, offering food and drinks to the Morales family and to the rescue workers.  The disaster volunteers worked with the Morales family to secure a place for them to stay, since their house was destroyed.  Vouchers were given to them for clothing, since they had to leave their house in their night clothes.  Emma wrote a thank you note to the chapter saying that the Red Cross was there “…to help us out in time of need.  I really appreciate all the help….May God Bless you all and keep you safe from harm.  Thanks again from everyone in my family from the bottom of our hearts.”

JoAnne Collins

JoAnne Collins, an employee at Wachovia Bank, knows the importance of learning CPR/ First Aid.  Her 24 year old autistic son had a seizure.  His heart had stopped and wasn’t breathing.  Ms. Collins began CPR while her husband called for EMS .  She performed CPR for eight minutes.  “It was the longest eight minutes of my life.  During compressions I just kept praying.”  Her son began to make gurgling noises and the color in his face came back.  EMS got to the scene twelve minutes after the seizure began.  Since Ms. Collins was able to react she prevented her son from irreparable brain damage.  While in the hospital Ms. Collins’s son talked about how the paramedics saved his life.  When she told him that she saved his life, he thought for a second and said “Thanks for saving my life mom.”

Angie Stoltz

When Angie Stoltz had her baby, she was encouraged by her father to take a CPR class.  Angie Stoltz was busy, however, and put off taking an Infant/ Child CPR class until Saturday, October 23, nine months after her baby was born.  It was almost too late.  The day after learning lifesaving skills, Angie had to perform them on her baby at home.

Mrs. Stoltz was the only person with her child when she began to choke.  “Brittany, my daughter, put a candy wrapper in her mouth.  Her eyes turned red and she began to cough.”  Mrs. Stoltz knew by the sound of the cough that the wrapper was obstructing Brittany ’s breathing.

Choking is the major cause of death and injury in infants because infants are learning about the environment by putting things in their mouth.

Mrs. Stoltz recalled, “her cough weakened and she showed signs of losing consciousness.  I knew the proper procedures for dislodging the wrapper.”  Knowing the proper procedure is especially important with infants because they need oxygen more rapidly than adults do.  “When an infant stops breathing, it is imperative that they receive oxygen because in only a few minutes, brain damage can set in.”

            “In this instance, Mrs. Stoltz was able to save Brittany ’s life because of the skills she learned in the Infant/ Child CPR course.”  Angie Stoltz is now encouraging the mothers that she knows to take the class.  “Don’t put it off thinking it won’t happen to you.  The time it takes to learn is worth saving a child’s life.”

Jessie

The week after this past Halloween, Jessie and her Mom, Lynne, were sitting on the sofa reading a book.  Jessie was eating a piece of candy.  Lynne explains what happened next.

            “Jessie got off the sofa, turned to me with her hands close to her neck and terror in her eyes.  It was classic choking.  She couldn’t cough, speak or breathe.  In an instant, that seemed like an eternity, her face went red and her lips began to turn blue.  My first reaction was as her Mother.  I screamed for my husband and just stood there.  Suddenly, though, I said to myself, ‘Hey, now, you’ve been Red Cross trained for all these years, now do what you know you can do!!’ So, I grabbed her, did three abdominal thrusts, out popped the candy, and then she lost her supper!”  I believe in my heart and soul if I had not been Red Cross trained, I would have lost her that night.  It is a very strange, yet comforting feeling to know I can do it.”

Brush Fire in Yadkin

The emergency Response Vehicle, also known as the ERV, was called out to Yadkin County to help feed and re-hydrate emergency personnel trying to stop the brush fire from jumping the Yadkin River .  Disaster Action Team volunteers from Davie , Forsyth, Stokes and Yadkin Counties were called in to help.  We remained on the scene for about six hours until the fire was under control and we were no longer needed.

            This is a typical response for us.  We are usually called on the scene to give out water, power juices and food, sometimes snacks and other times meals.

Our disaster action team arrived on the scene around 11 a.m. that morning.  We gave out water, juices, food, blankets and comfort kits.  A comfort kit consists of a toothbrush & paste, deodorant, a washcloth, razors and any other small needs a person may require immediately.  We gave the children stuffed animals donated by various companies, such as Target and Disney.

            Then, we immediately started to talk to families about their immediate needs…

1.      Were they hurt?

2.      Were they hungry or thirsty?

3.      Did they need clothes?

4.      Did they have a safe place to stay?

We then asked the family typical questions such as which apartment they lived in, how many members in their family, etc… Based on the number of family members, we are then able to give them a Client Assistance Card, like a debit card, with an allotted amount of money for their immediate emergency needs.  Disasters don’t discriminate and neither do we.  We help all families regardless of status, class, race, religion, or citizenship.

            We brought in mental health volunteers that talked with them and health volunteers that helped recover medications, wheelchairs and other medical needs.

            If the family had no safe place to stay, we put them in a hotel.  If there had been many families that did not have a place to stay, we would have opened a shelter.

            Finally, we made referrals to other agencies or organizations that can help them long-term.

Andrew Voss

At seventeen Andrew Voss has exceeded the age of sixteen that doctors estimated would be his life expectancy.  Due to an immune deficiency, Andrew has received blood by-products every four weeks since age two.

            Andrew helped impact the success of his church blood drive by speaking to church parishioners.

Bud Calloway

Bud Calloway is donating blood.  Mr. Calloway celebrated reaching his fourth gallon.

            Because of faithful donors like Bud, the good folks in Stokes County are trying to combat the recent blood shortage.

Curt Miller

Curt Miller spent the majority of his life doing what most of us do- working, spending time with family and friends- never really considering sudden life changes.  Then in the Fall of 1996 he was diagnosed with Leukemia.  Curt said that he then realized what was really important in life and set about making sure he lived life to the fullest by spending as much time as possible with children and grandchildren.  Curt was in and out of the hospital and in and out of chemotherapy.  He received at least one blood transfusion every two weeks- over 250 pints.  The transfusions are what kept him alive and active with his grandchildren.  He passed away in February of 1998, but his wife, Sharon, says that she is grateful to the Red Cross for giving her a year with him that she would not have had if he had not received the blood transfusions.

The Hawkins Family

On a Sunday, the Hawkins had a fire breakout in their kitchen.  They were only able to escape with a handful of clothes, but the Red Cross was there.  “While the fire was still being put out, Red Cross volunteers provided snacks and calmed us down.”

            The Hawkins received vouchers for clothing, food, shelter, and lost prescriptions and glasses.  The Red Cross also helped Mrs. Hawkins get a sugar monitor and partial plates (i.e. teeth) that the insurance did not cover.  One of the Red Cross volunteer offered her a business card so she could call if her family needed more help.

            “I remember listening to United Way presentations and thinking they don’t help me, so I used to chuck the piece of paper.  I didn’t realize the Red Cross did until I needed them and they were there.  I don’t know what we would have done.  The Red Cross was awesome.  They took over and we were no longer worried about all the things that needed to be replaced.”  Virgie now speaks at work during their United Way Campaign.

Anonymous

“I am thankful they knew me, cared for me tested my hemoglobin and suggested I see my doctor, or I may not have caught it in time.  Thanks for turning me down!”

            Bob was in the process of giving his 23^rd gallon last June when he was rejected due to his iron being low.  Bob, who had been an active donor donating every 56 days for years was outraged.  The nursing staff suggested he go and get checked out and he did that just to prove them wrong.

            The doctor tested his blood, listened to his lungs and x-ray that day and made him come back the following day for a CAT Scan.  All the testing determined that Bob had lung cancer.

            Bob had to have a lung removed but his surgeon and oncologist have both told him he has no signs of the cancer.  He went through chemotherapy just to be on the safe side, but so far so good.

            Bob feels it was thanks to his active donation regiment that he was able to get the cancer detected and removed before it was able to spread and become inoperable.

            “If it hadn’t been for the concern and quality control of the blood program, it may have been too late for me.”

Jerri Phillips

An average Winston-Salem resident, someone just like you and me.  While on her job at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, she received a call that her small apartment in the Ardmore neighborhood of Winston-Salem was on fire.

            “The Red Cross was there on the scene, along with the fire fighters and EMS .  You are in shock and you don’t know where to turn or go.  I was given vouchers for food and clothing.  The Red Cross was also ready to replace my medicine.”

            Today, Jerri is back in her apartment putting her life back together.  “I am very thankful for the caring support from the Red Cross the evening of my fire.  We just never know when we will need such care suddenly.”

Jimmy Tullock, Jr.

“At first I thought I was saying bye to my daughter as she was laying on the floor, but it came back to me…It seemed like an eternity before the paramedics came. I’m real thankful for the training.”

·   Three days after taking a CPR course for work, Jim’s two year old daughter stopped breathing

·   His daughter’s temperature rose so fast that it put her into a seizure which caused her to stop breathing twice.

·   Jim performed CPR while waiting for the paramedics.

Quen Taylor

Quen Taylor has been the voice of Wake Forest Basketball for the past 22 years, Done voiceovers for WXII for the past 8 years and has been the official voice of WSJS for the past 10 years.

            Quen was diagnosed wit Leukemia three years ago and was given 5 months to live.

            “You just don’t know how good it feels when you are laying in a hospital and to see that unit of blood coming through the door.  Giving blood is the most wonderful thing you can do, everyone can try.  The recipient cant duplicate the gift they have received… the gift of life.”

The Ramirez Family

·                    The Ramirez family was devastated last December when a fire destroyed their home and took the lives of two children.

·                    Mental health counseling was provided to the family at the scene of the house fire and later at the Red Cross Chapter.

·                    The family of 11 received new blankets, dishes, and toiletry items.

·                    Stuffed animals and coloring books were given to the children.

·                    Vouchers were provided for restaurant meals in addition to one week’s grocery allowance for the entire family.

·                    Vouchers were also provided for shoes and clothing.

·                    Prescriptions were filled and first aid essentials… aspirin, band-aids, etc.

·                    Eyeglasses were given to three of the children.

·                    Worked with family and Housing authority of Winston-Salem in an effort to locate another place for them to live.

Bill and Gale

The American Red Cross offers several variations of workplace training courses to companies in the community who would like to make their place of business as safe as possible.

            All American Red Cross employees are required to be certified In First Aid and CPR.  Not long after renewing this certification, Red Cross employee Bill Mangan would have the opportunity to demonstrate those skills by saving the life of fellow employee Gale Howard.

            Gale and Bill both arrived to work early one Tuesday morning.  Bill entered the kitchen and got his morning cup of coffee while gale poured herself some water to take her medication.  After swallowing one of her pills, Gale began to choke.  Bill realized what was going on and did not hesitate to perform two quick abdominal thrusts on Gale to dislodge the pill.  Fortunately the pill was dislodged and Gale was okay.

            Gale was saved not because she worked at the Red Cross, but because she had a fellow employee who had the training it took to help her.

Eddice Barksdale

Ms. Barksdale’s mother, Eddice Martinis, is the oldest local African-American donor.  She began her affiliation with the American Red Cross back in the 1950’s when she made her first donation at a drive held at her church.  Following in her mother’s footsteps, Eddice Barksdale became a first time blood donor at age 61.  Ms. Barksdale feels that everyone should be a donor no matter what their age; “If there is something you can give that can help save lives, why not take a few minutes and share a small bit of yourself.  The donation process is actually a pleasant experience and it makes you feel good to know you have helped someone.”