FIRE LIGHT

FIRELANDS CHAPTER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Janice Alexander

David Brink, treasurer

Patrick Burns

Marsha Danhoff

Jon Ditz, chair

Terry Durham

Steve Frankfather

Eilene Guy

Jennie Hipp

Roland Holt

Mary Anne Jeffrey

Jeremy Jones

Emily Kasper

Rita Khosla

Judy Kinzel, secretary

Joe Lindenberger

Kula Lynch

Ed McClendon

Leslie Mesenburg

Kathy Muldoon

Michael Palmer, vice chair

Bethany Parnell

Tom Patterson

Lynne Phillips

Chris Raftery

Deb Reed

Laura Rice

Thomas Sharpnack

HONORARY

BOARD MEMBERS

Nora Gallagher

TRUSTEES EMERITUS

V. Ned Bixler

Kenneth Conway

Kelly Bleile Dete

Dr. Robert Kromer

Richard T. Long

Evelyn McLoney

Don Miears

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Ronald Rude

American Red Cross Fall/Winter 2013

Fisher-Titus

Medical Center

and its employees

have turned to the

American Red

Cross once again

to put their com-

passion into action

in the wake of a

heart-rending dis-

aster.

On May 20, one

of the strongest

storms ever to hit

the United States

tore through Okla-

homa. The tornado

took the lives of at

least two dozen

people; tens of thousands were affected. The city of

Moore, south of Oklahoma City, was particularly hard

hit: two elementary schools, the community medical

center and heavily-populated residential neighbor-

hoods were reduced to rubble.

As it does in the wake of more than 70,000

disasters every year, the Red Cross mobilized

immediately. In the first two weeks alone, some

1,100 Red Cross personnel

served more than 257,000

meals and nutritious snacks,

distributed 46,000 relief items

and provided 12,000 health and

mental health contacts.

At Fisher-Titus, the Employee

Advisory Group – made up of a

cross section of departments

and levels – kicked off a fund-

raising effort. Employees made

cash contributions or contribut-

ed up to eight hours of their

“banked” vacation time to the

fund. With a matching donation

from the medical center itself,

Fisher-Titus presented a check

for $17,012.84, earmarked for

Moore.

“I’m proud to be a part of such a caring organiza-

tion,” said Ross Matlack, Fisher-Titus president.

“I’ve learned that our Fisher-Titus ‘family’ has always

been very generous and supportive of many needs

at the local level as well as responding to the needs

of disaster victims outside of our own community in

response to national and international tragedies.”

Please turn to Page 3

Disasters aren’t always “somewhere else”

If you’re in harm’s way, there’s

no such thing as a “small disas-

ter.”

Many Ohioans discovered that

in July, when a storm front with

high winds, rain and hail tore

across the northern part of the

state, leaving behind downed

trees, power outages and flood-

ing.

Parts of Bellevue were among

the hardest hit, with tornado-

force winds, inch-size hail and

three inches of rain doing major

damage in urban neighborhoods

as well as rural areas.

Trained disaster volunteers from

the Firelands Chapter of the

American Red Cross responded

immediately to meet the needs

of their neighbors as well as

those in counties to the east.

The day after the July 10 storm,

when thousands of people in

western Erie and Huron counties

were without electricity, Bob

Doerner of Milan led a team of

Firelands volunteers in opening a

care station at Monroeville High

School. The station offered a

safe, dry place to stay with elec-

tricity, water and nutritious

snacks for affected residents.

Volunteers also provided cleanup

kits — including such supplies as

a mop, broom, bucket, rubber

gloves, sponge, trash bags, insect

repellant and bleach — for those

who needed to clean up from

flooding.

Meanwhile, in Sandusky, Joe

Ann Bonner was manning a care

station at Providence Baptist

Church, where cleanup kits were

available for residents whose

homes were flooded by swollen

Pipe Creek.

Please turn to Page 2

Generosity knows no boundaries

Chapter chairman Jon Ditz (left) was grateful to accept

a generous donation from Fisher-Titus President Russ

Matlack (right) and members of the Employee Advisory

Group.

Chairman’s Note

Page 2 FIRE LIGHT

Chapter leadership

Our Firelands Chapter

continues to be a sig-

nificant force in an

effort to be prepared

for the unexpected.

The cadre of trained

and willing volunteers

here is truly outstand-

ing. The wonderful

experience for me is to

be a part of this ex-

traordinary organi-

zation.

As we march on,

dealing with organizational

change here, we know the “big job”

ahead is to embrace the steps to the

future. We are strong and commit-

ted to being there with the right

skills. People depend on us because

we are “doers.” We are up to the call

both in our local communities and

further out as conditions

demand.

This is only possible be-

cause of our volunteers.

The staff is the bones of

what we do, but the work

is mostly carried on by vol-

unteers. Volunteers by the

pairs, tens, and more are

the face, the hands and

the strength of the Red

Cross.

Finally, effort to remain

significant requires finan-

cial support as well. In that regard,

know that our local board is a

100% funder of the cause. With con-

tributions from the United Way,

The United Fund (and other or-

ganizations) and with loyal citi-

zens too, we support our cause. The

American Red Cross.

Jon Ditz

To find the date, time and location of a

blood drive near you, call 1-800-GIVE LIFE

(1-800-448-3543) or on on-line to visit

redcrossblood.org. Every unit of blood can

be a lifesaver for up to three people, so

your donation is vital.

Michael Palmer

Mary Anne Jeffrey

Michael Palmer has been a Firelands

chapter board member since 2005. At

the chapter’s May 28 board meeting,

Michael was elected to the vice chair

position. Other board officers are Jon

Ditz, chair; Judy Kinzel, secretary; and

David Brink, treasurer.

Newly elected to the Firelands chap-

ter board is Mary Anne Jeffrey. Mary

Anne is married to Rick Jeffrey and is

a realtor with Realty/Executives/

Strayer Group of Sandusky. She

spearheaded this year’s Red Cross/

Cedar Point Golf Challenge.

Somewhere else, continued from Page 1

The following week, nearly a dozen Firelands

volunteers pitched in to help with storm relief

efforts in hard-hit areas east of Cleveland.

There again, the primary need was for person-

nel to hand out cleanup kits and supplies to

hundred of families affected by flooding and

wind damage.

Firelands volunteer Brenda VanMeter spent

several days in Barberton, Ohio, handling the

logistics of getting relief supplies where they

needed to go after a tornado caused damage

there.

The Firelands chapter is proud to have 63

disaster volunteers from across its two-county

area. Each one has been trained in one or more

of the jobs needed to make a disaster relief

operation run smoothly.

“Our volunteers know what they’re doing, so

whether it’s a local situation or one where help

is needed someplace else in the state or even

beyond, our people can fit right in and get the

job done,” said Pat Burns, the chapter’s disas-

ter chairman.

The chapter also has relief supplies pre-

positioned for response. One small box trailer

containing cleanup kits is stored at the Huron

County Emergency Management Agency office

in Norwalk and a second trailer with cots and

blankets is ready to roll from the chapter office

in Sandusky. On average, the chapter’s disas-

ter action teams help about 50 families and

individuals each year in the wake of home fires

and/or localized flood events.

The Red Cross encourages everyone to pre-

pare themselves and their families to cope with

a disaster situation. One convenient way to

have information at hand is to download one or

more free mobile applications for smartphones

that can put vital information at your fingertips:

First Aid App — Includes expert advice for every-

day emergencies, with videos, interactive quiz-

zes and simple step-by-step instructions.

Tornado App — Provides valuable tips for pre-

paring for a tornado — and for responding after-

wards.

Shelter App — Displays the locations, capacity

and current population of Red Cross shelters

on an easy-to-use map interface.

Give the gift of life

Page 3 Firelands Chapter

Firelands chapter: Nothing without its volunteers The 2013 Firelands Chapter Volunteer Recognition was held

on Sept. 17 aboard the Goodtime I. About 50 chapter and

Northern Ohio Blood Region volunteers were in attendance.

They enjoyed the cruise around Sandusky Bay, refreshments

and lots of games of bingo. The Clara Barton Awards for Volun-

teer Leadership, given annually to an outstanding volunteer

from each of the Firelands Chapter’s

counties — Erie and Huron — went this

year to Kathy Muldoon of Vermilion and

Ed McClendon of Norwalk. Patricia Prast

of Huron and Bob Doerner of Milan re-

ceived Special Citations for Exceptional

Volunteer Service. Both have gone well

beyond their original commitment in

their service to the Firelands Chapter .

Pepperidge Farm in Willard and the

City of Sandusky Fire Department were

honored with the Good Neighbor Award

for their support and collaboration,

which helped to enhance Red Cross

services to this area.

This year’s Blood Program Recognition

Award went to Wendy Kaufman of Huron.

Ed McClendon (right) received the Huron County Clara

Barton Award for leadership from Firelands chapter

chair of volunteers Jan Alexander at the chapter’s

volunteer recognition on Sept. 17.

Jeremy Jones (right) accepted the chapter’s

Good Neighbor Award on behalf of Pepperidge

Farm, where he is human resources director.

The chapter's chair of volunteers, Jan

Alexander, made the presentation.

For the second year

in a row, Firelands

Chapter of the

American Red Cross

has teamed up with

area fire departments to get important fire safety information into

neighborhoods where it is needed.

“We know that one of the biggest things we can do around fire

Sandusky resident Adam Woodruff appreciat-

ed getting fire safety information from Red

Cross volunteer Bob Mischler.

MISSION: The

American Red

Cross prevents and

alleviates human

suffering in the

face of emergen-

cies by mobilizing

the power of volun-

teers and the gen-

erosity of donors.

prevention is education,” said Sandusky Fire Marshall Rudy

Ruiz. “I did some analysis of our activity and was able to

determine what neighborhoods have had the most fire calls

over the last five years.”

“The Red Cross has people go door-to-door into those areas,

handing out fire safety information, reminding folks. It’s not

that people are careless, it’s just that they don’t think it will

happen to them.”

This year, Fire Walk volunteers are blanketing neighborhoods

identified in Sandusky, Norwalk, and Willard. On Oct. 12,

volunteers contacted some 450 households in Sandusky. The

following weekend, volunteers handed out about 400 packets

in Norwalk. The Willard event is planned for Nov. 9.

Funding for the educational materials has been provided by

the Sandusky Rotary Club and the Volunteer Center of Erie

County. Fisher-Titus Medical Center donated Link-to-Life pack-

ets and smoke alarms for the Norwalk event. Mercy Willard

Hospital will be donating safety hammers for the Willard walk.

“Prevents and alleviates suffering … by mobilizing volunteers”

Generosity, continued from Page 1

In fact, since 2001, Fisher-Titus employ-

ees, physicians and the medical center

have contributed $172,501 to disaster

relief efforts.

In Oklahoma, residents were seeing

evidence of that generosity. Ed and Diane

Steiner huddled in a closet as 200 mph

winds ripped apart the house around

them. Days later, picking through rubble in

hopes of finding precious mementoes,

Steiner was heartened by a familiar symbol

of hope. “Every day that I have been here,

the Red Cross truck and volunteers have

been up and down the street,” he said. “I

know they had 17 miles to take care of —

that’s 17 miles of destruction. No matter

where you are, there is a Red Cross truck.”

Page 4 FIRE LIGHT

Thanks to our donors

Firelands Chapter is very grateful to all of our financial donors, whose generosity makes it possible for the Red Cross to serve our

area communities as well as disaster victims across the country and around the world. These individuals and groups have made

contributions of $100 or more from April 15 through Oct. 15, 2013. Every donation, large or small, is vital to support the humanitarian

work of disaster relief; community, workplace and family safety education; services to the armed forces and blood services.

Cynthia Akers

Linda Armstrong

Norbert Barman

Bonita Barna

Sharon Beck

James Bertsch

Rev. & Mrs. V. Ned Bixler

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Blackburn

John Bossart

Edward Brooks

Ann Zetta Carpenter

Mr. & Mrs. John Coffman

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Danhoff

Mr. & Mrs. Terry Durham

Mr. & Mrs. Harold Dye

Ruth Earl

Ebert’s Garage

Dr. Harold Erlenbach

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Farrell

Fisher-Titus Medical Center

Mr. & Mrs. John Flickinger

Mr. & Mrs. James Franks

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Funk

Nora Gallagher

Lynette Galloway

Mr. & Mrs. Gary Gilbert

Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Gilbert

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Gremling

Gerald Guerra

Roger Gundlach

Fred Gundrum

Carol Harper

Victoria Hayes

Jorja Higgins

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Hipp

Dale Hohler

Mr. & Mrs. Angelo Hoty

Mr. & Mrs. John Hufnagle

Mr. & Mrs. John Kempton

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Kinzel

Beverly Knueppel

Dr. Robert Kromer

Steven Kuhl

Kenneth LaMarca

John Loufman

Mr. & Mrs. Ed McClendon

Evelyn McLoney

Suzanne McFee

Mercy Willard Hospital

Debra Mohr

Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Muldoon

Virginia Neuman

Andrew Overly

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Palmer

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Patterson

Gary Pisarsky

Lloyd Pitsenbarger

Amy Prack

C.M. Schaffer

Jeanne Schaffer

Mr. & Mrs. David Schlessman

Mr. & Mrs. Larry Schlessman

Donald Schrader

Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Sizemore

Mary Smith

Nora Smith

Susan Soboslai

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Speer

Carol Steuk

Rosalind Stevenson

Edythe Stewart

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Tansey

Mr. & Mrs. Louis Theisen

Mr. & Mrs. Henry Timman

Voices for Peace & Justice

Barbara Wagner

Mr. & Mrs. William Waldock

Faith Wiers

Willard Volunteer Firefighters

Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Work

Need to contact a military service member due

to a family emergency? Call: 1-877-272-7238.

Clara Barton Society - Firelands Chapter has

established a Clara Barton Society to salute generous

supporters who donate $1,000 or more during a fiscal

year. We are grateful to these individuals and organi-

zations for their exceptional level of support from July

1, 2012 through June 30, 2013:

More than 250 children from Ohio National Guard families

received backpacks filled with school supplies as they

returned from their one week camp on Kelleys Island. Volun-

teers Charlie Buchholz and Fred Hughes helped distribute the

bags at the Marblehead ferry dock.

Mr. & Mrs. Warren Armstrong

Norbert Barman

Mr. & Mrs. David Brink

Buckeye CableSystem

Marjorie Chapin

Mr. & Mrs. Jon Ditz

Mr. & Mrs. Harold Dye

Clarence Ellett

Fisher-Titus Medical Center

Grace Episcopal Church

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Kinzel

Dr. Robert Kromer

Thomas Leber

Mr. & Mrs. Ed McClendon

Mrs. Evelyn McLoney

Donald McGee

Mr. & Mrs. Paul Mueller

Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Muldoon

George Mylander

Newcomer & Friends

P & T Products, Inc.

PNC Bank

R.R. Donnelley & Sons

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Sharpnack

Kenneth Spaar

The Chef’s Garden

The First Presbyterian Church

Linda Walczak

Ron Wallace

Service to Armed Forces — A grant from

American Red Cross national headquarters enabled

our chapter to pack and distribute backpacks filled

with school supplies to the children of area Ohio

National Guard families. The First Presbyterian

Church of Norwalk also helped make this project

possible with a $1,000 donation and volunteers to

pack the bags.

Firelands Chapter

Page 5

‘Lights’ event supports Red Cross

NOMINATE YOUR HERO FOR THE

FIRELANDS HERO AWARDS

Who is your hero? Most of us have personal heroes. Does your hero deserve recognition? Here’s your chance to honor your hero from Erie or Huron County. Just fill out this form and send it to the Firelands Red Cross, 300 Central Ave., Sandusky, OH 44870, by Dec. 31,2013.

NOMINEE:

Name:______________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________

City:_________________________ ZIP Code:____________

Phone (s):________________________

Please attach a typewritten, one-page explanation describing why your nominee is a hero to you, and why they should be honored as an American Red Cross Firelands Hero.

Complete rules available at www.firelandsredcross.org

NOMINATOR:

Name:____________________________________________

Address:__________________________________________

City:______________________ ZIP code: ___________

The annual Festival of Lights at Sawmill Creek Resort in

Huron benefits many area non-profit organizations,

including the Firelands Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Festivities begin with a silent auction of attractive seasonal

gifts on Nov. 29 at the resort. That night, winners will also

be selected for a five-day vacation for two at a Mexican

resort and two cash prizes. The Firelands chapter receives

$9 for each $10 raffle ticket it sells. Call 419-626-1641 to

get your tickets.

The American Red Cross is

mandated by Congress to provide

certain services, but is provided

no government funding. There-

fore, fundraising activities are

vital to support disaster relief;

community, workplace and family

safety education; services to the

armed forces and blood services.

The Dean Beck Memori-

al Shoot took place Sept.

14. For the third year in

a row, the Fitchville Con-

servation League orga-

nized this fundraising

event to honor the late

Dean Beck, past Red

Cross disaster chairman,

who was also a member

of the league. The event

raised $714 for the

Dean Beck Endowment

Fund.

Maria Kubach (foreground)

coordinated our Red Cross

Rev3 station, where

volunteers handed out

drinks and snacks for

athletes in the annual tri-

athlon event, which begins

and ends at Cedar Point.

Our participation in the

event earns about $300 for

the chapter each year.

The 22nd annual Red

Cross/Cedar Point golf

outing took place on Sept.

13.Twenty-four teams

competed to raise $5,000

for the chapter’s disaster

program. The first place

team was Web Hackers

(left). The Foster Chevrolet

-Cadillac team took

second and the Fairway

Ninjas came in third. Bill

Forthofer won the grand

prize Horizon Suite vaca-

tion package.

An IRA charitable rollover could be the perfect

year-end gift. If you have an IRA, you can

transfer up to $100,000 to charities such as

the American Red Cross, all without the

transfer being counted as federally taxed

income. For more information, contact your

tax advisor.

AMERICAN RED CROSS

Upcoming events

The United Way and United Funds of our two-county area

provide vital support to the American Red Cross and its part-

ners in community service. Please support the campaigns as

generously as you can.

Festival of Lights — Nov. 29

Chez Francois Dinner — March 2014

Heroes Breakfast — March 29, 2014

For more information about any of these events,

or Red Cross services, contact your Firelands Chapter

at 419-626-1641 or 1-800-589-2286.

The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human

suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the

power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.

More than a dozen Firelands Chapter volunteers turned out for

the second annual Fire Walk in Sandusky. The activity, in

conjunction with the city fire department, is aimed at prevent-

ing home fires. The chapter will also conduct Fire Walks in

Norwalk and Willard.

Always here for you Firelands Chapter

300 Central Ave.,

Sandusky, OH 44870

Phone: 419-626-1641

Toll-free: 1-800-589-2286

Fax: 419-626-9244

Change a life, beginning with

your own!

Help the Red Cross save money! Let us electronically

mail you the next Fire Light. To do this, we need your

email address.

You can call us at 419-626-1641 or email it to

Bonita.Smith@redcross.org. Thanks!

NOTE: The American Red Cross respects your privacy.

We will NOT share your email address.