Hatteras Yachts Auction Tomorrow

It looks like the sun will come out for the Hatteras Yachts Auction tomorrow. I had a preview of the auction items this morning and was very impressed by the vast array of interesting items.

They will be auctioning 600 items to include: home décor (both modern and antique/vintage), home appliances, tools, manufacturing equipment, and marine outfitting items (rolls of material) and other miscellaneous items.

Hatteras Yachts has been kind enough to donate a portion of the auction’s proceeds to the Coastal Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross. Red Cross volunteers will also be onsite selling coffee and donuts in the morning and sandwiches and soda/water in the afternoon.

Browsing and registration will begin at 07:00am and the auction kicks off at 09:00am and will run throughout the day.

Hatteras Yachts is located at 110 N. Glenburnie Rd.

Yard Sale Benefits Three Local Charities

The Coastal Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross yard sale was a great success this past weekend!

Thanks to all of those (local community members, volunteers, staff, and board members) who donated a large array of items to sell.

With the efforts of the Chapter’s volunteers and staff, the sale profited nearly $2,000 for disaster services!

Excess clothing and household items were donated to the Salvation Army and Interfaith Refugee Ministries.

Thanks to everyone who participated and donated items, it was well worth the effort!

Hatteras Yachts - "Surplus Equipment, Tools, and Inventory Auction"

Hatteras Yachts is sponsoring a Surplus Equipment, Tools, and Inventory Auction, on November 14th at 09:00am. Hatteras Yachts is located at 110 N. Glenburnie Rd., a portion of the proceeds benefit the Coastal Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Thank You, Red Cross Volunteers and Moore's Olde Tyme Bar-B-Que!

The Executive Director, Disaster Coordinator, Board Members, and I would like to personally thank the 15 Coastal Carolina Chapter Red Cross volunteers who took time out of their day to plate and deliver Moore’s BBQ on October 9th, to those businesses and residents who ordered this great BBQ! Thank you, Moore’s BBQ for preparing the delicious food for the Red Cross.

As a volunteer and board member for our local Red Cross Chapter, I have to say that we couldn’t have pulled this off without our volunteers and Moore’s BBQ of course! Volunteers make up 97% of our workforce and we really appreciate their efforts.

We would also like to thank the residents and businesses for participating in this first time partnership event. If it wasn’t for your participation, our efforts would be mute.

If you’re interested in becoming a Red Cross volunteer, please contact the Coastal Carolina Chapter at (252) 637-3405.

"Cue, BBQ, that is" Red Cross is Partnering with Moore's Old Tyme Bar-B-Que

Moore’s Old Tyme Bar-B-Cue and the Coastal Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross are teaming up to offer good old-fashioned barbeque!

Enjoy pulled pork, coleslaw, potato salad, and hush puppies for only $5 per plate!

Place your order today for pick-up (or delivery by ARC volunteers for more than 10 plates!)

Call the Chapter: 252-637-3405 to place your pre-paid order (VISA and MasterCard welcome!).

Pick-up at the Red Cross station behind Moore’s Bar-B-Que from 10:00am – 12:30pm on October 9th. Make sure you place your order by Tuesday, October 6th!!!

All proceeds to benefit Chapter Services: Services to the Armed Forces, Health, Safety, and Disaster programs.

Thank you for supporting your local Chapter of the American Red Cross!

Yard Sale for Red Cross Disaster Services

The Disaster Volunteers will be holding a yard sale at the Chapter, 1916 S. Glenburnie Rd., New Bern, on November 7th from 8:00am to 1:00pm.

You can make a difference in our Community by donating items to the Coastal Carolina Chapter Of The American Red Cross. We will also be accepting monetary donations. Our target goal is to raise $3,000.00.

Please contact Mr. Robert Toler at 252.637.3405 for more information on how your donations can make a difference in our disaster response and preparedness services.

First Aid, CPR and AED Class on August 26, 2009

We still have openings for the First Aid, CPR and AED Class scheduled for August 26, 2009. The class will be held from 08:30am - 4:00pm at the Coastal Carolina Chapter in New Bern. Cost of the class is $60. For more information, please contact us at 252-637-3405.

Disaster Drill in Pamlico County

Grantsboro — On July 18, 2009 a trailer carrying a lethal chemical was struck by a car and released a chemical that caused the death of two individuals and sent others to the hospital. First responders from the county were dispatched to the scene but had to wait for personnel trained and equipped to handle hazardous materials. In the meantime they used a water spray to keep the chemical contained.

The American Red Cross (ARC) was there with their Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) providing hydration and food for the responders.

The above is a summary news article that might have appeared in a newspaper but also summarizes the events of the day.

Thanks to the volunteer base interested in feeding the ARC turn out was greater in comparison to the first responders. This was a remark relayed to me from Stanley Kite the Craven County Fire Marshal. Those that showed up received new vests (thanks to the Bate foundation.) We all had our “good guys” white hats on.

I had been led to believe that the event might be at or near the intersection of Rt. 55 and 306. That is the location of the only traffic light in Pamlico Community County. A little trivia for those who didn’t know. A conversation with a county commissioner the night before reinforced that belief. We had been told to be at the community college which would have been a logical “safe” area for rest and refreshment. I had actually visited the college the day before and there was nothing but empty parking lots. Just like going on a DR; we figured things would work out the next day but not without further modification.

The ARC set up a safe distance away from the scene. Tables, chairs, and a canopy were stationed to provide a rest area for the workers. It’s hard keeping up with what’s going on because the focus is on the important stuff of the incident.

Our first instructions were to pull up next to the curb and vapor fans. We should have taken a clue from the fans. They were not filled with water and they were not plugged in nor were there provisions to plug them in. Not noticing that, we set all our stuff up and planned to serve meals and refreshments from the ERV. It was hard figuring out what was going on but it soon became evident that this was an exercise and each element was taking its turn. So, we just kicked back and watched and waited. When was it going to be our turn? It wasn’t that hot and the liquids were going slow.

I had taken the Cambros to the Piggly Wiggly the day before and arranged for them to be picked up at 11:30 on Saturday. The food would still be at temperature at 1:00 when the meals were planned to be served but now it looked like things would wrap up before 1:00.

PLANS CHANGE, THE AMERICAN RED CROSS ADAPTS

If there is one thing we are good at it’s change. So, we felt as useful as the dummy fan misters we were next to. Food that was going to be served from the ERV at the sidewalk at 1pm was changed to a service building behind the college at 12:15am. We can do that. Kevin and Jennifer went after the food at 11:30 when the Piggly Wiggly said it would be ready and got it back just before 12am.

The Cambros never cease to amaze me. They keep food so hot for such a long period of time. We have come back from multi-hour runs and still find the food hot when we clean up. One thing was different here. An ARC kitchen did not prepare the food and therefore Cambro liners were not available. There may have been some in the ERV but they were there since last summer and I could not verify that they were sanitary. The staff at Piggly Wiggly just put the food in the Cambros after cleaning them. This is not usually done because the surface of the Cambro can be scratched with utensils and catch food particles that could lead to contamination.

With food in the ERV we moved to the new location behind the college. Our original plan was to plate the food into clamshells and pass them out through the ERV window to the First Responders. Assessing the situation I decided that we would serve the food cafeteria style inside the building. Tables and chairs had been set up and it seemed that it would be a better environment for all. Everything could be laid out on a couple of table tables and we could use more servers than we could in the ERV. Servers had personal interaction with the First Responders. This is similar to what is done when providing food to shelters. Most of the time food is plated in the ERV and passed out the window either to clients or shelter staff. On occasion, food containers are carried inside the shelter and served in there.

Authors: Tom and Ruth Ann McIvor, Dedicated Red Cross Disaster Volunteers

Attention Businesses and Civic Organizations in Carteret, Craven, Jones and Pamlico Counties

The Coastal Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross needs your help. We depend on donations from our local community to provide humanitarian services to our four county jurisdictions. The current economic situation has had a negative impact on our donations, in turn, this may have a direct effect on the services we provide to the community. Services include: Health, Safety, and Disaster Response and Services to the Armed Forces.

Your business or civic organization can make a positive impact in your community by holding a fundraising event for the Coastal Carolina Chapter.

Some fundraising ideas include:

- Hold a sports tournament (golf, tennis, baseball, basketball, etc. tournament) and encourage your clients and staff to participate.
- Sponsor a breakfast, lunch, or dinner for your clients and local residents.
- Include a line on your email signature that you support the Coastal Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross and provide a hyperlink to www.ccc-arc.org.
- Add our logo and a hyperlink from your website to ours.
- Place a secure donation container with a small opening on the receptionist’s desk or business countertop.
- Hold a garage sale by asking your community to donate items for the garage sale with proceeds going to the local Chapter of the Red Cross.
- Conduct a silent auction for the local Chapter of the Red Cross.

For more information about partnering with the Coastal Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross, please contact us at 252-637-3405 or email donation@ccc-arc.org . Thank you in advance for your participation.

Chapter Disaster Readiness Exercise & Evaluation

August 25th at St. Andrews Church there is Disaster Readiness Exercise & Evaluation (CDREE). The class is from 8:03 until about 4 PM.

Thank You Gray Ladies and Lads of the American Red Cross

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting the Thursday morning shift of the Gray Ladies and Lads of the American Red Cross at CarolinaEast Medical Center (previously known as Craven Regional Medical Center). The Gray Ladies have been caring for patients in Craven County since 1951. The Gray Lads joined the Ladies about ten years ago, together, they provide many important services to patients at the CarolinaEast Medical Center. They are the only civilian hospital based Gray Ladies and Lads group left in the state of North Carolina.

They transport patients; assist with patient admissions and discharges; run errands for the hospital staff; deliver newspapers, flowers, and mail to patients; help operate the information desk during staff shortages; and they even decorate the Medical Center during the holidays.

During my short visit, the phone rang many times and each time, a volunteer stood up to answer the requested service. They took turns for each request without any questions. One returned to the office, another left, the spirit of teamwork emulated throughout this small group. This was a true sign of camaraderie and a very healthy working environment.

If you’ve ever been a patient or visited the Medical Center, you may have been fortunate enough to receive the hospitality of these special volunteers donned in their blue smocks. They are a proud group of folks who really enjoy their work. When asked why they volunteer, responses varied from satisfaction in interacting with patients, visitors, and staff; the feeling of working together as a family; having fun; getting exercise; and a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. These are only a few things that motivate these hardworking volunteers.

These highly dedicated and motivated volunteers commit to working four hour shifts per week and 100 hours a year. Many of them work an average of 300 hours per year or more. There are also volunteers who fill in as substitutes to cover someone’s shift.

People may assume since the name of this exclusive group is “Gray Ladies and Lads” you must have gray hair to volunteer. That’s simply not true, those who are 18 years or older are welcome to join! Requirements to become a volunteer are attending an eight hour orientation and shadowing a Gray Lady or Lad for 20 hours. For more information about the Gray Ladies and Lads or to become a volunteer, please contact Ms. Jeanne Balaoing at 252-633-8127.

Thank you Gray Ladies and Lads of the American Red Cross for your hard work, dedication, and services you provide to our community, you really make a difference! Your precious time and effort is truly a measure of your character and kindness!