Did you know there is a hero in all of us? A parole officer, two teen lifeguards, a one hundred year old senior citizen, a doctor, and a scientist were among those recognized by the American Red Cross for their life changing efforts in the capital region. Nominated by their peers, these honorees exemplified the characteristics of a hero such as courage, selflessness, and perseverance. They were recognized at a luncheon at the Doubletree Hotel in Arden on Thursday, September 15, 2011. Here are the award recipients and their deeds. Good Samaritan Adult Hero – Sean Ferguson, 43, called upon his 15 years of American Red Cross training to rescue a teen boy who was struck by oncoming traffic

When I checked my email upon arising this morning, there was a message from Trista Jensen, American Red Cross Capital Region Communications and Marketing Director, asking me to come take pictures at the three shelters the chapter opened for residents displaced from the train car propane fire in Lincoln. Shelters were opened last night at Lincoln Community Center at 1st & Joiner, Kilaga Springs Lodge on Sun City Blvd & Lincoln Crossings Club House on Groveland Lane. On Tuesday night, 270 local residents took advantage of the emergency shelters. My first stop was at the shelter on Groveland Lane. Not a lot of evacuees there. So I headed to the Community Center. I soon find out the Center

Looking for something to do this Friday night? Put on your dancing shoes, head over to the Blue Lamp, and support a good cause! Japan XOXO is a benefit dance party, with all profits from the door going to the American Red Cross. Join local DJs Shaun Slaughter, Adam J, Sam I Jam, and Taylor Cho as they do what they love to support an amazing cause. Feel like you could do more about Japan's dire situation? Feel helpless? Japan XOXO offers a very easy solution: COME DANCE. Expect an evening of fun house, bouncy house, hip house, topsy turvy techno, treacherous techno, and some fun indie stuff mixed in the middle keeping the party going all damn night. Plus, enjoy drink specials all night--

Our local American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter booths were set up on the west steps of the Capitol Building March 9 to remind folks March is Red Cross Month. Information about disaster preparedness, health, CPR and lifesaving was all about educating legislators, staffers and the public about the great work of the Red Cross! AMERICAN RED CROSS MONTH, 2011 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION For over a century, the American Red Cross has harnessed the generosity of the American people, mobilizing us to offer assistance in the wake of disaster.  Whether aiding towns fighting rising floodwaters or nations struggling with starvation and disease, the Am

March is Red Cross Month, and the American Red Cross is asking people to join them in helping those in need by volunteering their time, making a donation or taking a class.   “When someone provides a hot meal to a disaster victim, takes a first aid class, or helps someone in the military, they join the Red Cross,” said Dawn Lindblom, Capital Region Chapter CEO. “We want to say ‘thank you’ to all who support us. That support enables us to provide help and hope to those who need our assistance.”   For nearly 100 years, U.S. Presidents have called on people to support the American Red Cross and its humanitarian mission. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first to proclaim March as Red C

Rain and cold didn't dampen the spirits of volunteer workers distributing one million boxes of Girl Scout cookies today. A constant stream of vehicles from small cars to delivery vans came to Cal Expo to pickup pre-sold boxes of Girl Scout cookies waiting to to be delivered. Helen Whitelaw, Director of Sales and manager of today's cookie distribution, says initial orders are up 11% over last year. Whitelaw rode shotgun in a golf cart with Bob Carlson, owner of Carlson Logistics, supplier of the several dozen semi-trailers filled with the cases of cookies. American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter served the cookie workers breakfast and then spaghetti, garlic french bread, sala

Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to the smell of smoke and the sound of a shrieking alarm - your home is on fire! You and your family safely hurry out of the house as the fire department arrives. Standing in the street in your pajamas, you huddle with your family as the tragedy sinks in. Even if the fire was extinguished quickly, your home is probably not inhabitable. Your food, clothing and furniture are damaged by fire, smoke or water. As you begin to ponder your next steps, you are introduced to volunteers who warm you with a blanket and talk to you about food and clothing allowances, temporary lodging and emotional support. Where did these helpers come from? The American

For a fourth year, the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. are teaming up to deliver holiday cards to service members, their families and veterans, many of whom will be far from home this holiday season. The Holiday Mail for Heroes program provides Americans with the opportunity to send holiday greetings and a note of thanks to our men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.   “Sending a greeting card is a small effort that makes a big impact for our American heroes during the holiday season,” said Trisha Johnson, emergency services director at the Capital Region Chapter. “The American Red Cross serves and supports members of the military, veterans, and their families by providing emergen

The shelter that has accommodated dozens of residents in the Ebbets Pass area will be closing as of 1:00 pm Thursday. A significant amount of the area's power has been restored, allowing residents to return to their Calaveras County homes in time for Thanksgiving. Many residents in Tuolumne County, however, remain without power. The American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter will continue to operate the shelter at the Word of Life Fellowship Church in Miwuk Village to accommodate residents in the area who are in need of a warm place to stay, a hot meal to eat, and a place to gather with neighbors. A local Marie Callender's restaurant is donating turkey dinners for the residents in the shelt

The American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter is helping those impacted by the recent severe winter weather affecting the sierra region. On Tuesday evening, the Red Cross partnered with Tuolumne and Calaveras counties to open two warming centers to assist residents who are still without power. The location of the two warming centers are: Warming Center in Tuolumne County: Fire Station, 18781 Cedar Drive, Twain Harte Warming Center in Calaveras County: Old fire station adjacent to new fire station facility, 1028 Manuel Road, Arnold The Red Cross will continue to provide assistance until power is restored and there is no longer a need for emergency shelter. The American Red Cross urges t

  City of Sacramento Fire Department Press Release: A two alarm fire destroyed two mobile homes in the Acorn Village Park located at 5800 Stockton Blvd. The fire was reported at 1:07 P.M. and Sacramento Engine #10 was on scene in about 2 ½ minutes. A small propane tank had exploded and more propane tanks were threatened. A second alarm was requested.   Firefighters did a great job of preventing the fire from spreading to other homes and keeping the fire from exploding more propane tanks. Engine #6, which would have been the second due Engine Company, was browned out today.  The delay did slow down firefighting efforts. Luckily there were no reported injuries.   A Sacramento Fire Inve

One of the over 600 volunteers removes two cases of Thin Mints from one of the 36 semi-trailers that were each filled with 77,000 cases.   177 boxes of assorted Girl Scout cookies fill a van that will be delivering cookies to Troop #660 Brownies. 1,000 Girl Scout Troops picked up their pre-sold cookies.   Each case holds 12 boxes, a total of 924,000 boxes filled with cookies, were distributed to over 1,500 vehicles in one day.   Helen Whitelaw, Director of Sales and manager of today's cookie distribution rides in a golf cart with Bob Carlson, owner of Carlson Logistics, supplied the 36 semi-trailers filled with the case of cookies.   Over $3 million worth of cookies were picked

Sacramento Kings forward Francisco Garcia, a native of the Dominican Republic, is leading an effort by Kings players to assist his neighboring country of Haiti by donating money on behalf of everyone in attendance at the Kings versus San Antonio Spurs game on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at ARCO Arena. “I’m deeply saddened by all the destruction in my neighboring country of Haiti, and my thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this tragedy,” Garcia said. “I’m hopeful our donation around the Spurs game will help make a positive difference in the lives of everyone in Haiti as they work toward recovery.” Garcia is donating $1 to the American Red Cross for everyone in attendance at the game,

How donations are helping relief efforts:   Latest update from the American Red Cross Disaster Newsroom: * This is already the largest single-country personnel deployment in global Red Cross history. The number of emergency response teams in or en route to Haiti equals those that responded to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami – an emergency that spanned 14 countries. * It is clear that what took minutes to destroy will take many years and the collective support from governments and relief agencies across the world to help mend. The American Red Cross is working in close coordination with other responding organizations and will undoubtedly collaborate on joint, long-term recovery project

In response to the recent 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Haiti, the United States has reacted quickly to raise funds and send assistance. There are organizations across the country providing assistance and Sacramentans are also responding quickly to the devastated country's call for help. On Friday, Jan. 15 Sutter Health Systems announced that it will be donating $1.25 million to Haiti relief. The majority ($1 million) of the donation will go towards Doctors Without Borders and the rest will be used to fund medical supplies and fill cargo boxes with supplies. Another large company, has made it easy for customers to donate by setting up collection boxes at check stands throughout the company

Anita Webb, a volunteer with the Sacramento Sierra American Red Cross, talks to a person who has called in to donate to the relief efforts for the Haiti earthquake survivors. KCRA 3 and the American Red Cross are raising funds to help the victims in Haiti today until 7 p.m., The Call 3 volunteers will be taking your calls if you'd like to make a donation. As of 2:16pm $82,219 has been raised. Just call 916-447-2255.You can make a difference in the lives of people who have lost everything. If you would like to make a Red Cross donation online click here. SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

HOLIDAY GIFTS THAT BRING HELP AND HOPE   November 25, 2009 – It is the season of decorations, winter, and holiday gifts. This year, the perfect way to honor your friends and family is by ordering gifts that save the day all year long from the very first American Red Cross Holiday Giving Catalog.  Make a difference this holiday season with gifts that bring help and hope to those at home or help military families at home or abroad. Order holiday gifts that: ·        Prepare a family to be strong when a loved one is deployed ·        Provide Personal Comfort Kits ·        Provide a phone card to help families connect after disaster strikes ·        Send one month of emergency supplie

Four volunteers from the Sacramento-Sierra Chapter of the American Red Cross responded to three families displaced from three homes due to fire this afternoon around 2pm in a North Sacramento neighborhood near Grant High School. The fire was originally dispatched as a grass fire and, enroute, it was dispatched as a full structure assignment.    This is the view from behind the 3 homes that caught fire.The home in the middle appears to be the origin. One Sacramento Firefighter suffered a minor injury to his ankle after he had to run after a woman who ran back inside one of the homes looking for her mother. Her mother was already out of the home, but not before she suffered minor burns

Six volunteers with the Sacramento-Sierra Chapter of the American Red Cross received awards recently: John (not pictured) and Agnes Mae Drew received the Joyce Raley Teel Humanitarian Philanthropist Award. It is given to a donor or donors who has demonstrated exceptional philanthropy to the Sacramento Sierra Chapter.  Jim McColm received the Linda Brandenburger Legacy Leadership Award. It celebrates an individual who has provided significant leadership to the chapter's estate and gift planning efforts. DST Output accepted the Frank Corti Fund Development Award by Board Member Bill Kohrummel who is the Director of Operations for DST Output. The Award is presented to an individu