Polk Red Cross helps Lake Wales family of five after fire

LAKE WALES, FL (Sept. 27, 2008) — Polk Red Cross volunteers have helped a family in Lake Wales who lost their home early Saturday morning to fire.

Volunteers arrived at 5:30 a.m. at the scene on View Pointe Circle to help the family. They were able to provide the three adults and two children with temporary shelter; comfort kits (personal hygiene kits); emergency assistance for groceries, clothing, and shoes; and landlord verification forms to assist in relocation.

Since the beginning of July this year, the American Red Cross Polk County Chapter has helped 40 families after small local disasters — roughly one family every two days. The American Red Cross provides immediate emergency assistance based on need, thanks t donations from the local community. Each local chapter has a Disaster Action Team of volunteers taking turns to go out on fire calls at any time of the day or night to ensure that those who need American Red Cross help can get it as soon as possible.

Home fires are still the most common local disaster for Red Cross volunteers, even in midst of hurricane season. The American Red Cross asks every family to include fire prevention as part of their disaster plans. Look for information on preventing home fires at http://polkcountyfl.redcross.org, or visit the main office at 147 Avenue A, NW, in Winter Haven. To make a monetary contribution, please call your local American Red Cross Polk County Chapter at (863) 294-5941.

Polk Red Cross helps three families after apartment building fire

LAKELAND, FL (Sept. 26, 2008) — The American Red Cross in Polk County helped three families Friday after an early morning fire in Lakeland.

The fire started at roughly 5 a.m. in an upstairs apartment of a four-apartment building at High View Apartments on Orange View Lane. The two men living there, and families in the two downstairs apartments got out safely. Red Cross volunteers responded later that morning.

Red Cross volunteers provided the two men from the upstairs apartment with temporary shelter, comfort kits (personal hygiene kits), and emergency assistance for food, clothing, and shoes. They offered a Red Cross clean-up kit, but the men declined, saying they didn’t have enough left in the apartment to warrant it.

Property managers were able to place the other two families in vacant apartments. The Red Cross helped a man living directly below the fire-burnt apartment with a Red Cross clean-up kit and odor-control-concentrated cleaner to help salvage items from his home, a comfort kit, and emergency assistance for groceries. The Red Cross provided the third family — a man, woman, and infant — with a clean-up kit and odor-control concentrate to help salvage items from the home, infant supplies and diapers, comfort kits, and emergency assistance for groceries.

Since the beginning of July this year, the American Red Cross Polk County Chapter has helped 39 families after small local disasters — roughly one family every two days. The American Red Cross provides assistance based on need, which may include such aid as temporary shelter, personal hygiene kits, and/or emergency assistance for food or clothing. Each local chapter has a Disaster Action Team of volunteers taking turns to go out on fire calls at any time of the day or night to ensure that those who need American Red Cross help can get it as soon as possible.

Home fires are still the most common local disaster for Red Cross volunteers, even in midst of hurricane season. The American Red Cross asks every family to include fire prevention as part of their disaster plans. Look for tips on how to prevent home fires at http://polkcountyfl.redcross.org, or visit the main office at 147 Avenue A, NW, in Winter Haven.

Related story: Dog saves owner’s life — http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/9/26/386093.html

Polk Red Cross stays busy with house fires

Local Red Cross helps five families in 12 days; one every two days in July and August

POLK COUNTY, FL (Sept. 24, 2008 ) — The American Red Cross in Polk County, while sending volunteers to help hurricane relief, is still answering regular calls to help families after house fires.

During July and August, the chapter responded to help 30 families, or about one every two days. The Red Cross has helped another five families in September – five of them in a 12-day stretch from Sept. 12-24.

One family in Eloise had seven people: Three adults and four children. Red Cross volunteers helped them on Sept. 17 with temporary shelter, assistance for clothing for three, comfort kits (personal hygiene kits), odor-control concentrated cleanser to help salvage items from the home, a clean-up kit, landlord verification forms to assist in relocation, Red Cross Ride for the Red T-shirts, and Mickey Mouse stuffed toys to comfort them.

Late night on Tuesday, Sept. 23, a family of four adults and one child had a fire. They stayed overnight with family, and then on Wednesday, Sept. 24, Red Cross volunteers assisted them with temporary shelter, two comfort kits (personal hygiene kits), emergency assistance for groceries for four, and odor-control concentrated cleanser to help salvage items from the home.

The American Red Cross provides assistance based on a family’s need, which may include such aid as temporary shelter, personal hygiene kits, and/or emergency assistance for food or clothing. Each local chapter has a Disaster Action Team of volunteers taking turns to go out on fire calls at any time of the day or night to ensure that people who need American Red Cross help can get it as soon as possible.

Home fires are still the most common local disaster for Red Cross volunteers, even in midst of hurricane season. The American Red Cross asks every family to include fire prevention as part of their disaster planning this season. Information on preventing home fires is on the local Red Cross chapter web site at http://polkcountyfl.redcross.org/ or at the chapter main office at 147 Avenue A, NW, in Winter Haven.

Polk Red Cross sends 38 volunteers to Ike-ravaged Texas

Friday, Sept. 19, 2008 – On Thursday, Sept 18, the Polk County Chapter deployed 38 Red Cross volunteers, together on one plane, to help the disaster relief effort in Texas.

Victor P. Johnson, a Red Cross volunteer from Althera Staffing in Lakeland, gets one more ‘Hettie Hug’ from Polk Red Cross volunteer Hettie Whatley before flying to Texas. In all, 38 volunteers from the Polk County Chapter deployed together on Thursday, Sept. 18, from Orlando International Airport, after intensive training in running shelters and mass feeding.

About 42 people from Althera Staffing Inc., mostly temporary workers, trained this week to make the deployment. Company owner Ellis Hinton said when he heard about the need for volunteers, he wanted to see if there was any way they could help.

“What I’m looking for is just to help somebody,” said Hinton, a native of Mobile, Ala., whose family was affected when Hurricane Camille entered the Mississippi River in 1969 and when Hurricane Frederic hit Mobile in 1979.

The Polk County Chapter managed to get the group on one flight out of Orlando International Airport, and bused them to the airport Thursday afternoon. But they couldn’t leave without getting a send-off from other volunteers, including a “Hettie Hug” from volunteer Hettie Whatley.

Among those heading to Texas is Dennis Millet, who vividly remembers the blue tarps on roofs when his family moved to Florida from the Boston area, right after the hurricanes of 2004. He saw so many people helping each other then that he wants to help people now.

Volunteer Chuck Moyer, with a son serving in Iraq, echoed a wish to help others: “If he can serve over there, I can serve over here.”

For more information about the American Red Cross response to Hurricane Ike, visit the online newsroom at http://hurricaneike.wordpress.com. For information on how to prepare for a tropical storm or hurricane, please visit www.redcross.org, or in Spanish, www.cruzrojaamericana.org. To help the Red Cross respond to this and other major disasters, donate to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by calling 1-800-REDCROSS or visiting www.redcross.org.

The Red Cross Partners with Publix to Raise Money for Relief Fund

Sept. 17, 2008 — When customers check out at the Publix store counter, they can also make a contribution to the Red Cross.

Starting today every Publix store, which includes 950 locations in 5 states, will begin collecting donations for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. All customers have to do is add whatever amount they would like to donate to their grocery bills.

The partnership will help the Red Cross reach the current goal of raising $100 million for the 2008 hurricane season. Already this has been an extremely active year with more than 60 large-scale disasters and the cost of numerous responses has taken a huge bite out of the Disaster Relief Fund. The year began with an early wildfire season, and then we saw record floods in the Midwest and a torrent of tornadoes in early spring. The cost of hurricane season also continues to rise. The response to Gustav is expected to reach $40-$70 million and the response to Ike will likely exceed that.

The Disaster Relief Fund allows the Red Cross to provide help whenever and where ever disaster occurs. Now, making a donation is as easy as checking out at the grocery store.

Polk Red Cross sends total of seven volunteers to Texas

Polk County Chapter thanks local volunteers for deploying and staying behind to assist locally if needed

Monday, Sept. 15, 2008 — Another three local Red Cross volunteers will leave out of Orlando today to help the relief effort in Texas after Hurricane Ike.

Over this past weekend, the American Red Cross Polk County Chapter has been busy pulling volunteers to send as part of a massive deployment of volunteers from all over America to join more than 2,000 volunteers already stationed in Texas providing sheltering and mobile feeding in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Ike.

The three local volunteers leaving today include Linda Haskins, Daphne Gray, and Shirley Hannah-Bullock. Already in Texas are Anan Smith, Dan Sebright, and husband and wife Russell and Bobbi Miller, all of whom left either on Thursday before the storm arrived, on Sunday, or early Monday morning.

Local chapter volunteers gave today’s deploying volunteers a personal thank you at the airport. Volunteers deploying to Texas will sacrifice the comfort of their homes to deploy to an area that is experiencing numerous hardships and where living conditions are less than favorable.

“The Polk County Chapter is proud to endorse their deployment to assist the residents of Texas in their time of need,” said Linda Scialo, Programs and Services Director for the Polk County Chapter.

“For volunteers who are unable to deploy, a special thank you goes out to you for remaining behind with me to assist in Polk County, if necessary, allowing others to deploy,” Scialo said. “You are all valuable to the Polk County Chapter. Keep up the good work.”

The Red Cross estimates that the cost for Hurricane Gustav will range from $40-70 million. The cost for Hurricane Ike could easily exceed that cost. A national fundraising campaign is underway to raise an initial $100 million to help victims of recent disasters, especially since the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund is depleted from a record number of tornadoes this year, the worst flooding in the Midwest in 15 years, an early wildfire season and an active hurricane season that is not over yet.

The Disaster Relief Fund gives people the chance to help anywhere in the nation. To ensure the Red Cross continues its help for disaster victims, we need your help. We are calling on everyone to support the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which allows the Red Cross to provide help whenever and wherever disasters occur.

For more information about the American Red Cross response to Hurricane Ike, visit the online newsroom at http://hurricaneike.wordpress.com. For information on how to prepare for a tropical storm or hurricane, please visit www.redcross.org, or en Español – www.cruzrojaamericana.org. To help the Red Cross respond to this and other major disasters, donate to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by calling 1-800-REDCROSS or visiting www.redcross.org.

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. The Red Cross is not a government agency, and is funded directly by donations. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.

Polk Red Cross couple deploys to Texas ahead of Ike

Polk Red Cross volunteers Russell and Bobbi Miller pause for a moment before heading to Orlando to fly out to Texas to help in Red Cross preparations ahead of Hurricane Ike.

Local couple to spend anniversary helping Red Cross prepare for and respond to hurricane in Texas

Friday, Sept. 12, 2008 — This week, the Red Cross called out for volunteers to deploy to Texas ahead of Hurricane Ike.

Russell and Bobbi Miller, Polk County Red Cross volunteers, have answered the call and deployed Thursday. Russell had just completed three weeks on deployment helping with relief efforts for Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricane Gustav. The two had planned to spend their anniversary Sept. 13 on Key West, but reservations got canceled when Ike brushed the Keys.

Bobbi and Russell had already packed Red Cross clothing, just in case.

“One thing about the Red Cross is flexibility,” Russell said, “…because things change constantly.”

When asked about the deployment, Bobbi said, “I’m very happy we are going together on our anniversary.”

The two were apart over the last three weeks while Russell deployed driving a Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle to affected areas in Florida after Tropical Storm Fay and in Mississippi before and after impact by Hurricane Gustav.

He and fellow ERV driver Ken Shelton left Polk County on Friday, Aug. 22, picked up a new ERV from the manufacturer in Orlando, and spent a week bringing relief to people in Ft. Pierce and then in Tallahassee, in Leon County, before being sent to Hattiesburg, Miss.

They went from shipping bulk to taking supplies to people affected by the storms, as well as helping feed people and stock shelters, receiving hugs of thanks from residents along the way. Russell said it was bittersweet leaving the ERV: They put the first 3,000 miles on it.

Bobbi and Russell stayed in contact through it all by cell phone until he returned on Tuesday, Sept. 9. After a couple days’ rest, he and Bobbi were ready to head out, together this time.

They joined the Red Cross to help people, and they are most happy when they can do that. The couple lost their home in Hurricane Charley, and turned their experience into one of helping others. Many Red Cross volunteers joined after receiving help, wanting to give back. Bobbi says it’s one way she can comfort people, telling them she knows what they are going through.

For more information about the American Red Cross response to Hurricane Ike, visit the online newsroom at http://hurricaneike.wordpress.com. For information on how to prepare for a tropical storm or hurricane, please visit www.redcross.org, or en Español – www.cruzrojaamericana.org. To help the Red Cross respond to this and other major disasters, donate to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by calling 1-800-REDCROSS or visiting www.redcross.org.

Red Cross helps Lakeland family after fire

LAKELAND (Sept. 12, 2008 ) – Two Lakeland men found themselves without a home on Friday, Sept. 12, after a house fire.

Red Cross volunteers responded to North Marion Drive and assisted the father and son with temporary shelter, comfort kits (personal hygiene kits), and odor-control concentrated cleaner to help salvage items from the home.

In July and August of 2008, the American Red Cross Polk County Chapter saw 30 families affected by house fires — or roughly one family every two days. Home fires still remain the most common local disaster seen by any Red Cross chapter. Please use all fire safety precautions to protect your family. Precautions are listed online at PolkCountyFL.RedCross.org.