National Guard Helps Deliver Aid to Communities; Florida Red Cross Brings in Supplies

With several communities cut off, and only accessible by high water vehicles, the National Guard is assisting Red Cross efforts to get in food and water. Guard members arrived at the Red Cross office in Rutland and headed out to Cavendish and Wilmington. Additional collaboration will continue.

In an unusual if not ironic twist, Florida Red Crossers arrived with two Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) today with additional supplies. Pictured above is an ERV from Daytona Beach. Also in Rutland is an ERV from Jacksonville. On board the ERVs were shelf-stable meals, water and snacks. While volunteers from the Vermont & the New Hampshire Valley have responded to hurricanes in Florida and across the south, we are fairly confident that it is the first time Florida has had the occasion to pitch in as part of a hurricane response in Vermont.

329 Sheltered Overnight, 4 Shelters Remain Open

After having as many as 13 shelters opened yesterday, as people return home 4 shelters remain open as of noon Monday. While the official count as of midnight was 329 people having received overnight sheltering through the Red Cross, several shelters saw their numbers continue to swell before dawn.

Shelters remain open at the following locations:

1. Brattleboro – Brattleboro Union High School
2. Hartford – Hartford High School
3. Barre – Barre Auditorium
4. Rutland – Rutland High School

The best means of determining where shelters, Red Cross or otherwise, are open is to contact Vermont 211.

At this time, financial contributions provide the greatest flexibility for a Red Cross response. Donations can be made at www.vermontredcross.org or by calling 800-660-9130. For those who are interested in volunteering, they can register on line at: http://www.redcrossvtnhuv.org/general_calltoaction.asp?CTA=2&SN=8084&OP=8085&SUOP=8088&IDCapitulo=44W8UXGL8L or contact us at 1-800-660-9130, ext. 107.

Stage set for 8 shelters to open in response to Irene

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE … (Rutland, Vermont – August 27, 2011) With Hurricane Irene heading north and anticipated to make landfall in New England overnight, the Vermont & New Hampshire Valley American Red Cross has announced that they will open 8 shelters.

In Brattleboro, the shelter is opening at 6pm this evening to ensure the safe transfer of seniors from a low-lying housing complex. In anticipation of potential flooding, high winds and power outages tomorrow, at 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning, the Red Cross will open 7 additional shelters. The shelter locations are as follows:

Opening 6:00 p.m. today (8/27/11):
1. Brattleboro, VT – Brattleboro Union High School – Fairground Road
Opening 9:00 a.m. tomorrow (Sunday, 8/28/11)
2. Bennington, VT – Mt. Anthony Union Middle School – 747 East Road
3. Springfield, VT – Springfield High School -- 303 South Street
4. Hartford, VT – Hartford High School – 37 Highland Avenue
5. Rutland, VT – Rutland High School – 22 Stratton Road
6. Barre, VT – Barre Auditorium
7. St. Johnsbury, VT – The St. Johnsbury School – 257 Western Avenue
8. St. Albans, VT – St. Albans Town Education Center – 169 South Main Street

These shelters are part of a network of over 300 locations across the region with whom the Vermont & the New Hampshire Valley American Red Cross has agreements for potential use during times of disaster. While a hurricane cannot be prevented, the Red Cross knows that steps can be taken to prepare. At the shelters being opened tomorrow, the Red Cross will have the capacity to shelter and feed those that may be displaced by the storm.

As the storm track and impact becomes further defined, an assessment can be made as to resources that need to be shifted to different locations or consolidated in shelter locations that are part of tomorrow’s planned opening.

Hurricane Safety Checklist

As the prospect of a hurricane coming into New England looks like a real possibility, many are asking what steps can be taken to prepare. To access a Red Cross Hurricane Safety Checklist, please visit our webpage at www.vermontredcross.org.

At the Vermont & the New Hampshire Valley American Red Cross, we too are working to prepare. This includes connecting with our disaster services volunteers to check on availability, checking in with a number of the facilities we use as shelters, and assessing what equipment and assets may be needed. Last night, Chief Response Officer Tim Stetson was interviewed by WPTZ-TV. Click here to see that story: http://www.wptz.com/video/28967298/detail.html.

Bennington Disaster Action Team Raises Awareness

This past weekend was a busy one for members of the Bennington Disaster Action (DAT) team. Fortunately, it wasn't flooding or late night fires that kept them on the move. This weekend was an opportunity for civic pride and raising awareness of Red Cross activities in Southern Vermont.

DAT members participated in the Shaftsbury parade, marking the town's 250th anniversary; set up a table at festivities surrouding Bennington Battle Day; and also made an appearance at the Bennington Irish Music Festival.

To see photos of DAT members Robin Greene, Diane Hart and Rob Cole, and to learn more about how they participated in these events, click on the following link to the online publication Examiner.com:

http://www.examiner.com/wellness-in-burlington/busy-weekend-for-vermont-red-cross-volunteers

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a disaster services volunteer with the American Red Cross in Vermont or New Hampshire's Upper Valley, contact Angela Russell at 800-660-9130, ext. 107 or by e-mailing her at arussell@nvtredcross.org.

Berlin Mall Raffle Raises $3,000 for Disaster Relief

Less than two months ago, the communities of Central Vermont were devastated by flash flooding. Despite recent hot and dry weather, members of those communities have not forgotten the destruction wrought by those storms. To support the relief efforts of the American Red Cross, who has been at the heart of the flood recovery, the Berlin Mall held a fundraising raffle. Yesterday, the winners were awarded their prizes and the Red Cross received over $3,000.00.

The owners and management of the Berlin Mall saw the impact of the May 26th storm and decided there was something they could do to help. “Once the streets are clean it’s easy for the rest of us to just forget about the damage, but there are still people hurting out there,” said Mall Manager Gerry Hanifan. “People affected by the flood are members of Berlin Mall’s community, so we decided to help,” he added.

Over a ten day period, raffle tickets were sold at Bath and Body Works, the mall’s management office and by Red Cross volunteers from the Central Vermont/New Hampshire Valley Chapter. Yesterday, the two winning tickets were drawn, with the first prize being a $500.00 shopping spree at the mall and the second prize being $450.00 in merchandise and gift cards donated by many of the stores within the mall.

Just over $1,500.00 in $1 raffle tickets were sold. In addition to the Berlin Mall and its stores, the raffle was supported by local radio stations FRANK FM and FROGGY 92, part of Nassau Broadcasting. Both stations also broadcast live from the Berlin Mall yesterday to capture the final hour of the raffle.

At yesterday’s drawing, the owners of the Berlin Mall, Lerner Heidenberg Properties, represented by owners Robert Heidenberg and Ken Simon, announced that they would match the $1,500 raised through the raffle, bringing the grand total to over $3,000.00. (Pictured above, from left to right, are Ronnie Ruby and Ken Simon of Lerner Heidenberg property, Barre Mayor Thomas Lauzon, TJ Michaels of FRANK-FM and Larry Crist, Regional Executive for the Vermont & the New Hampshire Valley American Red Cross.)

“The Red Cross can provide disaster relief because of wonderful partners like the Berlin Mall and the generosity of giving individuals,” said Larry Crist, Regional Executive for the Vermont & the New Hampshire Valley American Red Cross. “To see a community so devastated by flooding rally like this is truly remarkable,” Crist added.

People's United and VPT Provide Generous Support

Recently, People’s United Bank found a way to help not just one local non-profit, but two. Today, one of those organizations, the Vermont & the New Hampshire Valley American Red Cross, received $10,000.00 from People’s United to support local disaster relief.

During Vermont Public Television’s (VPT) June fund drive, People’s United Bank challenged viewers to support the station and enticed them to do so by pledging to make a donation to the Vermont & the New Hampshire Valley American Red Cross for each pledge made to VPT. VPT viewers jumped at the opportunity and today, People’s United presented a $10,000.00 check to the local Red Cross officials.

Pictured above, left to right, are Larry Crist, Regional Executive of the VT & the NH Valley American Red Cross; George Hauenstein, Chief Development Officer with VPT; and Michael Seaver, Officer, People's United Community Foundation and President, People's United Bank Vermont.

“This spring, the Red Cross responded to record flooding across our region,” reported Larry Crist, Regional Executive for the Vermont & the New Hampshire Valley American Red Cross. “The support of community partners like People’s United Bank ensures that the Red Cross is able to respond during times of such disasters,” Crist added. “The generosity of People’s United allows the Red Cross to provide assistance to our neighbors when disaster strikes and to support the dedication and compassion of our volunteers.”

The Red Cross response to spring flooding included opening 6 shelters, serving over 12,000 meals and snacks, deploying 15 Red Cross response vehicles and utilizing the services of over 130 American Red Cross disaster services volunteers.

“Through our customers and our employees, we knew that the need was great in the wake of the spring flooding,” said Michael Seaver, Officer, People’s United Community Foundation and President, People’s United Bank Vermont. “People’s United recognizes just how important it is to invest in our communities and we are pleased to support the work of the American Red Cross,” he added.

“We know that the passion that our viewers have for Vermont extends beyond Vermont Public Television and we saw this as a great opportunity to put that generosity to work for the American Red Cross,” said George Hauenstein, Chief Development Officer at VPT.

Vermont Public Television also supported the Vermont & the New Hampshire Valley American Red Cross through the use of its studio phone bank during a disaster relief telethon sponsored by FOX 44 and ABC22 in early June.