CEO UPDATE - AUGUST 25, 2009

Happy Tuesday (evening) to all!

Record Turnout at Volunteer Recognition Event at the Dell Diamond
I’m still smiling after Sunday’s Volunteer Recognition event at the Dell Diamond. We had a GREAT crowd there – about 171 people. It sounds like everyone really enjoyed the food and the camaraderie! We conducted our Annual Meeting, handed out pins for years of service (including a 30-year pin to staff member Denise Blok and a 65-year pin to volunteer Betty Hendrix!). We also had a chance to say thank you to several of our volunteers and staff for their incredible service during the past fiscal year, and I’m including the list of volunteer award winners below. I’ll include the staff winners next week. And,  I’m sure we’ll have a photo or two up on the Web this week.

Volunteer Awards
Volunteer of the Year: Bill Dorman
Clara Barton Honor Award: Elaine Thompson
Virginia Horton True Blue Volunteer: Homer Johnson
Walter Shuler Disaster Services Award: Carol Leandra
Education & Training Award: Julia Lennous
Social Services Volunteer of the Year: Wray Hooper
Firecracker Award: Jay Clements
Mental Health Professional of the Year: Pat Grajkowski
Tex Kassen Health and Safety Award: Craig Henderson
Youth Leadership Award: Day Son
Martha Townsley Leadership Award: Kevin McCoy

Introducing Instructor Lis Wise
I’m not sure I’ve introduced you to our newest staff instructor, Lis Wise. Lis was an on-call instructor before joining our team full time.  She did a stint in the Peace Corps, is fluent in Swahili, and is also a licensed massage therapist.  As it turns out, much to Denise’s delight, she also is great at assisting with small facility projects!

Congrats to Board Member Joyce Batcheller
We’re just now catching up on some of our reading and noticed that Joyce Batcheller was mentioned in the August 6 Austin Business Journal, which featured Profiles in Power winners. Congrats again, Joyce!

New Funding from Applied Materials  
Another Debbie success story: we received a $10,000 check today from a grant proposal to Applied Materials. Go Debbie! We have been receiving only $5,000 from Applied Materials over the past two years, so this is a 100% increase. Fabulous!

We Need Your Red Cross Stories!
We have GOT to make some headway in pulling together a “library” of sorts showcasing some of our best Red Cross stories. PLEASE send me one or two (or more!) of your favorite stories. (“I remember the time when…” )  You can send me an email, or give me a call and I’ll type while you talk. I want to capture stories from staff, board members, volunteers, and clients that will help our donors understand what a tremendous difference we make in this community and why their gifts matter.

As always, I know you know of more good things going on with our Chapter, so please send me a note and I’ll include them next week! And, please feel free to forward this email to the volunteers who work with your department!

Have a great week!

View our new chapter video by clicking on the image!

RED CROSS FEATURED IN AUSTIN CHRONICLE BEST OF 2008

The American Red Cross of Central Texas upped our “street cred” this week when we were featured in the Austin Chronicle’s Best of 2008 Critics Poll. The ARC of Central Texas was recognized, along with the Capital Area Food Bank, as the Critic’s Choice for Best Response in a Crisis for our work with evacuees from Hurricane Ike. The recognition is rightly attributed to volunteers for both organizations who tirelessly devote their time and energy to help those in need, while still maintaining their regular responsibilities to work and family.  Your continued efforts allow us to open our community in response to disasters such as Hurricane Ike in ways we could never manage without you.  We join the Chronicle in recognizing our volunteers and staff who make the American Red Cross of Central Texas work. Thank you!

From the Austin Chronicle:

Best Response in a Crisis: Central Texas Red Cross, Capital Area Food Bank
It's not their job. That's the first fact that everyone should remember when thinking about how the volunteers with these two charities stepped up to help the Hurricane Ike evacuees. It was the Red Cross that staffed shelters and the Capital Area Food Bank that handed out emergency supplies to those that had fled the coast. This award is not so much for the institutions but for the people that sacrificed their time and energy to help those in need – and will again.

American Red Cross of Central Texas 

2218 Pershing 

928-4271 

www.centex.redcross.org

Capital Area Food Bank 

8201 S. Congress 

282-2111 www.austinfoodbank.org