GREETINGS AND HAPPY MONDAY - CEO UPDATE

From Elaine Acker, CEO

A World Apart, a Moment Together
Saturday was one of the most amazing experiences of my professional life. After months of working with our partners at One World Theater and LifeSize Communications, Saturday was the big day. Because of our Chapter, 12 military children were able to participate in One World’s summer theater camp. Because of LifeSize, most of those children were able to share their experience with their deployed family members. Can you say “goosebumps?”

The technology was incredible – the deployed parents watched the performance live. We could see them on the screen as part of the audience, looking proudly at their kids. There are no words to describe how rewarding this was. I walked in, saw the military parents’ faces on the screen, and felt the tears bubbling up. It worked. It really worked. I have to say an extra special THANK YOU to Michael Chaison without whom it would never have come together. Check out just a few of the photos below. Stay tuned for a slide show…

In the meantime, here’s the link to one of the News mentions:
http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/A_world_apart_a_moment_together

The Education and Training Team reports that they have just inventoried all the products currently in stock, and it sounds like there’s a big SALE in the works! Keep an eye out for that announcement and you’ll have a chance to stock up on Red Cross goodies.

Also, the new course schedules are now posted online. Take a look and stay current on your training. And with Hurricane season officially here, be sure to take a look at any disaster classes that could help you learn even more about preparedness and response.

Outreach Efforts
Marty is off and running in her new role as Development & Communications Manager, Williamson County, and she and Melissa G. had a great visit with Sun City residents last Thursday. They talked about preparedness for the entire Sun City community, and the presentation was broadcast on Sun City’s community television network.

Volunteer Jim Dixon took the ERV to one of the Wal-Mart locations in Williamson County and had a chance to visit with area residents and help tell the community more about how to prepare for disasters. This kind of visibility will make a huge difference!

Debbie, Marty, and I have all done recent presentations to the City of Austin’s Public Works Department. By the time we’re done with the eight scheduled presentations, we will have reached more than 500 Public Works employees, reminding them about preparedness (especially since so many of them have a disaster response role as well), and also reminding them about the upcoming workplace giving campaigns in the fall.

Annual Meeting
Don’t forget to save the date, AUGUST 1, for our annual meeting and volunteer recognition celebration! We don’t have all the details yet, but it will be late afternoon – early evening. More info to come.

Questions? Comments? News? Send me a note! Thanks!

CONNECTING CENTRAL TEXAS MILITARY FAMILIES

One World Theater and the American Red Cross of Central Texas partner for special program

 

One World, Austin's largest multi-cultural arts-in-education outreach organization and the American Red Cross of Central Texas have teamed up to create a very special program for the benefit of the children of military families who are faced with the challenges of having one or more deployed parent. Entitled, "A World Apart, a Moment Together," the program centers around One World's innovative performing arts summer camp program. Scholarships provided by One World and the American Red Cross of Central Texas have been given to 20 kids, ages 5-18, for the opportunity to be a part of a dynamic, full-length musical production of “Beauty Lou & The Country Beast.” The program is sponsored by BAE Systems.

The camp began on Monday, June 8, and will culminate with the musical’s performance on Saturday, June 13, at 12pm. Media are invited to attend the Saturday performance.

Campers will be given the rare opportunity to display their new talents on the One World stage, with a special twist.

Through a partnership with LifeSize, Austin's premier video conferencing development company and the international network of the American Red Cross of Central Texas, the overseas parent may be able to see their child in real-time as they perform, and the child may be able to see the pride on their parent's face as naturally as if they were in the actual audience. At the end of the performance, each child and their family may be given the opportunity to interact with their deployed loved one privately. Thanks to LifeSize, families may be connected to up to four different locations around the world for an experience that is both global and highly personal at the same time. 

“So many of our Central Texas military members are on multiple deployments and have missed out on a lot of special moments in their children’s lives,” says Michael Chaisson, Manager of Service to Military Families for Texas for the American Red Cross. “This is a chance to bring them closer to home.”