News of interest to ARCRA members

April 27 - May 12, 2019

This spring, Red Cross volunteers and partners will install 100,000 free smoke alarms in high risk neighborhoods nationwide. Sound the Alarm installation and fire safety events will take place in more than 100 communities across the country, providing a lifesaving service to reduce death and injury from home fires.

Click here and enter your zip code to find events in your area and register to volunteer.

Already, 552 documented lives have been saved since the Home Fire Campaign began.

Just one day of your life can change someone else’s forever.

Bonnie and Gerry Gibson of Sultan, Washington, lost their son Greg to a home fire three years ago.  Since that day, Bonnie and Gerry have volunteered with the Red Cross to install nearly 3,000 smoke alarms to help save lives. “It’s a good feeling because we know that we’re helping to save a life,” Bonnie Gibson said. “I think Greg is looking down and saying good job, good job.”

Hear the Gibsons share their inspiring story in this video.

Like most volunteer organizations, ARCRA relies on active committees to ensure that we meet our obligations to our members. These committees include board members but several, including Advocacy & Education, Programs & Services, Finance, and Membership, become much stronger when they include the views of other members from around the country. Committee work generally includes quarterly phone meetings and time required for meeting preparation and participation in initiatives and activities. Region Representative positions in the South, Midwest and Northeast are also open; these positions support our Affiliated Groups. For additional information about these positions, log in to the ARCRA website and (MC DRAFTNG COPY
 FOR WEBSITE). To request additional info and/or convey your interest, email President Carroll at carrollm1298@gmail.com

The following message is from Gail McGovern, President and CEO:

Hello everyone,

During March, Red Cross Month, I wanted to take a minute to acknowledge and celebrate our historic mission, as well as our dedicated employees and volunteers who deliver that mission in communities across the country and around the world.

Our Proud Legacy
As you may know, this tradition began in 1943 with a proclamation from President Franklin D. Roosevelt and for more than 75 years, all U.S. presidents have designated March as Red Cross Month. This year’s proclamation recognizes the many who have answered the call to help others under our Red Cross emblem that continues to stand for help and hope during the most challenging of times.

In March, we salute all the heroes who make a difference in their communities by donating blood or platelets; volunteering to help people affected by a disaster; taking a first aid or CPR class to help in an emergency; or providing comfort to a member of the military, a veteran or their family.

I hope you take pride in being part of this great legacy, as I do. Please take a moment to watch this video on our treasured Red Cross history of which each one of you is now a part. 

A medical-alert device is a panic button worn around the wrist or as a pendant that can call “911” for help if you fall or in an emergency when you cannot reach your phone to call for help.  More than 3 million consumers already own one.  But, which is the best devise to buy. Consumer’s Checkbook tested 11 devices and found disturbing deficiencies and delays to getting to “911”.  These delays are because most devises connect you with a call center and they determine your emergency, call “911”, and relay your information to “911”.  All this increases the amount of time between when your call is answered and “911” is dispatched.  Some devices also sent multiple false alarms.  And others could not provide location information. 

Checkbook could not recommend most devises tested but if you  buy one consider:

• GreatCall Lively Mobile because it called local “911” directly and had the fastest average response rate.
• Shop based on features and response rate rather than price, which can vary from $130 to $625 for the first year.
• Use the 30-day free trial period to teat response time and location accuracy. 
• Complete the customer profile with as much detail as possible-medical conditions, medications including dosage and times per day, and doctor contact information.

More information is available at the Washington Post. 

The full report on medical-alert devices is available at  www.checkbook.org/washingtonpost/alert. Washington Consumer Checkbook is a nonprofit organization that seeks to help consumers get the best service and lowest prices.

Region Representatives (RR) play the important role of supporting our 19 Affiliated Groups to help Red Cross retirees to stay connected. Positions in the Northeast (CT, DE, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, PR, RI, VT & U.S. Virgin Islands) and the Midwest (IA, IL, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI, IN, KY, MI, OH) are open now. To receive a job description and additional information, email President Carroll at carrollm1298@gmail.com. These positions are not overly burdensome and offer the reward of helping Red Cross retirees to stay connected. 

Red Cross NHQ Departments are seeking volunteers to fill high level and strategic volunteer opportunities. Many of these opportunities have flexible schedules and can be done remotely. Click Here to learn more about volunteering with NHQ.

Here are a few of the opportunities available this month. Click each title to view more about the position and instructions on how to apply:

• Volunteer Intake Lead-The VIP Center lead works with a network of volunteers across the country trained to help potential new volunteers navigate our volunteer intake process in a quick, fun and engaging way.
• International Tiffany Circle Support Volunteer -This position provides support to Policy and Partnerships (P&P) Unit in engaging the international Tiffany Circle
• Volunteer Services Virtual Instructor – instructs short (1.5 hour) virtual courses using Webex as the teaching platform for the People Management Development Program (PMDP).
• Disaster Services Mass Care Call Lead – leads the production of the nationwide monthly Mass Care Call, including coordinating presentation topics, presenters and Webex support.

 Interested in seeing what other NHQ opportunities are available? Click Here to enter your zip code and view all available opportunities. If you are interested in applying or have questions, please contact the NHQ Recruiter team at nhqvolrecruiter@redcross.org

The American Red Cross has an emergency need for blood and platelet donors to help ensure lifesaving medical treatments and emergency care are not delayed or canceled this winter. Right now, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of most blood types, and blood products are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in. The Red Cross strives to keep a five-day supply on hand at all times to meet the needs of patients every day and be prepared for emergencies that would require significant volumes of donated blood products.

Resolve to give blood or platelets now and all year long so that lifesaving blood products are available for patients who depend on transfusions for survival. Please make an appointment by using the Blood Donor App, visiting  RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1- 800-733-2767).

A blood donation takes about an hour from start to finish, but the actual donation itself only takes about 8-10 minutes. Donation appointments are encouraged to reduce possible wait times at blood donation sites.

Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass. With RapidPass, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

Please make an appointment to donate today.

Four new board members were elected to the ARCRA Board.  They participated in the board meeting conference call on February 7. The new elected board members are:

Anne Beaulieu retired in 2018.  She served American Red Cross for 10 years, in a variety of locations and roles including financial development director for Massachusetts Bay Chapter, and donor recruitment positions in Rochester, Farmington and Wichita Falls. She was president and CEO of the United Way of Duchess County, New York and worked in the Greater Rochester United Way. She was president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Southeast Massachusetts and a senior development executive in several organizations. Anne lives in Marian, Mass.

Rosemary Leyland retired in 2008, after 41 years as an American Red Cross staff member; she has 10 additional years as a Red Cross volunteer. Her career was in the Penn Jersey Blood Services Region; at various times she served as director of strategy development, volunteer administration, chapter relations, and donor resources development. Since retirement, she has served on the Region’s board of directors. For four years Rosemary chaired the PenJerDel affiliated group. Rosemary lives in Ambler, Pa.-

John Pacheco retired in 2012, after a 35-year career in American Red Cross in southern California He was CEO of the Santa Monica chapter, and held various health and safety positions in the Greater Los Angeles Chapter and the Los Angeles blood region. He continues as a National Instructor in Disaster Services, and is currently the chair of the Southern California affiliated group. John currently is chair of the Emergency Services Committee Sylmar Neighborhood Council, Los Angeles.

Sharyn Whitman retired in 2015, after serving in Red Cross for 38 years. She held blood region CEO posts in Ft. Wayne and Columbus, and also served as the Division Vice President overseeing Red Cross blood regions in Ft. Wayne, Louisville and Nashville. Previously she had been administrator of the Northern Ohio Region in Cleveland, and before that, Director of Product Management. Sharyn holds an MBA from Baldwin University, and completed Harvard University’s Partners in Organizational Leadership program. Sharyn lives in Hanover, Ind.

Members of the ARCRA Executive Committee, Michael Carroll, Dave Therkelsen, Jim Hamilton and Jack Campbell and ARCRA Administrator Christie Phillips met on January 24 with Red Cross President/CEO Gail McGovern; CFO Brian Rhoa; Chief Human Resources Officer, Melissa Hurst; VP, Total Rewards and Policy, Mike Nichols; Director, Benefits and Retirement Programs, Gary Stradiotto; and others from the Benefits section. We’ll be sharing what we learned about plans to keep the Retirement System strong in eNewsletters and The Retiree in the coming months.

President/CEO Gail McGovern briefed ARCRA on current Red Cross activities including a number of unique and challenging disasters. Her description of the hardships caused by the wildfire in Paradise, CA and the complexities of the relief operation were particularly compelling. She also reaffirmed Red Cross’s firm commitment to keeping the pension fund sound noting that the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) requires the organization to do so. The ARCRA team briefed Gail on ARCRA activities and conveyed that in addition to our top priority of representing retirees, we have a strong commitment to keeping our members up to date on Red Cross activities, and encouraging them to volunteer, donate blood and contribute financially.

In ARCRA meetings with the Benefits Team, we identified a number of opportunities for Red Cross to assist membership efforts by getting ARCRA information in front of Red Cross employees who may have begun thinking about retirement including those whose eventual benefit will come from the Savings Plan or in an optional lump-sum pay-out. Each team has some follow-up work; we’ll keep our membership posted on developments.

ARCRA came away from this meeting feeling like our Red Cross leaders were candid and conveyed genuine interest in retirees and ARCRA, the organization that represents them. More to come.

As if taxes weren’t confusing enough, this year the new tax rules take effect for our 2018 tax filings,  AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free, individualized tax preparation for low-to moderate-income taxpayers - especially those 50 and older - at nearly 5,000 locations nationwide. The program is funded through grants from AARP Foundation and the Internal Revenue Service. Find a location near you by searching below.

Before visiting a Tax-Aide site, please note:

• You will need to bring your important documents to the site. Access the complete list.
• Federal Tax assistance is available at all locations. State tax assistance is available at all locations in your state for in-state residents, and may be available to out-of-state residents in select neighboring states. Please contact sites in your neighboring state to confirm availability.
• Site hours are subject to change on a weekly basis. Therefore, please check again the day before you plan to go to the site.

The tax preparers, called counselors, receive about five days of training and IRS certification on basic tax preparation and issues.  If you have been doing your own taxes, are comfortable with numbers and computers, and working with the public being a volunteer tax preparer might be a great opportunity.