WEEKLY UPDATE: 4/29 to 5/5

The April 29th Newsletter is now up! 


1. Liaison Meeting: There is a Liaison meeting for club officers THIS FRIDAY (May 4th) from 5:30PM to 7:00PM at the San Jose Office.
THINGS TO BRING: 1) Monthly Forms 2) Kits for Kids Items/Donations 3) OCC Supplies

2. Summer Internships: Looking to get more involved with the American Red Cross over the summer? Apply to be a 2012 Summer Intern! More information regarding job positions and details are located on our Youth Services website. Applications are due Monday, April 30th, 2012.

3. Sweet Tomatoes Fundraiser: Want to help raise money for the Red Cross? Then come out to our Sweet Tomatoes fundraiser in Mountain View. All proceeds will go to the Red Cross. No flyer needed. Make sure to bring all your friends and family members! The details are below!

WHEN: Friday & Saturday, May 4 and May 5 - ALL DAY
WHERE: Mountain View Sweet Tomatoes, 1040 Grant Rd, Mountain View, CA 94040
COST: $5 per person

4. Officer Elections/Club Start Up: If your club has not already done so, please email Denise ASAP regarding your new officers (their contact information: name, officer position, grade, email) or about starting up a club (and your officers' information also). We would like your new officers to attend one of the upcoming Liaison Meetings. FYI, there are still TWO more Liaison Meetings in the school year: May 4th and June 1st.

5. CPR Classes: Sign ups for the May 20th classes are now closed. If you are interested in attending one of these classes, email Denise in order to be placed on the waitlist. The next available CPR class will be held in June.

Any questions? Feel free to email Manasi!

CPR/First Aid: New course announced!

Need to get CPR/First Aid certified before the school year ends?

We have a couple more spots available MAY 20TH, 2012 FROM 12:30PM-6:30PM
and a new course available for sign ups SATURDAY JUNE 9TH, 2012 FROM 9:30AM-3:30PM.

Reserve your spot now!

Leadership Development Center 2012

Apply to attend LDC today! (June 25-29). To find more information on LDC, please click the LDC tab above.

WEEKLY UPDATE: 4/22 to 4/28

1. Health Fairs: Sign ups for the health fairs on April 28th and 29th are now closed. Volunteers that have signed up for shifts, please make sure to come to your shift on time; ALSO, for people that volunteer for the last shift of the event, please make sure that you arrange for a ride to come pick you up earlier in the case that the event/shift ends earlier than planned. Thanks!

2. Summer Internships: Looking to get more involved with the American Red Cross over the summer? Apply to be a 2012 Summer Intern! More information regarding job positions and details are located on our Youth Services website. Applications are due Monday, April 30th, 2012.

3. Kits for Kids: For the schools or volunteers that are collecting items for the Kits for Kids Campaign, please contact Denise if you need us to pick up the items from your schools and transport them to the San Jose Office. Remember, items are due at the next Liaison Meeting on May 4, 2012.

4. Officer Elections/Club Start Up: If you are a current officer of your school club or are interested in creating a club at your school, please notify Denise ASAP regarding your new officers (their contact information: name, officer position, grade, email OR when you will be holding officer elections) or about starting up a club (and your officers' information also). We would like your new officers to attend one of the upcoming Liaison Meetings. FYI, there are still TWO more Liaison Meetings in the school year: May 4th and June 1st.

5. CPR Classes: Sign ups for the April 28th or May 20th classes are now closed. If you are interested in attending one of these classes, email Denise in order to be placed on the waitlist.

6. Leadership Development Center (LDC): Come join LDC 2012! The application for LDC is located on our website (and below!) and is due May 13th. More details about the event are located below. We highly encourage officers for the next school year and officers of newly created clubs to attend this conference.

What: The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter’s Leadership Development Center (LDC) is a four-day overnight conference designed to build strong leaders and positive relationships among Red Cross Youth.
Who: All youth entering grades 9-12 who are interested in gaining leadership skills through volunteer work may apply. All LDC delegates must make a one- year commitment to Red Cross service.
When: LDC 2012 will be held June 25-28 at Santa Clara University. The deadline to apply for LDC 2012 is Sunday, May 13, 2012.
Where: LDC 2012 will be hosted on June 25-28 by Santa Clara University. For more information about Santa Clara University visit their website.
How to Apply: To apply, please complete our online LDC 2012 Delegate Application.

WEEKLY UPDATE: 4/15 to 4/21

1. Tech Challenge: We currently have 72 volunteers for the Tech Challenge event (which is awesome!). If you or anyone you know is still interested in helping out at the event, volunteers can still sign up for the event on the google doc. The details for the event are below! SIGN UP!

When: Saturday, April 21, 2012
Where: San Jose Tech Museum (201 South Market Street, San Jose, CA 95113)
What: Volunteers will assist with camera crew, crowd control, the Red Cross booth, lunch monitoring, monitoring challenge equipment, etc. There will also be FREE t-shirts & FREE food for all volunteers. In addition, volunteers might be on TV for this event.
Signup Deadline: Volunteers must sign up on the google form by Wednesday, April 18th.

2. Blood Drive: In tribute to Global Youth Service Day, the San Jose office will be hosting a Blood Drive. This is a school vs. school competition! The winning school who brings in the most donors will win a pizza party! Your siblings and family members can donate on your behalf. Our goal is to collect 30 units of blood (which is around 60 people), so please encourage people to come. The details about the event are below. I will be sending out the parental consent forms (if you are 16 years old) later in the week.

When: Friday-Sunday, April 20-22, 2012
Where: San Jose Blood Center, 2731 North First Street, San Jose, CA
Important Info: To schedule an appointment or for more information, call 1-800-733-2767 or contact Denise. In order to donate, you must be at least 17 years old (or 16 with parental permission) and weigh *110 lbs. There are certain weight restrictions if you are under 19, so please go to redcrossblood.org to check eligibility. Identification is required.

3. Kits for Kids: For the schools or volunteers that are collecting items for the Kits for Kids Campaign, please contact Denise if you need us to pick up the items from your schools and transport them to the San Jose Office. Remember, items are due by the end of the month, so keep on collecting your items or raising money!

4. Officer Elections/Club Start Up: If you are a current officer of your school club or are interested in creating a club at your school, please notify Denise ASAP regarding your new officers (their contact information: name, officer position, grade, email OR when you will be holding officer elections) or about starting up a club (and your officers' information also). We would like your new officers to attend one of the upcoming Liaison Meetings. FYI, there are still TWO more Liaison Meetings in the school year: May 4th and June 1st.

5. CPR Classes: Sign ups for the April 19th class are now closed. Please sign up for the classes on April 28th or May 20th if you would like to make use of our youth volunteer discount! Space is limited and you must sign up on the Event Sign-ups tab.

6. Earthquakes: There have been SIX major earthquakes around the world during the past 2 weeks. April is Earthquake Preparedness Month. Are you earthquake prepared?

Summer Internship

Summer Internship Application is now up! (click here)

Application are due Monday April 30th, 2012.

In Recent News: Youth CPR and Disaster Response in Action!

A couple of students in Washington state save their bus drivers life (and theirs too). Watch the clip!



You too can be a hero. Join us for our Youth CPR and First Aid classes! (RSVP under the Current Event Sign Up tab)

American Red Cross Silicon Valley Chapter Youth Services Gallery

Check out our new gallery!(Click here)

April is Earthquake Preparedness Month

Happy April! April is Earthquake Preparedness Month and ARC Silicon Valley Youth Department will be helping out the Tech Museum with their annual Tech Challenge (link) that will take place April 21st, 2012. We have several volunteer shifts available so please sign up! (sign up here)

Here's a reminder from ARC-LA of how you can prepare yourself for an earthquake TODAY:

April is Earthquake Preparedness Month and the American Red Cross would like to remind you to take earthquake preparedness steps now, before the next earthquake strikes. There are three actions everyone can take that can help make a difference. Get a kit. Make a plan. Be informed.
Get a Kit.
The key items of a kit include at least a three-day supply of water and food for each person, first aid supplies, clothing and bedding, tools, and special items. Review your kit every six months. Replace the food and water and add necessary items as your family’s needs change.

Water
- Store one gallon of water per person (or pet) per day.
- Store water in plastic containers. Avoid using containers that may break, such as glass bottles.

Food
Pick foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water. Most importantly, select foods that you and your family like.
- Ready-to-eat foods like canned meats, fruits, and vegetables
- Canned juices, milk, soup
- High energy foods, such as peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix
- Special food for infants, elderly persons, or persons on special diets
- Comfort food, such as cookies, candy, etc.

Tools and Supplies
- First Aid kit (for a complete list of First-Aid kit items, click here.)
- Prescription medications (at least a three day supply)
- Non-prescription medications, such as aspirin, antacid and anti-diarrhea medication)
- Eating utensils, cups, and plates
- Solar, manual or battery operated radio and extra batteries
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Non-electric can opener
- Whistle
- Map
- Gloves
- Wrench (to turn off gas and water)
- Clothing and a sturdy pair of shoes
- Blankets or sleeping bags
- Toilet paper
- Personal hygiene items: feminie supplies, toothbrush and toothpaste and soap


Important Family Documents
Keep these records or photocopies in a waterproof, portable container.
- I.D. Cards/Drivers License
- Emergency Contact List (including out-of-state contact)
- Passports, birth certificates, social security cards
- Medical Insurance cards, immunization records, prescription list for each family member
- Insurance policies
- Cash (small bills & coins)
- Bank account numbers, credit card and company numbers

Make a plan.
Planning ahead will help you have the best possible response to a disaster.

Talk- Discuss with your family the disasters that can happen where you live. Establish responsibilities for each member of your household and plan to work together as a team. Designate alternates in case someone is absent.

Plan- Choose two places to meet after a disaster:
•Right outside your home, in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire.
•Outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate your neighborhood.

Learn- Each adult in your household should learn how and when to turn off utilities such as electricity, water and gas. Ask your local fire department to show you how to use a fire extinguisher.

Tell everyone in the household where emergency information and supplies are kept. Make copies of the information for everyone to carry with them. Keep the information updated.

Practice evacuating your home twice a year. Drive your planned evacuation route and plot alternate routes on a map in case main roads are impassable or gridlocked.

Include your pets. If you must evacuate, take your animals with you. If it is not safe for you to remain, it is not safe for them.

Be informed.
Know what may happen and how you can help.

- Learn what disasters or emergencies may occur where you live, work and play.

- Identify how local authorities will notify you during a disaster and how you will get important information.

- Learn what you can do to prepare for disasters by contacting your local Red Cross chapter to ask about first aid, CPR and disaster training.

- Share what you have learned with your family, household and neighbors and encourage them to be informed too.

via American Red Cross Los Angeles Chapter