Calling all college students and alumni!

A new American Red Cross Blood Donors Facebook application was launched yesterday:

Campus Blood Donor Challenge

It lets you show support for your school by registering donations with a national database, letting you see how your school is matching up with your rivals.

March is Red Cross Month.

That’s right. We have our very own month. Starting with Franklin D Roosevelt in 1943, every sitting President has proclaimed March as Red Cross Month.

What does this mean for you?
March is Red Cross Month is a time to celebrate your great support. Thank you for your generous gifts. You have positively changed people’s lives.

This is also the time, as FDR so eloquently suggested, for Americans to

“rededicate themselves to the splendid aims and activities of the Red Cross.”

We humbly offer a few ways you can do just that.

• Call your local chapter and find out how you can get involved today.
• Find a local blood drive and donate.
• Join us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and LinkedIn
• Right click, save as those sample avatars at the top of this post and use them during March on FB, Twitter, and wherever else you like. Want to make different avatars for us? Go for it! We’d love to see them – leave links to them in the comments of this post.

Set your DVRs

• On January 12, the American Red Cross is scheduled to be part of The Early Show on CBS in honor of National Blood Donor Month. More than 30 volunteers will join us live outside the studio to encourage people to donate blood through the Red Cross or their local blood bank.
• The Doctors television show will air a public service announcement focused on donating blood during an upcoming episode commemorating January as National Blood Donor Month. We expect this episode to air on January 20. Be sure to check your local television listings for affiliate and times.

Donate!
>> Why we need O Negative

I followed through on my 2009 resolution to donate blood to the American Red Cross every 56 days. This is the first resolution I have ever stuck to, so I crocheted an amigurumi blood drop to commemorate the event.

Congratulations and thank you to Crochetbunii!

What are your resolutions for 2010? We have some suggestions…

What do actor Masi Oka and the Red Cross have in common?

Heroes!

In addition to starring in the TV show, Heroes, Oka is one of thousands of real-life heroes who volunteer with the Red Cross.

So just in case you’re a fan of his (and who isn’t?) I thought I’d let you know that he will be appearing on several shows this New Year’s weekend, talking about his work with the Red Cross and encouraging more people to get involved.

Here’s the rough schedule:

12/31 (Thursday) on the NBC Today Show – appearance some time in the 9:00 am hour, probably at 9:30

12/31 (Thursday) on the Carson Daly New Year’s show – appearance sometime in the 10:00 pm hour or after 11:30 pm

1/2 (Saturday) on the Weekend Today Show – appearance some time in the 8:00 am hour, probably at 8:30

“I know that being part of something bigger than myself has made a real difference in my life. With the New Year upon us, why not think about how volunteering your time or being a blood donor can make a difference to you… and others. We can all be heroes this holiday season by supporting the Red Cross.”

[Words from Masi Oka. Links created by me. Click and get involved!]

As we close down the year (and some say the decade) we are eagerly anticipating the future and all the ways technology will enhance our ability to fulfill the mission of the American Red Cross.

But…

Tradition tells us we should reflect a bit on our past, so here are the 10 blog posts from this humble site that you all visited the most this year:

1. Fort Hood Shootings: The tragic events of this day led many of you to this post. We wanted to make sure you had the most updated information about where to donate blood and how to use our Safe & Well site and you all made the post a community of sharing.
2. Holiday Mail for Heroes: Well, we’ve heard you loud and clear. You really like this program where you can send holiday cards directly to service members, their families, and veterans. We love being able to connect you all together in this way and we’re looking for more ways to do it even better in the future.
3. Target’s Bullseye Gives Facebook Contest: Thank you for visiting this post in droves and activating your networks to vote for us on Facebook. Your kind votes won $792,000 for our mission.
4. Bites for Blood: Fans of True Blood got together to create this site. HBO found it and pledged $10,000 if you all got 500,000 virtual bites from True Blood characters. And you did it.
5. CPR LOLs: You can’t get enough of the LOLCat CPR.
6. American Samoa Relief Efforts: The earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Samoa earlier this year had you all clicking to find out how you can help. You are extraordinary in times of disaster.
7. 6 Degrees of Red Cross: We played a little of the Kevin Bacon inspired game with you all. Actually, we’re always playing this game, so click through and let us know your connection.
8. I Saved a Whole Cat: This triple blood donor did some feline math to measure his contributions this year – and you guys loved it.
9. Vaccine Questions? We’ve Got Answers: H1N1 (swine flu) was a big topic this year and we’re so thankful that you all trusted us and our Chief Nurse Sharron Stanley to guide you through the sometimes confusing pandemic.
10. Home Fires Map: The daily work of the American Red Cross is astounding. We respond to an average of 200 home fires every single day across the country. So we mapped all of them to give you an idea of their magnitude.

Honorable Mentions

• We are so thankful to Robin Parker from the Oregon Trail Chapter for her timely and informative Weekly Worldwide Wrap-up that has kept us in the know throughout 2009.
• We are proud to have launched Cross the Globe podcast headed up by our own Mat Morgan.
• We welcomed the insights of our President and CEO Gail McGovern to the blog.
• Twitter was a big part of our collective lives.

Thanks for reading in 2009 and let us know what you’d like to see in 2010!

Here’s the Twitter-sized news from Red Cross chapters around the country today:

• RedCrossCTC: Red Cross Tiffany Circle members deliver more than 100 gifts to families in Fort Hood today!!! Go Red Cross!!
• ARCAGCC: Prepare a family to be strong when a U.S. military member is deployed. For info go to www.RedCross.org/gifts. #HolidayGiving
• redcrossokc: Winter is here! For #RedCross winter safety tips visit http://tinyurl.com/yekkn5v.
• RedCrossPDX: RT @Federation Today, follow #Tsunami to read the timeline of events as they happened on Dec 26, 2004
• redcrossny: Responded to VACATE @ 248-10 Hook Creek Blvd, Queens, NY 11422. Red Cross auto update.
• redcrosstc: We’re helping a family whose house burned down this AM in Vadnais Heights. Pls send warm thoughts 2 them on this cold day! #redcross
• RedCrossSELA: http://twitpic.com/tr5r0 – Picture of flooding in St. Charles Parish from 12-15-09 #nolaflood
• RedCrossBloodGA: Check out this great @fox5atlanta story on long-time platelet donor, Jack Fishman: http://bit.ly/6VS5Ax. He’s given platelets 605 times!
• RedCrossSeWi: Milwaukee DAT on scene of a fire on the southside. Nine individuals have been displaced from their home.

—

Scared of needles?

This is your big chance to donate blood without them. Do it virtually if you have a Twitter account.

HBO has officially endorsed a True Blood fansite with a challenge.

If 500,000 of you click here and follow the instructions, HBO will donate $10,000 to the Red Cross.

• How to sign up for and use Twitter so you can participate
• Follow @RedCross and find your local Red Cross on Twitter

You can follow us on Twitter @RedCross.

grandprize_23: Is now certified to save your life and the lives of your loved ones by the american red cross

 mommyisrocknrol: The American Red Cross’ new blood donation slogan: “Starve a vampire, Give blood.” Really? Even the Red Cross has #Twilight fever!

Jackiedayy: the red cross called: my blood can be used in anyone and they want me to donate again. im scuurred.

lineagekeeper: Red Cross Nurse WWI http://post.ly/ChS8

snuffdigital: http://twitpic.com/poetn – I still think it’s neat that the red cross mails you a donor card.

We have some updates for you concerning Red Cross activities for Ft Hood:

Thanks to those who donate blood regularly, the Red Cross was able to support local area hospitals as they worked to meet the immediate needs of those injured in the events at Ft. Hood.

At this time, all emergency blood needs have been met. However, it is important for eligible donors to continue to make appointments to donate blood in the coming weeks and months. If you are eligible to give blood or have questions about donating, please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (800-448-3543) or visit us online at givelife.org.

The Red Cross will continue to support the Armed Services Blood Program upon request and as needed to supply specific blood products.

As with before, families seeking more information can call the Army hotlines at (254) 724-4376 (local) or (866) 836-2751.

• Scott & White Hospital has additional information about blood donation needs
• USArmy is tweeting information