- Donate blood three times. I’d love to commit to donating blood every 56 days, but my iron levels just don’t rebound in that amount of time. I also have very little child-free time each week, and while the cheerful, optimistic part of me would love to take my kids with me when I donate blood, the realistic part of me – the part of me that has actually MET my “spirited” children – knows this would be a mistake. There’s no need to subject other blood donors and Red Cross employees to those two rugrats.

- Volunteer for four events. My family’s schedule doesn’t allow me to volunteer on a regular basis (i.e. weekly administrative assistance) or at off times of day (i.e. middle of the night disaster response). Instead, one-time events – like the Bryan Christmas Parade, for which my family and I volunteer a couple of weeks ago – are a good fit, as they generally last for only a few hours and are planned far enough in advance to allow me to clear my calendar.

- Spread the word. We’ve lived in our current city (after a move across the country) for a full year, and I’ve met quite a few people – both friends and acquaintances – over the course of these last 12 months. It’s time for me to start talking about Red Cross blood donation, volunteering, etc. with those who will listen, which means it’s also time for me to brush up on my elevator speech!

- Organize at least one Red Cross-related activity for each of my children’s classes. A few weeks ago I coordinated a Holiday Mail for Heroes event for my son’s preschool class, and it was a huge hit. I’d like to do the same for both kids’ classes next year, and perhaps throw another activity into the mix as well. Ideas?

What are your Red Cross New Year’s Resolutions? How do you make sure you’ll follow through on your plans to accomplish it all?

Happy New Year!

People across the country are ordering holiday cards, printing holiday cards and mailing holiday cards. Cards to friends, cards to colleagues, cards to far-flung family members. So many cards, in fact, that they can feel like a chore rather than an inspiring part of the season. What about including someone special who you may not know on that list this year? There’s no better way to get into the holiday spirit than to extend a word of thanks to someone who has honorably served our country.

In this series of posts, we’ll be sharing new ideas to celebrate the holidays with help from some of our closest partners. First up is an easy way to support the troops, veterans and their families. All that’s needed is paper, something to write with, and an appreciative heart.

Our own Anne Marie Borrego recently interviewed Les Morris, spokesperson from Simon Property Group:

Anne Marie Borrego:
Thanks, Les. The Red Cross has collected and distributed greeting cards for members of the military, veterans and their families for the last five years through its Holiday Mail for Heroes program. These cards—from individuals across the country—thank these honorable men and women for their commitment and sacrifices. This year, Simon Malls is joining us in the effort. How are you making it fun and easy to get involved?

Les Morris:
There are two ways to get involved. First, we have holiday cards available to sign at the guest services counter in our mall locations. Also, we’ve got a club called the Simon Kidgets Club. Its a program offered to children ages 3-8 and their parents. At this time of the year, there are several different types of family and holiday activities. One of the activities being offered is creating holiday cards for the troops using markers, glue and construction paper. The children love this heart warming activity and it is in support of the American Red Cross’s Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

Anne Marie Borrego:
It’s got to mean so much to our troops and their families when they get those handmade cards. What do people do if they can’t get to the mall for a card-making event?

Les Morris:
You can drop off a card up until Dec 11 at a guest services booth in any Simon Mall.

Anne Marie Borrego:
Great. And I believe that you also have a great gift idea that helps out the Red Cross.

Les Morris:
Simon Property Group is pleased to offer customers the chance to donate to the American Red Cross by purchasing a Simon Amex Candy Cane gift card. $1 of $3 will go to American Red Cross. You can also buy the cards online .

Anne Marie Borrego:
That discount is only being offered to Red Cross supporters on the Red Cross Website and blog, right?

Les Morris:
Absolutely!

Anne Marie Borrego:
That’s excellent. Thanks, Les, for all you do for the Red Cross and for our troops this holiday season.

Red Cross volunteers will be at many of the Simon Malls card-making events. If you see them, say hello, and if you make a card, be sure to share photos of your handiwork on our Facebook wall.

Col. Gregory S. Zehner, Gail McGovern, and Justin Constantine sign cards at the Holiday Mail for Heroes kick off event in

Washington DC on November 3rd.

Our culture is constantly debating what public figures, celebrities and athletes are adequate role models for our children. This past month I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and reflect on some of my heroes—people who have shown extraordinary courage and selflessness on behalf of our country and others around the world.

Justin Constantine (seen above) was shot in the head by a sniper six weeks into his deployment as a Marine Reservist in Iraq in 2006. The bullet missed his brain, coming in under his left ear and exiting his mouth. He said if it wasn’t for a fellow corpsman who performed rescue breathing and an emergency tracheotomy, he would have died right there on the spot.

Justin, now an associate general counsel for the Department of Justice, spoke at our kick-off event in Washington, D.C., for the Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign on November 3^rd. This is the Red Cross’ annual drive asking the public to send holiday cards with messages of cheer and appreciation for our service members serving away from home this holiday. Together with our incredible partner, Pitney Bowes, we collect cards, screen them for hazardous materials, and deliver them to military bases and hospitals, veteran’s hospitals and other locations during the holidays. 

After Justin bravely spoke about his surgeries, his time spent in the hospital and how much it meant to receive cards of encouragement from men and women around the country that he didn’t even know, there was not a dry eye in the room. Not only did Justin give his time to serve our country, but he suffered a devastating injury that has only moved him to continue to serve others in need. He now volunteers his time with the Wounded Warrior Project, which helps our wounded heroes successfully adjust to life after being injured.

Justin has an incredible heart for service, a deep appreciation for all the support he received during his recovery and a strong spirit that no bullet can take away. He is truly one of my heroes, and I’m grateful for how willing he is to share his story and advocate for our service men and women.

As if that experience weren’t moving enough, the next week I had the honor of attending the Pentagon premiere of George Lucas’ documentary “Double Victory.” The film chronicles the battle African-American airmen fought during WWII, not just against the Axis powers but against racial discrimination. Their courage, determination and belief in true freedom led them to fight for the training they needed and the opportunity to fly and protect our country.

These brave men are also my heroes. Their unyielding desire to serve and to be granted equal rights represent the best of America.

After these experiences, I couldn’t help but relate to the story I read last week about Justin Timberlake attending the Marine Corp Ball with a marine who asked him to be her date via YouTube. Justin wrote a moving blog about his experience saying he’d met many of his heroes in life, like Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson, but no one made him feel more honored than meeting the heroes he spent time with at the Marine Corp Ball.

He urged Americans to be active in thanking our military members for their sacrifice—thanking them in person, sending them an email, buying them a beer. I couldn’t agree more. Our Holiday Mail for Heroes mailbox is open through December 9^th. Your card will warm the heart of a service member serving in Iraq, Afghanistan or even San Diego, who is away from friends and family this holiday season.

As the stepmom of an Air Force member who spent two holiday seasons in Iraq, I know how deeply touched he was when received these cards. In his words, they helped him get through the holidays knowing others cared.  In fact, this Thanksgiving I will be hosting my own Holiday Mail for Heroes event – right around my kitchen table.  My dinner guests will be making holiday cards for our troops – I would encourage you to consider doing the same at your Thanksgiving feast.

As we begin preparations to celebrate Thanksgiving this week, I’m so very thankful for the heroes in our U.S. military and their families. Their sacrifice ensures our safety and freedom. They truly embody the heart of the Red Cross Mission of service.

An important holiday worldwide, Veterans Day is especially significant throughout the Red Cross because of the organization’s ties, through the Services to Armed Forces (SAF) program, to the United States Military.

- The Red Cross provides pre-deployment briefings on the support systems and resources available to service members and their families while service members are away.

- The Red Cross provides – 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year – a lifeline between service members and their families by verifying and transmitting emergency messages.

- Additionally, the Red Cross provides military families with access to financial assistance in partnership with military aid organizations as well as referral information and assistance to veterans.

So this Friday, take a few moments to thank those who have bravely and generously served our country through membership in the Armed Forces.

- Post a thank you message on Facebook or tweet a thank you message on Twitter.

- Participate in the Holiday Mail for Heroes program by making a holiday card for a service member, veteran, or military family. (Click here for more information about the Holiday Mail for Heroes program.)

- Donate blood at one of the hundreds of Veterans Day blood drives going on throughout the country. (Click here to find a Veterans Day blood drive in your area.)

- Donate a monetary gift, in honor a service member, veteran, or military family, through the Red Cross Holiday Giving catalog. Even a small amount ($50 = 1 military comfort kit, $20 = 1 military phone card, and $30 = hygiene kids for 3 homeless veterans) can make a tremendous different in the life of an active duty service member or veteran. (Click here to shop the Red Cross Holiday Giving catalog.)

My sincerest thanks to all of our veterans, and happy Veterans Day.

Yesterday, we added some new tools to our arsenal that will help us serve the patients at these – 275 Chromebooks, donated by Google! These laptops will make it easy for recovering men and women to surf the web and stay in contact with friends and family.

Recovering warriors and their families stationed at Walter Reed receive training from Google staff on the new Google Chrome Notebooks.

Here at the Red Cross, we’ve talked a lot about how people are turning more and more to social networks to communicate with their loved ones during disasters. We’re excited by this opportunity to enhance our existing services for military families by strengthening connectivity and helping patients build a network of support right from their hospital beds.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were injured and recovering, but unable to see close family members and friends? How did you stay in touch? Let us know in a comment!

This dog must’ve taken Red Cross swimming lessons – look at his form! [I Has a Hot Dog]

Training for a plane crash [Wall St. Journal]

Maybe make this as a treat while building your preparedness kit? [instructables]

The ICRC is hosting a TED event November 27th [TEDxRC2]

For our Zombie / fitness / preparedness friends [Gadling]

Looking After the Soldier, Back Home and Damaged [NYTimes]*

One Who Cared [YouTube CapeCodcatfarm]

What’s in our Go Bags? [The Onion]**

Prepare-aphernalia: Video Game Armor [Oregon Trail chapter blog]

Infographic: Disasters in the age of social media [Geary Interactive]

Infographic: Predicting the next big earthquake [InfDPV]

* Are you impacted by a military deployment? Our Coming Home Series can help.
** We hope you’re doing better than this. Get a Kit tips.

“As part of the Red Cross Youth on-base here in Yokosuka, we have done a lot to help our community.  We have put on a school supply drive for children in Afghanistan and a book drive for the Naval Hospital, sent Valentines and care packages to troops in the Middle East and even planned events with the Youth Group at the Japanese Red Cross like handing out holiday cards to service members.  We also just became the first official recognized DOD school club in Asia so we’re really proud of our achievements in our community – but even after all of that, like the rest of the world, we were still shocked by the earthquake.

Emily Stith, 16, visits the Torii gate, a World Cultural Heritage site in Japan. She is a longtime Red Cross volunteer and helped start the Red Cross club at her high school.

I was at softball practice when the earthquake struck and I knew then and there that it was different from the previous quakes common in Japan.  I struggled to stand up straight, the light poles near the field were shaking vigorously, and the pool in the gym next to the field overflowed and the water gushed down the stairs. We were quickly evacuated away from the field because it was near the water and a tsunami warning had been issued.  I tried to call my mom who was somewhere driving off base but the phone lines for the entire country were fried because of the sudden influx of calls and no one could get a hold of anyone.  At the time we didn’t know the magnitude of the events up north, but started to get an idea driving past all traffic lights that were out on the way home.  The power was out at our house, in our whole neighborhood and throughout most of the city of Yokosuka.  We would occasionally go outside to get an update from the TV in my mom’s car, but otherwise we were sitting in the dark wondering what was happening in the rest of the country…

Saturday, the day after the earthquake, the power came back on in our area and we spent most of the day glued to the TV.  Almost every single channel on my Japanese cable TV showed news, pictures and videos of the earthquake and tsunami and the devastation they left in northern Japan.  I’m sure you’re familiar with the footage – the tsunami washing over villages and cities, cars and boats floating around like toys in a bathtub, whirlpools forming off of the coasts, other neighborhoods on fire because of gas line leaks, the tsunami being on fire due to the gas fires, people calling for help stranded on top of buildings, concerns about the nuclear plants… I had a hard time believing this was all happening in the same country as me.

My mom, planning in case the situation got worse, made sure we had all the emergency supplies we would need.  She gathered water, candles, batteries, flashlights, canned food and other items.  I knew it was “just in case” but it was all beginning to sink in; the footage from up north, the nuclear problems, the power outages, the never ending aftershock earthquakes, and the preparations.  I was beginning to question my “it’ll all get better in a couple of days” attitude and started to think “what if it got worse?”

I started racking my brain for something that I could possibly do to help by my emotions were torn.  I wished I could just go up north to help everyone myself, but I knew very well that right now the Japanese government is doing the best they can with everything. I also heard that people around the world were sending money in to help and knew that was the best way to get people the help they needed the fastest.

A couple ideas started to come to me.  I realized that not many people knew what to do during the earthquake (such as find shelter under a table if indoors, and to stay in open ground away from buildings if outdoors) so I decided to start an earthquake awareness program at our school.  I used to go to Japanese school from kindergarten up until the 8th grade, and we had earthquake drills almost every month.  I am hoping we can start something similar to that at my high school because Japan is such an earthquake prone country.  The Red Cross always encourages people to get a kit, make a plan and be informed but I thought that with this group we could help people learn not only what to do but how to do it.  When everyone gets back together on base, we also want to hold a Red Cross Youth Drive fundraiser since we can’t send in $10 donations by phone from here – but in the US you can by texting the word REDCROSS to 90999.

Even though it’s I’m still scared because earthquakes are unpredictable and could happen where I live, it makes me feel better to know that I am helping someone who survived through everything I couldn’t believe I was seeing and hearing on TV.  I want the people who have suffered to feel a little more comfortable after all that they have been through with the earthquake and tsunami.

I live south of where the damage was the worst and many signs of the earthquake still remain so I know it is going to take a while for this nation to recover.  I would love to move forward from this, but it’s hard to know how to act after a natural disaster.  It’s not something that can necessarily be taught… but hopefully the little bit that I can do to help will be able to help make a bigger difference for the people of Japan.”