In April, We Honor Military Children

 

April is the “Month of the Military Child,” a time to honor and recognize the children of deployed military personnel.

There are about 2 million military children between the ages of newborn and 18 years old. These children often experience unique challenges of military life, including the deployment of parents, moving frequently, and changing schools while having to make new friends.

Parental separation combined with the reintegration of parents that come back from deployment with PTSD and physical disabilities can be really stressful to children. Some may have to face a parent’s death. Moving homes causes disrupted relationships with friends, and having to adjust to new communities and resources can make it hard for children to adapt.

The Red Cross supports America’s military members, veterans and their families.  Red Cross service programs can assist in making some of these experiences less strenuous.  These services range from responding to emergency needs for food, clothing, and shelter, referrals to counseling services (e.g., financial, legal, mental health), respite care for caregivers, and other resources that meet the unique needs of local military members, veterans and their families.

There is also an Emergency Communication service which relays urgent messages to service workers stationed anywhere in the world. This service delivers notifications of emergency situations such as the death or serious illness of a family member, and the good news of the birth or a child.

Help is available at (877) 272-7337, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

When calling the Red Cross, be prepared to provide as much of the following information about the service member as is known:

•         Full legal name
•         Rank/rating
•         Branch of service (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard)
•         Social Security number
•         Date of birth
•         Military unit address
•         Information about the deployed unit and home base unit (for deployed service members only)

 

Free Movie…

Hey Everyone!

We’ve been asked to the movies! Isn’t it nice to be asked?

United Way of Southern Nevada has invited us to a screening of a new film. You need to RSVP to VegasPBS.org/cinema or call 799-1010 x5374.

U.S. Marine Sergeant Nathan Harris, 25, leads his unit to fight a ghostlike enemy in Afghanistan. Wounded in battle, Harris returns to North Carolina to his devoted wife Ashley to fight pain, addiction and the terrifying normalcy of life at home.

Hell and Back Again will air nationally in the Emmy award-winning PBS series Independent Lens in May 2012. Check local listings.

Vegas PBS invites YOU!

And recent veterans, family and friends to attend the FREE SCREENING of the Independent Lens documentary

Hell and Back Again

followed by a panel & audience discussion

Thursday, May 24

6:00 pm

Greenspun Hall Auditorium

Reservations required vegaspbs.org/cinema or 799-1010 x5374

FOR MATURE AUDIENCE ONLY

Panelists:

Matt Haynes – United Way of Southern Nevada/AmeriCorps VISTA

Chaplain Arron Oliver – 1-221st Cavalry, U.S. Army

Ronald Lawrence – Community Counseling fo Southern Nevada

Gary Ruc – Iraq War veteran and Congressman Joe Heck case worker

Don’t Miss a Rare Opportunity!

On Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011, Sunrise Vista Golf Course at Nellis Airforce Base is hosting the Red Cross Golf Tournament. For just $75/person or $300/foursome, you can enjoy playing Las Vegas’ most exclusive course.

Shotgun start is at 8am.

Registration includes breakfast, golf, lunch and a nifty swag bag! Such a deal!

Not only that, but the National University Golf Academy will also be giving a free golf clinic for participants that morning at 7am

Tell your friends who golf about this rare opportunity to give to the Red Cross by golfing!

For sign ups, call Brooke at 702-369-3674, and we’ll see you on the links!

Deb Lancaster – Interim Director of Service Delivery

Last month we bid farewell to CEO Jeffrey Varnes as he retired after 45 years of service.  As most of you know Scott Emerson began serving as Interim CEO February 1st.  Since the CEO search process can often take several months Scott asked Deb Lancaster to join the paid staff as the Interim Director of Service Delivery.  

Deb will be in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays and is available via email and phone through out the week.  She is a veteran Red Crosser having retired from the American Red Cross of Summit and Portage Counties in Akron, Ohio in 2007 after 20 years of service.  Deb has a long non-profit career having worked for the Girls Scouts before joining the Red Cross.  Deb’s background was primarily HR and volunteer management but she spent the last 12 years of her paid Red Cross career as the Director of Emergency Services. 

In addition to her local work in Ohio Deb has been a long-time DSHR member and is a National Multi-Chapter Response Director.  Her national response experience includes being part of the immediate response to 9/11 (she landed in NYC on the 12th), Hurricane Katrina and as the job director for the 2008 Iowa Floods.  Deb’s national experience also includes helping to write the Emergency Services Program Manager courses.

Deb has three adult children and is a native of Akron, Ohio.  So what brings a midwest girl to Vegas? Deb’s husband is a Sales Manager covering the West and they decided to make Pahrump their home base in 2007 after Deb’s retirement.  Since that time Deb has been an active disaster services volunteer at the Southern Nevada Chapter.  Some of you have probably had Deb as your instructor in a disaster course.  Deb is also the Chair of the Nevada Statewide Disaster consortium.