Red Cross volunteers gather for a parade on San Juan Island By Gordon Williams The American Red Cross has had a presence on the San Juan Islands of Washington for more than a century. The first local chapter was formed in January of 1918 with the primary goal of aiding U.S. service members engaged in … Continue reading Summing up a century in the San Juan Islands
Getting motivated during quarantine
By Jennifer Astion Living in Seattle I have often felt that disasters occurred somewhere else. However, when the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on March 11 and a 5.7 magnitude earthquake rattled Salt Lake City on March 18, I quickly found the motivation I needed to focus on my own … Continue reading Getting motivated during quarantine
Use quarantine time to safeguard your home from wildfires
By Gordon Williams The coronavirus has our full attention now, but rising temperatures and dwindling rainfall send a clear warning that the 2020 wildfire season is on the way. While it lasts, one million or more Washington homes will be at risk from fire — homes where wildlands and human development come together. Fortunately, there … Continue reading Use quarantine time to safeguard your home from wildfires
Michele Roth’s busy first days at the Red Cross
By Gordon Williams It’s not unusual to meet individuals who have been connected with the American Red Cross for years and years, decades even. Michele Roth, on the other hand, was just finishing her third week with the Red Cross when we interviewed her. Michele is the brand-new executive director of the Red Cross serving … Continue reading Michele Roth’s busy first days at the Red Cross
Dan Wirth takes on a challenging new Red Cross role
By Gordon Williams OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Employees and volunteers come to the American Red Cross from many diverse backgrounds. Even so, Dan Wirth, the new chapter executive director serving South Puget Sound and Olympics, is surely the only one to have managed a youth soccer program in the West African island nation of Equatorial Guinea. … Continue reading Dan Wirth takes on a challenging new Red Cross role
Coffman Engineers joins Sound the Alarm campaign
By Gordon Williams Tom Arnold and Craig Lee accept an award from Kris Pitcher When an individual joins a local American Red Cross board, it strengthens his or her ties to the community and earns praise for their organization as a good corporate citizen. The Red Cross chapter, in turn, gains new useful skills, an … Continue reading Coffman Engineers joins Sound the Alarm campaign
Safe holiday driving tips from the highway safety experts
By Gordon Williams We made it past one of the year’s two busiest travel weeks — Thanksgiving. But still to come is the even more challenging Christmas week. Fortunately the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has lots of good advice for staying safe on the highways even when the roads are thronged with holiday travelers. Some … Continue reading Safe holiday driving tips from the highway safety experts
Red Cross swim scholarships make a splash in Tukwila
By Gordon Williams Thanks to the American Red Cross Aquatics Centennial Campaign, there are 177 Seattle-area youngsters who feel safer and more at home in the water than they did only a few months ago. The Red Cross campaign is a nationwide effort to reduce deaths by drowning, by making learn-to-swim lessons widely available. It … Continue reading Red Cross swim scholarships make a splash in Tukwila
Nutrition is one key to giving blood
Every time you donate blood or platelets, you’re helping people with cancer, trauma patients, premature babies and organ transplants; just to name a few. To help them regain their health, the Red Cross relies on healthy donors. We recommend that you maintain a nutritious, well-balanced diet with foods rich in iron and high in vitamin C. These … Continue reading Nutrition is one key to giving blood
Managing a Red Cross chapter that spans 15 counties
Ryan Rodin By Gordon Williams It takes a wide range of skills for the Red Cross to carry out its mission of aiding disaster victims — from disaster responders to shelter workers to mental health professionals. But Ryan Rodin brings a very different set of skills to his job with the Greater Inland Northwest Red … Continue reading Managing a Red Cross chapter that spans 15 counties
American Red Cross NW Region 