A publication of the American Red Cross Santa Cruz County Chapter Fall 2013

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P4 Red Cross Apps: 1 Year, 3 Million Downloads

P3 Why I Help: Volunteer Wodage Tebeje

P2 In Memory: Volunteer Saul Hoffman

Chapter Honors Solari Family at GalaOn September 27, members of the Santa Cruz philanthropic community and supporters of the American Red Cross Santa Cruz County Chapter gathered at the Cocoanut Grove Ballroom at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for the third annual 2013 Celebrate the Red Gala.

The event is the largest volunteer-led fundraising event for the Chapter and benefits local disaster relief and readiness efforts for Santa Cruz County residents and businesses, while also raising awareness of the vital roles the Red Cross plays within the local and global communities.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 2013 Humanitarians of the Year Award to Mary and the late Richard C. “Dick” Solari. The couple supported the Santa Cruz community for more than three decades with their work in a wide range of areas such as education, health, culture, and the environment.

Mary said she learned the importance of giving back during the Great Depression. “I observed my mother feeding all who knocked on our back door,” said Mary. “Our house was ‘marked’ as a place where you could get a hot meal. It’s because of these early lessons that I have given when asked to help someone in need.”

In the early 1980s, Dick was one of the founders of the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County (CFSCC) and served on its Board of Directors. The Solaris have also made major contributions to Second Harvest Food Bank, Pajaro Valley Shelter Services, Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, the Homeless

Services Center, the Solari Gallery at the Museum of Art & History, Hospice of Santa Cruz County, Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and numerous other local charities.

Over the past three decades, the Solaris have supported several Red Cross Chapter sponsors including the Dominican Hospital. When Dick passed away from cancer in 2008, Mary became Dominican Hospital’s largest donor when she pledged $1 million toward the creation of the Mary and Richard Solari Cancer Center. The outpatient facility was built to bring all cancer resources provided by the hospital to a single location.

“We continue to try to be good neighbors,” says Mary.

On behalf of the Santa Cruz Red Cross we would again like to give our heartfelt thanks and congratulations on receiving the 2013 Humanitarians Award.

Mary and the late Richard C. “Dick” Solari received the 2013 Humanitarians of the Year Award at the Celebrate the Red Gala on Sept. 27 in Santa Cruz.

flickr.com/photos/sccredcross

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CEO Rita Chick to Retire After Two Decades of ServiceAfter 23 years of working with the American Red Cross, Rita Chick, Chief Executive Officer of the Santa Cruz County Chapter and Interim CEO for the Monterey Bay Area Chapter is retiring. Those who know Rita credit her ability to bring people together at local, national, and international levels.

“Rita is a HR professional and expert on the subtleties of helping both volunteers and employees to succeed in the Red Cross,” said Mark Cloutier, American Red Cross CEO for the Gateway to the Golden State Region

and the Bay Area Chapter, who began his position in June. “Rita always has the right touch to everything she engages in.”

Harold Brooks, who worked with Rita for nearly 15 years while he was the Regional CEO, said the Red Cross was lucky to have her.

“Rita is a connector,” he said. “People who have encountered Rita have a great affection and fondness for her.”

As a member of the Disaster Services Workforce, Rita has been part of numerous disaster responses supporting staff services and was deployed to Guam for an airline incident. Rita said the people she met from her Red Cross travels are the real highlights of her career.

Chris Maffia, the former President of the Santa Cruz County Chapter Board said Rita helped the executive committee to recruit several key individuals from the community, which

included local police officials, city and county leaders, and important business leaders.

“Harold gave us a real gift when he sent Rita to our office,” Chris said of Rita taking the helm at the Santa Cruz County Chapter three years ago.

Rita began her Red Cross career in 1989 as the Director of the Office of Volunteers at the San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter in Pasadena. She moved north in 1998 when she accepted the position of Director of Volunteer Resources at the Bay Area Chapter in San Francisco. In 2001, Rita became Chief Human Resources Officer, responsible for employees and volunteers at the Bay Area Chapter.

The dedication of the Red Cross volunteers amazes Rita. Harold said she reinforced the importance of appreciating volunteers, some of whom wake up in the middle of the night to assist those affected by local disasters, like home fires.

“Time is so precious,” Rita said. “Thank you is not enough. I am so proud to know these people who give so much.”

As Rita nears the end of her long commutes from her home in San Rafael to the Santa Cruz County Chapter office in Santa Cruz, and the Monterey Bay Area Chapter office in Carmel, she says she is excited to spend more time with her cat, Piccolo, and to travel with her husband, Leo.

“Rita is a great lady and I loved working with her,” Chris said. “I am really going to miss her.”

On July 3, 2013, the Santa Cruz County Chapter sadly lost a long-serving volunteer of more than 20 years, Saul Hoffman. Saul and his wife, Taffy, lived in Ben Lomond and were both dedicated Red Cross volunteers. They generously gave their time to help the Chapter build the community’s preparedness programs, and were heavily involved with their local disaster response team.

“One of the things that motivated Saul was working alongside folks who had the passion and training to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Taffy.

Saul helped create a mobile and rapid response Disaster Action Team (DAT), which was able to deploy a trailer of supplies anywhere needed within Santa Cruz County.

With the experience gained deploying to numerous local and national disasters, Saul helped the Chapter’s disaster response team plan for a variety of contingencies. He was able to organize teams and chapter-wide drills that improved the skills of Chapter volunteers.

Over time, Saul became a mentor and role model to many volunteers.

“Saul’s biggest lesson for me was the importance of the relationships we develop with those who work to prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies,” recalls good friend, Bill Fitler. “Saul was a worker, a teacher, a mentor, a partner, and a friend—and he will be missed by those who were lucky enough to have known him.”

In Memory: Saul Hoffman

Rita Chick will retire in November.

Saul Hoffman was instrumental in the development of the Santa Cruz Chapter Disaster Response Team. He died July 3 and is deeply missed.

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In the Community: Chapter Participates in Whole Foods Bash

Wodage Tebeje, an American Red Cross Santa Cruz County Chapter volunteer in international services, is dedicated to changing people’s lives for the better.

“I have made a commitment to be helpful, to be a part of global efforts to reduce poverty,” the Ethiopian national said. “That is the only way we can say we have done something to empower people.”

Wodage has learned firsthand about the importance of teaching people the skills needed to recover from a disaster. His first volunteer role was with the Ethiopian Red Cross in 1984 in the then Wollo region of Ethiopia, an area ravaged by famine. In 1986, he made the three-month journey by foot to Sudan, traveling more than 800 miles and leaving behind an Ethiopia torn apart by civil war and government crackdowns on youth. In Sudan, he worked for two and a half years with Save the Children as a nursing assistant and providing support to other refugees. He came to the United States in 1989.

Wodage, who is also the director of the nonprofit Ethiopian Community Services in San Jose, recently shared his experience

working as a volunteer in Ethiopia, Sudan, and other sub-Saharan African countries with a group in Santa Cruz in honor of World Red Cross Day.

During his presentation, he related the importance of long-term development goals, like teaching people the skills they need to prevent or alleviate disasters, as well as providing immediate aid after a disaster strikes.

At the Red Cross Santa Cruz County Chapter, where he has volunteered for the past six months, Wodage is working to reach out to community partners to create awareness about the importance of development and preparedness.

Chapter Development Manager, Camilla Boolootian, has had the opportunity to work with Wodage and appreciates the perspective he shares with staff, volunteers, and the community.

“Wodage has a great understanding of the importance of helping people and communities respond to disasters,” said Camilla. “He is very passionate regarding the importance of educating those who provide help and aid to also empower those communities to prevent and prepare so that they can become self-sufficient.”

Local Volunteer Empowers Communities to Think Beyond Aid

University of California, Santa Cruz Red Cross Club President Nikolas Parisis and Santa Cruz County Chapter Summer Intern Sheila Allen-Cooley provided information about local blood drives to community members during the Whole Foods Capitola Birthday Bash on July 28.

See more photos from local Red Cross events at flickr.com/photos/sccredcross.

Learn how to become a volunteer at redcross.org/santacruz.

Red Cross volunteers Kathleen Puente and Julie Scurfield provided emergency and disaster preparedness information and first aid kits to community members attending the Whole Foods Capitola Birthday Bash on July 28.

Woodage Tebeje

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The American Red Cross First Aid app has had more than three million downloads since its launch one year ago, and the stories of lives saved and emergencies handled are just starting to emerge.

“I was in my friend’s car,” an app user posted, “when suddenly a friend of mine start(ed) having a seizure. I immediately looked at this app for help while calling 9-1-1 on another phone. I told the police about it and they said that there’s a good chance the information in this app saved my friend’s life.”

People are becoming increasingly reliant on mobile devices as a source for emergency information. The Red Cross has developed a suite of seven mobile apps that allow users to access critical information on what to do before, during, and after disasters and emergencies. The free Red Cross apps, listed below, are available at the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android. Search for American Red Cross or go to redcross.org/mobileapps.

First AidView step-by-step first aid instruction, and learn safety and preparedness tips for severe weather and other emergencies or disasters.

Shelter FinderFind Red Cross shelters on an easy-to-use map interface.

EarthquakeLearn what to do before, during, and after an earthquake. Receive alerts and notifications when an earthquake occurs, find help, and let others know you are safe – even if the power is out.

WildfireAccess information on what to do before, during, and after wildfires – even without mobile connectivity. Get the latest news from local, state, and federal fire agencies in the “Wildfire News” section.

Hurricane Get real-time hurricane safety information, weather alerts, and information about Red Cross shelters.

TornadoReceive real-time tornado warning alerts such as a high-pitched siren that signals when a NOAA issues a tornado warning.

Team Red CrossSign up to volunteer with the Red Cross, get an overview on basic tasks, and receive notifications about local Red Cross disaster volunteer opportunities.

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