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 Happy New Year! I hope you all had a restful holiday season and a great start to 2012. As we put our New Year’s resolutions in action this month, I encourage you to make preparedness a priority this year and learn how to prepare yourself and your family for any emergency big or small. Our website is a great resource on how to become Red Cross Ready – Build a Kit. Make A Plan. Be Informed. What better way to start the New Year!
To kick start a busy year ahead, I am pleased to announce our inaugural Red Cross Gala Celebration will be held on Saturday, March 31, 2012 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. In Santa Clara County, American Red Cross volunteers respond to disaster every 68 hours, helping families and neighborhoods recover from tragedy. The Red Cross Gala Celebration is an opportunity to Be INSPIRED and honor inspirational individuals and/or businesses making a difference in our community by promoting the value of preparedness. I encourage you to join us and Be INSPIRED! Festivities will include a cocktail reception, drawing for a fabulous prize, opportunity to support our local Red Cross through “Fund a Need”, dinner and dancing. Please visit our Gala page for more information.
January is also National Blood Donor month. Changing weather, busy holiday schedules, increased cold and flu symptoms and even the winter blues can keep the most dedicated blood donors from making or keeping an appointment to give. Yet winter weather can lead to more traumatic injuries on icy roads and may increase the need for blood. The Red Cross urges everyone to make donating blood a priority this winter. Your help could mean hope for those in need. To find out where you can give blood and to schedule your appointment, go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS, for additional information.
Lastly, as we reflect upon the devastating two-year anniversary of the Haiti earthquake, let us again be reminded that preparedness is key to saving lives and getting us through the next disaster. I hope that you will take the time to take the steps necessary (sign up to: volunteer, give blood, make a donation, take class) and make sure that you are prepared today!
Barb Larson Larkin, Chief Executive Officer
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