Digital Tattoos?

That's right - digital tattoos that monitor your blood via iPhone app.

They're in the testing phase right now, and they could have the potential to replace those annoying finger-prick blood tests.

Crazy, right? It's official: we now live in the future.

(p.s. Now where's my flying car?)

Don't Forget! Tomorrow, KGON Rocks the Portland Donor Center!

Help save a life while having a great time at the 2nd Annual KGON "ALL ROCKERS BLEED" Blood Drives located only at the Portland, Vancouver and Salem Donor Centers now until Saturday, July 30th.

The KGON street team will be at the Portland Donor Center for the "ALL ROCKERS BLEED" blood drive on Friday, July 29th between 7:30 am – 1 pm to give away additional t-shirts and concert tickets.

Schedule your donation appointment at an "ALL ROCKERS BLEED" Blood Drive or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

All presenting donors will receive:
•A one–of–a–kind "free" commemorative t-shirt
•One ticket to the Clark County Fair
•A chance to enter to win a pair of concert tickets to Three Days Grace, Motley Crue, Beach Boys courtesy of the Clark County Fair and Def Leppard with Heart courtesy of the Sleep Country Amphitheater in Vancouver, Washington.

Red Cross Needs Help to Refuel Our Tank

Last weekend Vancouver, Washington NASCAR driver Greg Biffle was in town to watch the region's only race. This weekend Greg will be back on the track for the Indianapolis Brickyard 400, and he will be racing in style.


To show support for the ongoing Type O Alert, the 3M/American Red Cross No. 16 car has been repainted with a new 'Type O' car. You can check out the new look with a 3D viewer on the Red Cross Racing homepage.

Want to show your support? If you use Twitter, let people know there is a shortage and use the hashtag #RefuelOurTank. You can sign up for an appointment at www.redcrossblood.org. If you present to donate, you can report it to the Red Cross Racing website to gain points for stylish racing themed rewards.

Syrian Nursing Professionals Visit the Red Cross

Yesterday, the Portland Red Cross had the honor of hosting a tour for World Affairs Council of Oregon's visiting nursing professionals from Syria. We discussed the role of nursing as it pertains to emergency response, 1st Aid/CPR/AED training and blood services. Thank you for visiting us!

Dedicated Blood Drives Honor Officer Who Survived Multiple Gunshot Wounds

The Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office recently hosted a two-day blood drive to honor Lincoln City Police Officer Steven Dodds. Officer Dodds received multiple gunshot wounds during a traffic stop in Waldport, Oregon on the evening of January 23, 2011.

Due to the quick actions of fellow officers and emergency medical responders, Officer Dodds was transported to Legacy Emmanuel Medical Center in Portland. There, he was the recipient of over twenty blood products over the course of several surgeries, which helped save his life.

This clip is from a 30 minute news conference held at the hospital. The reporter refers to his blood loss and says that it seems miraculous that the officer survived (14:22 to 13:21). Dr. Seth Isenberg then talks about the Red Cross being across the street and about the lifesaving transfusions of blood and blood components.

Officer Dodds' dedicated blood drive at the Lincoln City Community Center drew a large number of community members who were pleased to have the opportunity to honor him, as well as support their community blood supply.

The following day, the blood drive took place behind the County Courthouse in Newport. It was well attended by county employees and community members who were surprised to receive personal thanks from Dodds himself. Many hugs and handshakes were shared as donors were delighted to see that Officer Dodds was able to stop by for a visit. Dodds made a point to tell us that he felt very honored to see so many friends and coworkers take time from their busy days to support the American Red Cross.

After months of hospital care from losing about 10 quarts of blood, Officer Dodds fought for his life and is now able to recover successfully at home.

A Nifty Thrifting Find

Every once in a while we happen across a thrift store find that we can't help sharing with you. Today's comes from the thriftiest thrifter I've ever met - Lise Harwin.

Barely 48 hours after writing her farewell post, she came across this adorable antique commemorative plate while shopping at Value Village. So she, of course, couldn't resist sending me this photo.

I'm not sure which Value Village location, but Lise was kind enough to leave the plate for you. Just $6.99. If you can find it, it's yours!

So Long, Farewell...

There's something strangely appropriate about the fact that this video has (Japanese? Chinese?) subtitles and is totally out of synch. It's slightly oddball, much like yours truly. And, I'm sad to say, it accurately captures my current mood.

Yeah, it's true. Today's my last day with the Red Cross. It's been a great (almost) four years and I've had fun at every turn. And to prove it, here's my quick Top 5 Favorites list.

5. Prepare-aphernalia

What's not to love about cool/stylish/techy/modern/delicious items that get you prepared for anything? Robin coined the term and we've peppered it throughout everything that we do. My hope is that this is our longest lasting contribution to the community conversation about preparedness. Can we hope to one day see it as a new word in the Oxford Dictionary?

4. Ready Radio

Our podcast that put the rad in ReADiness. The early episodes were the funniest, with silly sound effects and lots of topics covered very quickly. The later episodes were based around one topic, but we definitely attempted to make them fun and provide tips that were anything but traditional. Sadly, you can no longer find Ready Radio online, but you can find a couple early podcasts on iTunes.

3. Mississippi

The opportunity to see Red Cross disaster relief efforts up close in Vicksburg was without compare. We spent time in shelters and operations centers; talked to volunteers and victims; and ate an awful lot of fried food (...that was delicious!). I tried to capture the trip in photos -- it was only a week, but felt like a lifetime. While I may be leaving the Red Cross as staff, I'm continuing on as a volunteer and will be looking forward to helping share our story (and the powerful stories of our clients) while on deployment.

2. Singles CPR

Most. Fun. Ever. We did the first one on Valentine's Day 2009, after spawning the idea on this very blog. If you measure success by attendance, it was a hit. If you measure success by, uh, MARRIAGE, we did pretty well there, too. Indeed, a couple that met in our very first class is currently engaged (cue the "AWWWW"s!). For singles, it's one of the best ways ever to spend an otherwise depressing holiday. And I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hope that it continues into the future.

1. Robin Parker

What can I say? Of all the wonderful, amazing, incredible people that I've met at the Red Cross, Robin is the very best. As I like to tell her, she's the yin to my yang. Or I'm the yin to HER yang. I really have no idea what that even means, but the point is that we couldn't have accomplished any of the award-winning, creative, clever things that our chapter is now known for without her. She is smart and thoughtful and kind and calming, even in disaster situations. She is also quite flexible, and I look forward to her becoming a yoga master and imparting her immense wisdom on many more students. I'm also very glad to say that not being Robin's boss means that I can truly be her FRIEND. Which, honestly, is WAY better.

Now that I have 5 things, I'm realizing that my list should have been 6, because I'm overlooking Twitter. I <3 Twitter. I love tweeting random, semi-useless facts and trivia every day. I love talking to and thanking blood donors. I love correcting mis-information and I love making new friends online. But, most of all, I love meeting our tweeps in person.

Twitter, I will miss you almost as much as I'll miss Robin. And I hope that our love affair will continue over here.

THANK YOU to all of you who have made my time at the Red Cross so fantastic. I can honestly say that I've never worked anywhere with better, more caring, more passionate people. And, for god's sake, I used to work at a hospital. All of you are friends, not just co-workers. And for many of you, I had better be seeing you very, very soon.

Prepare-aphernalia: The Survival Shotgun

We often discuss the importance of having an easy to grab emergency kit prepared for the necessities of surviving without help for a few days. Earthquakes and Tsunamis have been the big disasters of note over the past few years, and both provide a very limited time frame to get what you need and escape. The Art of Manliness has taken this need of an easy to grab kit, but placed their kit inside of a shotgun instead of a bag.


The kit, as explained in detail here, addresses five core survival needs: water, fire, shelter, signaling, food. Beyond the obvious benefits of having a shotgun for hunting, shotguns typically have a lot of unused space to provide cushion for the kickback and can use special shells that act as signal flares. They mounted a knife, flashlight, various shells, parachute cord (that can be disassembled into several strands), a saw blade, bandana and compass on the outside. In the unused spaces they were able to fit a multi-tool, fire starter kits, and a rather comprehensive survival kit (containing items such as a fishing kit, aluminum baking-pan, water purification tablets, first aid basics, and a survival blanket). They claim it is the ultimate kit for a zombie apocalypse, however I can see a lot of benefits for more practical uses like getting stranded in the outback.

They've Got The Power

Um, what??...

Korean scientists think they have determined what caused a 39-story Seoul skyscraper to shake violently for 10 minutes, causing the building to be evacuated for two days.

Earthquake? Nope.

Gale-force winds? Sorry.

Volcanic activity? Unh-uh.

No, the culprit, they say, was 17-middle-aged gym rats working off the midriff bulge in a Tae Bo class.

Apparently, while dancing and boxing to "The Power" by Snap on July 5, the exercisers not only shook their booties, they shook the building.

Read why. (via SFGate)

Just goes to show you really do have to be prepared for anything. Whether it's a real earthquake or just your coworkers groovin' to Tae Bo, you better know how to drop, cover, hold-on.

You've got the power (sorry, I couldn't resist) to be prepared.

Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up

Welcome to the Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

SOUTH SUDAN: Volunteers for the newly formed South Sudan Red Cross went out on their very first operation - monitoring and assisting people attending the celebrations to mark the birth of the Republic of Southern Sudan.

PAKISTAN: Volunteers are helping families prepare to face the oncoming monsoon season.

YEMEN: Since mid-June, the ICRC and the Yemen Red Crescent Society have provided aid for more than 17,500 people who have escaped the fighting in Abyan and settled in Lahj.

ZIMBABWE: Medical equipment donated by the ICRC is helping bring newborn babies back to life.


GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

A Different Kind of Disaster

As was mentioned last week, the Red Cross as the Nation's leading supplier of lifesaving blood is currently facing shortages of many blood types, especially Type O Negative. This is from a combination of increased demand for blood, and a decreased supply as people are out enjoying the summer. An additional appeal is now going out asking for the communities help in addressing this different kind of disaster by helping recruit donors.

What can you do?

If you can donate, make an appointment by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or visiting www.redcrossblood.org.

Visit the A Different Kind of Disaster website to easily alert your friends and family through social media and share the above video.

Already presented to donate this summer? Redeem your Red Cross Rewards and Red Cross Racing points for stylish Red Cross shirts, hats, and other wearable items to spread the word.

Summer of music perks for blood donors

Summer is a time for going out, having fun, and enjoying outdoor concerts. It is also a great time to present to donate blood, as there are many summer promotions. The next weeks feature two big partnerships that can get you sweet rewards related to upcoming concerts.

Next week you can join KGON (92.3) and the Red Cross for the 2nd Annual "ALL ROCKERS BLEED". From Tuesday (July 26th) to Saturday (July 30th), anyone that stops by and donates blood or attempts to donate at any of three blood donor centers in Portland, Salem or Vancouver will receive a special gift, including a one of a kind commemorative KGON t-shirt and a ticket to the Clark County Fair, while supplies last. They also have a chance to enter to win a pair of concert tickets to Three Days Grace, Motley Crue, Beach Boys courtesy of the Clark County Fair and Def Leppard with Heart courtesy of the Sleep Country Amphitheater in Vancouver, Washington. Additionally, the KGON street team will be at the Portland Donor Center for the "ALL ROCKERS BLEED" blood drive on Friday, July 29th between 7:30 am – 1 pm to give away additional t-shirts and concert tickets.

Also returning this year is the Music Saves Lives campaign in conjunction with the Vans Warped Tour. For the next few weeks special blood drives across the region will offer VIP passes for those that present to donate, leading up to the concerts August 13th in George, Washington and August 14th in Hillsboro, Oregon (while supplies last). The VIP pass can grant donors access to exclusive meet and greets with the bands and to special concert areas such as the Music Saves Lives tent. For more information, visit the Music Saves Lives website.

Who knew that listening to music can help save lives? To sign up for an appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org (for All Rockers Bleed use only drives labeled 'American Red Cross Donor Center' in Salem, Vancouver, or Portland and for the Warped Tour use the sponsor code warpedtour).

Oregon Man Uses "Mouth-To-Beak" CPR

Because not every life saved with CPR is a human one! Check out this story of an Oregon man performing CPR on a BALD EAGLE.

Wanna learn CPR yourself? Find an upcoming class here...

Filmmaking Brothers Sweep International Competition with Blood Donation Videos

It’s minutes to midnight in the Lewis and Clark College computer lab. Remy Neymarc sits desperately clicking his mouse, transmitting file after file to his brother Andrew in London. As the final minutes tick away for a submission deadline, the brothers click “send” and their work is complete.

At first glance, one might think these two procrastinated on a school final and pulled an “all-nighter” to pass a course. The truth is -- Andrew and Remy Neymarc spent close to a month in near-isolation to complete two award-winning video PSAs on behalf of the Red Cross.

The brothers, who were born in Chicago and raised in Paris, have filmed in London, California, France, New York and most recently, Portland. These craftsmen have come a long way from the humble beginnings of a student election campaign on old school Casio film.

When legendary producer Don Hahn found the brothers’ videos on YouTube and invited the pair to Walt Disney Studios in Los Angeles, friends and colleagues were amazed. When their two Red Cross videos, which made appeals for blood donation, took first and second place at the MOFILM International Film Competition in Barcelona, Spain, no one doubted their talent.

“Thanks to the Red Cross videos, our father was inspired to donate blood to the French Red Cross,” Andrew said. “We all went in together.” Both Remy and Andrew continue to give and understand the impact of blood donation within their own family.

Andrew and Remy don’t just shoot, edit and produce videos, they’ve also acted and done voiceovers for production. With this wildfire of talent igniting, the Neymarc brothers have piqued interest from General Motors, Fiji Water and other companies for advertisements.

Remy and Andrew decided to take a different path. They became “addicted to the nonprofit world” and concluded that while they thrive on movie-making, they want to bring forward important issues as well.

“When in Barcelona for the Red Cross, other competitors were in prestigious film schools, using expensive equipment,” Remy said. “We didn’t feel like we belonged.” This sacrifice of altruism over profit equates to Andrew and Remy staying true to their artistic impulse.

“We realize we can have an impact,” Andrew said. “The most inspiring work is for a cause -- whether it’s with a small market or an organization like the Red Cross.”

MOFILM 1st Place Winner: "You Save"

MOFILM 2nd Place Winner: "SuperHero"

For more information on these outstanding artists, visit Neymarc Visuals on their website and become a fan of their Facebook page.

Friday Final Cut

It's Friday, and once again we find ourselves with a plethora of stories. So here's your final cut...everything that we wanted to share, but don't have time to blog.

Enjoy!

Coast cities may link with Japan on tsunami research -- Daily Astorian (Oregon)

Are you ready for ‘the big one?’ -- Umpqua Post (Oregon)

Summer's here and the Red Cross pleads: Give blood -- The Oregonian

And, just for fun:

1918 Red Cross Uniforms for Historians and Costumers

Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up

Welcome to the Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

SOMALIA: Levels of malnutrition have reached a new peak and are currently the highest in the world. The ICRC and the Somali Red Crescent plan to open ten new feeding centers while mobile teams made up of nurses and nutritional specialists will visit people in the areas worst affected.

SUDAN: Since fighting first erupted in Kadugli in early June, the ICRC has been providing support for the humanitarian activities of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society - delivering clothes, shelter materials, hygiene items and household essentials for 18,000 people.

SOUTH SUDAN: A new national Red Cross society for a new nation - The South Sudan Red Cross is formed of staff and volunteers who have until recently worked for the Sudanese Red Crescent Society, which continues to operate in Sudan.

TURKEY: More than 10,000 Syrians, fleeing domestic unrest, have been living in six ‘tent cities’ near the border for over a month. The camps are run by the Turkish government, while relief supplies and personnel are being supplied by the Turkish Red Crescent Society.

CYPRUS: More than 100 Cyprus Red Cross volunteers were mobilized in the wake of a massive explosion that ripped through a naval base in the south of the country.

VIETNAM: A Vietnam Red Cross team has provided relief and financial assistance to more than 400 families affected by flash flooding in Nghe An Province.


GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

SMACKDOWN! @RedCrossPDX vs. @ChicagoRedCross

Really, there are no words for how awesome this is. But, as I am a wordsmith, I will use some of them to offer my comments.

THINGS THAT THEY GOT RIGHT:

1. I do have glasses.

2. I do like dogs.

3. The word "awesome" is indeed awesome.

THINGS THEY GOT WRONG:

1. I am not a gamer.

2. I am a foodie (and I'm particularly bitter that Chicago won that one).

3. I would prefer having a latte to having a dog.

But most of all, I love that one of my most used words is LOVE. And I love even more that both @RedCrossPDX and @ChicagoRedCross use it A LOT (help and save too, for that matter).

All in all, a good assessment of our tweets and a very apt visualization. But bottom line -- my avatar is much more geek chic (aka cooler) than @ChicagoRedCross'. Am I right? RIGHT?

P.S. Big thanks to @wharman for sending this our way!

Time To Drink And Donate!

Let's talk drinking and donating for a minute. Here's a simple chart:

Water + Donating Blood = Good

Alcohol + Donating Blood = Bad

Soda + Donating Change = Awesome

As proof of the latter, I give you these cool new vending machines straight outta Japan. As mentioned on the Wall Street Journal blog, "Rather than collect the change from a canned coffee or sweet soda, customers can elect to donate it to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami relief fund set up by the Japanese Red Cross. Donations can be made in ¥10 or ¥100 increments. After making a donation, a voice pipes up thanking customers for their good deed of the day."

Sure, one could argue that sodas aren't good for you, but better to save a life than die of thirst, no?

CONTEST: Where's Annie?

Help! One of our manikins is on the loose!

She's been spotted all over town -- at the Rose Quarter, at the Zoo, at OMSI and, in my favorite adventure, hangin' with the A&W Burger Family in Hillsboro.

Fortunately, unlike Greg Biffle, I know who Annie's captors are. The folks over at Frontier Communications have generously been taking her out on the town, in hopes of reminding people just how important it is to be trained in CPR.

Do you have a suggestion for where Annie should visit next? Leave it in the comments! And make sure to follow the Frontier Facebook page so you can guess where she's at and win some sweet prizes!

Red Cross Blood Supply Drops

The American Red Cross Pacific Northwest Blood Services Region today issued an appeal for blood donors.

Find a blood donation opportunity near you or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767)

Many donors are busy or traveling, school is out of session and a decrease in donations in May and June has foreshadowed the traditional summertime decline in donations. Even though demand for blood remained steady during this same period, the decrease in donations means the Red Cross needs people - now more than ever - to roll up a sleeve and give as soon as possible. All types are needed, but especially O negative, which can be used to treat any patient.

The Red Cross has responded to more than 40 major disasters in more than 30 states over the past three months alone - delivering help and hope to people affected by floods, tornadoes and wildfires. But there's another, more personal, kind of disaster which can happen to anyone at any time if blood is needed and it's not available.

"As a physician, I have seen first hand how blood transfusions can truly help save lives," said Dr. Mary Jo Drew, Medical Director for the Pacific Northwest Blood Services Region. "The potential for a blood shortage could have a devastating effect on a patient whose survival may depend on blood being there when needed."

Everyone knows someone who has needed a blood transfusion, and those personal stories from our loved ones, friends, and neighbors highlight just how important each and every blood donation can be. Because of that, the Red Cross is reaching out to eligible blood donors, sponsors and community leaders to ask them to recruit blood donors to help meet the needs of patients in communities across the United States.

The Red Cross Pacific Northwest Blood Services Region provides lifesaving blood to more than 80 hospitals and must have approximately 1,100 people give blood and platelets each weekday to meet hospital demand. Accident victims, as well as patients with cancer, sickle cell disease, blood disorders and other illnesses receive lifesaving transfusions every day. There is no substitute for blood and volunteer donors are the only source.

Donor eligibility involves minimum age, weight and health requirements. Donors must present a donor card, driver's license or two other forms of ID prior to donation. Individuals unable to donate blood can still make a contribution by sponsoring a Red Cross blood drive or volunteering with a local Red Cross Blood Services Region, making a financial contribution, or by learning more about the American Red Cross Humanitarian Services.

Our First-Time Donor section includes information about what to expect when giving blood, tips for a successful donation, and an explanation of what happens to your donated blood.

Eligible blood donors are asked to please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit us online to find a blood drive and to make an appointment.

Oregon Business Preparedness Survey Results!

First, let me offer a few words of thanks to Oregon Business and CFM Strategic Communications for putting together a survey about business preparedness that captures information the Oregon Red Cross has been seeking for several years.

Given our budget, we haven't been able to make this happen, so we're especially grateful that Oregon Business took on this topic and publicly provided the answers. [Click link for bigger graphic.]

Of course, there's much room for improvement. And that's where the Red Cross can help. If you're an Oregon business that wants to get prepared, you can set up a class, get trained in CPR or purchase preparedness products, all by contacting us at 503-284-1234.

If this survey happens again in the future, hopefully we'll have improved those numbers in a dramatic way!

Blood Donors Grateful When Tables Turn

The number of people giving blood has dropped this summer and the American Red Cross reminds people that hospital patients need blood seven days a week, 365 days a year, no matter what season it is.

Some blood donors learn firsthand how important it is to have an adequate supply of blood on hand. Mike and Laurie were regular donors until a serious illness prevented Mike from giving blood.

When their daughter was four months old, Mike was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a cancer that starts in the bone marrow, and moves quickly into the blood stream. “People thought what happened to Mike is so rare, but it really isn’t,” Laurie said.

AML is a condition where, in 2010 alone, 12,330 new cases occurred in the United States. Mike went through chemotherapy, requiring extensive blood and platelet transfusions to help keep him alive. The procedures were successful and Mike was in remission for 21months. Then his cancer came back.

Faced with relapse, a bone marrow transplant became Mike’s only option. During his two grueling sets of treatments at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA), Mike received 44 units of blood.

“Although I routinely gave blood when I was young, as we got married, got jobs, and got busy, my donations became less frequent,” Laurie said. “Now I’m trying to repay the kindness of those 44 people (45 really, because of the bone marrow donor) who kept my husband alive and ensured my daughter would grow up with her father.”

Laurie and Mike consider themselves to be very fortunate. “My daughter would have no memory of me if not for the donors who gave and allowed me to survive,” Mike said.

Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. Cancer patients as well as accident victims, patients with sickle cell disease and other blood disorders and many others receive lifesaving transfusions every day. There is no substitute for blood and volunteer donors are the only source.

Eligible blood donors are asked to please call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit us online to find a blood drive and make an appointment.

(You can read Mike and Laurie's full story on redcross.org)

Good Advice

File this under "funny because it's true." While tweeting info about emergencies is a great thing, please make sure to first attend to the disaster at hand.

[Via failblog. Hat tip to Teresa.]

Cat Rescue In Minot, ND

When the Red Cross does damage assessment, we also get to rescue stranded cats! How awesome is that?!

Red Cross damage assessment team rescues cat in flood from Ron Frank on Vimeo.

On a side note, Oregon volunteer Kirsten Barnes was in the boat while this video was shot. If you want to follow her Twitter updates from on the ground in Minot, you can do so right here.

Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up

Welcome to the Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

SUDAN: The recent violence in the Sudanese state of South Kordofan has left almost 58,000 people displaced. 600 Sudanese Red Crescent volunteers are working long shifts to provide first aid, psychosocial support, and distribution of food and shelter items.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: 18 detainees who had been detained after recent clashes in the Kaga-Bandoro area were released under ICRC auspices.

KUWAIT: The remains of 32 Iraqi soldiers killed during the 1990-1991 Gulf War were repatriated under the auspices of the ICRC.

IRAQ: Three decades of conflict have left hundreds of thousands of families struggling to find out what happened to their missing loved ones. Since 1980, the ICRC has spared no effort to put an end to their anguish.

BRAZIL: Together with the Brazilian Red Cross, the ICRC teaches a course in basic first aid to community members in an effort to mitigate the humanitarian consequences of armed violence. The skills they acquire enable residents to respond to emergencies.

NIGERIA: The IFRC and Nigerian Red Cross Society are using cell phones to combat malaria.

GEORGIA: Following floods and mudslides, volunteers from the Red Cross have joined the local population in the region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti to help clean the main roads and support the most vulnerable people.

VIETNAM: The Red Cross helping to prevent the spread of waterborne illnesses with a new hygiene education program that uses puppets, games, exercises and role-playing to encourage primary school children to understand the importance of personal cleanliness and hygiene, and discuss it with their friends and family.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Come “See” Portland Blood Donors at Upcoming Art Exhibit

Through voluntary photos of Red Cross Portland Center blood donor arms, artist MaryAnn Puls has contributed to a larger exhibit entitled "The Hunt," showing at the Hoffman Gallery from July 7- July 27, 2011. MaryAnn's final piece is an abstract assemblage that focuses on the importance of donating blood.

The full exhibit documents a "scavenger hunt" within Oregon Health and Science University's Historical Collections and Archives, which records the public effort to create a healthier nation. After mining the University's collections, artists reconstruct the messages of the objects with narratives of personal histories and situations to recontextualize the collection for the modern viewer.

The gallery’s opening reception takes place on Thursday, July 7 from 4 to 7 PM. The Hoffman Gallery is located at 8245 Southwest Barnes Road, Portland, Oregon.

Exhibit images and additional information is available at this link, courtesy of OHSU's Historical Collections and Archives: http://ohsu-hca.blogspot.com/2011_06_19_archive.html

Artist MaryAnn Puls can be reached at maryannpuls.com

VIDEO: The Beginnings of the American Red Cross

After a weekend filled with BBQ, biking, pool partying (yes, I FINALLY have friends with pools!), fireworks and so much more, my patriotism is still going strong.

If you're feeling the same way, you might want to watch this video.

Friday Final Cut

It's Friday, and once again we find ourselves with a plethora of stories. So here's your final cut...everything that we wanted to share, but don't have time to blog.

Enjoy!

In an Emergency, Sam Adams Would Be King—If He Survived -- Portland Mercury

Oregon Red Cross features artwork by Lake Oswego students inspired by Japan earthquake -- The Oregonian

Social Media as a Communication Lifeline During Crisis -- Edelman Digital

Top 5 Lightning-Prone States -- The Weather Channel

In honor of the holiday:

100 Things to Love About America -- Dan Cirucci [See #13]

And, to make you smile (or grimace) on a Friday...