BOOTS on at Red Cross

by Micaela Rosinski, intern contributor

During the summer months, I interned with the Red Cross communications team in Dallas. It was a great experience as I was able to tie my appreciation for nonprofits with my aspirations of becoming a public relations professional. Even better, I was able to connect my internship with another favorite nonprofit of mine, Boot Campaign.

Boot Campaign is a nonprofit organization created in Texas and serves as an outlet to show appreciation for our troops, and raise awareness and funds to help troops with challenges they face when returning home. All this is done by simply “getting your boots on.”

When I spoke to the communications team about Boot Campaign, they immediately suggested I get our regional CEO, T.D. Smyers, involved. Intrigued, I found his biography on the Red Cross website. Wow. T.D. was a four-year track letterman at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, earned multiple awards and began a career in naval aviation, eventually leading to his reception of the Legion of Merit for his leadership of Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base. In 2009, the Chisholm Trail Chapter of the Red Cross recognized Smyers as the Military Member of the Year.

In addition to his military success, he holds degrees from Annapolis and the National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

T.D. talked to me each time he walked by my desk, offering a friendly smile and a hello. I took the opportunity to explain my desire to photograph him in a pair of Boot Campaign military boots and how he could help this organization. 

Taking the photos was great. He was intrigued to learn more about Boot Campaign’s mission and how wearing boots was helping. After the completion of the photos, he bought the boots! 
Bringing it full-circle, Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces also provides military members and their families with various outlets of support.  Red Cross links military families during emergencies, provides emergency financial assistance and resiliency training, supports wounded warriors and military hospitals, and more. 

Want to help both organizations? Here are some ideas to get started!

• Buy Boot Campaign boots! In addition to the money benefiting the organization, they are a great way to spark a conversation when people are confused as to why you are wearing military boots with civilian clothes.
• Volunteer for the Red Cross while wearing your boots. Take it a step further and become a Service to the Armed Forces volunteer!
• Donate blood to the Red Cross in boots. Considering donating this Veteran's Day, in honor of those who have served our country!

On this Veterans Day, thank both the troops that protect our freedoms and the organizations that help our armed forces. Organizations such as the Red Cross and Boot Campaign are vital necessities in seeing our active and veteran members of the military receive the services they deserve. 

For more information about Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces, visit redcross.org. Join T.D. at the Veteran's Day Parade in Fort Worth on Monday starting at 10am. 

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Looking Back on Superstorm Sandy, One Year Later

by Tonya Solis-Mosby, volunteer contributor

The American Red Cross response to Superstorm Sandy
was our largest US relief operation in 5 years.

Her fierce winds rose to 115 miles per hour.  In her wake she left trees splintered and strewn; demolished houses and other buildings; many lives uprooted and at least 285 dead.  She was so much more than the average hurricane. She was called Superstorm Sandy.

As the first anniversary of Hurricane Sandy’s devastating blow to the East Coast on October 29, 2012 approaches, Tom and Jeanne Gargiulo, a Long Island couple, shared recently with Red Cross staff, board members and volunteers their story of survival during a hurricane nightmare.

North Texas Regional CEO T.D. Smyers presents
the Gargiulo's with a framed copy of the poster
they were featured in for the American Red Cross.

“We were shattered,” Mrs. Gargiulo said, adding, “but we weren’t broken.”

Mr. and Mrs. Gargiulo were featured guest speakers for "The Journey Forward," a Sandy Commemoration Forum hosted by the American Red Cross in North Texas last week.  The special event was attended by Red Cross volunteers, board members and community partners.

During their presentation, which included a slide show presentation of the storm damage, Mrs. Gargiulo described her family’s activities in the days prior to the storm hitting Babylon Village where she and her family lived.  She said their efforts weren’t unlike other village residents. They boarded their windows and strategically placed sandbags in an effort to ward off the effects of the storm. But their efforts were in vain. 

“We moved 3 miles away (to her in-laws house),” Mrs. Gargiulo said, “There were electric lines sparking, trees uprooted and what sounded like explosions.  There was also high water.”

Mrs. Gargiulo said 24 hours later, she and her family returned to their home to find it had been filled with about 6 feet of water.  She said it took boats and wading in waist-high water to get through their neighborhood. But before the Gargiulo family and their neighbors could begin to think about repairs, Mother Nature dumped a tremendous snow storm on the area.

“With everything that was going on,” Mr. Gargiulo said, “and all the organizations that came out to help, one organization stood out. It was one of the happiest moments of our lives when that truck drove up with hot meals.”

The truck that Mr. Gargiulo spoke about was an American Red Cross emergency relief vehicle. Aboard that truck was food and drink, but in the days following the storm, the Red Cross also delivered supplies that helped residents sift through the remains of their homes and to keep warm, he said.

“Thank you for being our light in the darkness,” Mrs. Gargiulo said.

Now, one year later, The Gargiulos described their neighborhood as one that is struggling to overcome the devastation.  There are vacant lots and friends and neighbors who have vowed not to return, they said. However, they had the hope of rebuilding their lives in their old neighborhood so they began repairs to their house earlier this year.  Unfortunately, a project to elevate the house failed. The house plummeted from the hydraulics to the ground, causing irreparable damage.  They are slated to begin rebuilding again in a few months.

Larry Mowry, CBS 11 meteorologist & Sandy Forum
speaker poses with Red Cross volunteer Anna.

Also during the forum, T.D. Smyers, North Texas Region Red Cross chief executive officer, facilitated conversations of Hurricane Sandy experiences from DFW-area volunteers who were deployed to the storm-damaged area. Larry Mowry, CBS 11 chief meteorologist, also shared insight on the conditions that made Sandy such a significant storm.  Finally, tips for preparing for hurricanes and tornados, as well as other emergencies, were shared by Red Cross officials and by members of the city and county of emergency response teams, including emergency managers Doug Bass and David McCurdy and Juan Ortiz, and Tarrant County Judge B. Glen Whitley.

Check out more photos from the events in Dallas & Fort Worth on Flickr. Learn more about the American Red Cross' massive response to Superstorm Sandy by reading our one-year report.

Tips for emergency preparedness can be found on the American Red Cross website www.redcross.org/prepare. Safety information is also available on Facebook: RedCrossDFW and Twitter @RedCrossDFW.

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A Symbol of Hope – The Work of the Red Cross in Israel

by Sydney Holt, American Red Cross volunteer contributor

T.D. & MDA Director
Chaim Rafalowski 

A simple symbol can say so much. For National Boss Day, I caught up with our boss, American Red Cross North Texas Region CEO, T.D. Smyers, about his recent trip to Israel for a joint leadership gathering with Magen David Adom, otherwise known as MDA, the Red Cross society in Israel. MDA has been officially recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as Israel’s national aid society since 2006.

Smyers was one of a select group of CEOs invited to travel to Israel for an information exchange with our counterparts on the other side of the world. The relief workers in Israel were interested to hear from Smyers and the other CEOs about responses to catastrophic emergencies in major US urban centers. His biggest take-away from the experience: “Different symbols, same principles.” 

This short, but profound statement from Smyers as he recapped his experiences perfectly describes Red Cross’ efforts abroad. “Regardless of religious or political affiliation, socio-economic status, race, age or gender – Red Cross is in the business of helping people,” said Smyers. “And although our symbol differs from the MDA’s it represents the same in any disaster situation – hope.”

More about the efforts in Israel – 

• The Red Cross symbol as we know it was the original protection symbol declared at the 1864 Geneva Convention – it’s purpose being to introduce a uniform and neutral protection symbol
• The “cross” is not a Christian cross, but the inverse of the Swiss flag
• Two other largely recognized symbols throughout the world are the Red Crescent and the Red Crystal – these symbols are used in countries where the appearance of a cross may alienate some, such as majority Muslim populations

• MDA’s two main focuses are to provide emergency medical and blood services – they provide 99% of civilian and 100% of the military blood supply
• MDA has a very developed, robust disaster response force that leverages the use of newly-developed technologies such as personal communication devices with geo-location aiding volunteer response and mobile apps for the general public

Upon returning from Israel, Smyers is excited to share the lessons learned with Red Cross workers here in the states. 

To learn more about the ICRC and the American Red Cross's International Services, visit RedCross.org.

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Regional CEO T.D. Smyers Heads to Israel for Information Exchange

Magen David Adom volunteers help the
injured after the earthquake in Haiti.

North Texas Region CEO T.D. Smyers is taking a little bit of Texas to the Middle East.

T.D. is one of a handful of American Red Cross local CEOs that have been personally selected by Red Cross National President and CEO Gail McGovern to join her on a trip to Israel beginning today. 

The trip will serve as a comprehensive information exchange between the American Red Cross and the Magen David Adom (Israel’s Red Cross Society), with the societies hoping to share lessons learned in preparing for, and responding to, mass casualty events such as earthquakes and terrorist attacks. 

The meeting will enable both Red Cross Societies to better serve people in need in their respective countries, and to create opportunities to work together. A recent example of collaboration was when the American Red Cross and Magen David Adom jointly deployed to Haiti following the January 2010 earthquake to deliver life-saving assistance. Additionally, the teams will discuss the launch of a new universal first aid app, based on the success of the American Red Cross series of life-saving apps. The first Hebrew language app is rolling out in Israel this month. 

Safe travels, T.D.!

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A March is Red Cross Month Update from T.D. Smyers

by Amy Yen, Digital Communications Manager, American Red Cross

T.D. Smyers, CEO,
North Texas Region

Red Cross Month is buzzing along and here in the DFW area, we’re looking forward to a little more celebrating before April comes our way. Regional CEO T.D. Smyers, for one, is excited:

“Red Cross Month is an affirmation of what we mean to America and to the people we help,” said T.D. “The recognition during the month of March each year gives us a great opportunity to showcase to the public all that we do. The fact that the mayor of Dallas, Mayor Mike Rawlings, and the mayor of Fort Worth, Mayor Betsy Price, have agreed to be honorary chairs of Red Cross Month activities annually has meant a great deal.”

Some of the activities coming up between now and the end of the month include:

• Jack Rogers Trunk Show & Shopping Event
  Wednesday, March 20, 4-6pm at Highland Park Village
  20% of sales will benefit the American Red Cross
• Red Cross Day at Norma’s Cafe
  Thursday, March 21 at Norma’s Cafe
  A portion of the day’s sales will benefit the American Red Cross
• Downtown Fort Worth Turns Red
  Monday, March 25 after dark
• Chisholm Trail Chapter Open House
  Monday, March 25, 10am-2pm
  Tuesday, March 26, 3pm-7pm
• Dean Fearing’s Lost Coyote Band Benefit Concert
  Friday, March 29, 8-11pm at the Green Elephant Bar
  $20 admission price will benefit the American Red Cross

Many of these events have a special Red Cross tie—Dallas Area Chapter board members Lori Jones and Kimberly Schlegal Whitman are co-hosting the Jack Rogers Trunk Show, while board member Bob Boulogne plays drums for the Lost Coyote Band. 

“We are so grateful that these leaders in our community believe in our cause and have been so closely involved in planning these events,” said T.D., who was on hand to receive the official Red Cross Month proclamations from the Dallas City Council and Dallas Commissioners Court and will do the same in Fort Worth on March 19. Additionally, on March 25, buildings in downtown Fort Worth will light red to commemorate Red Cross Month. 

T.D. says he’s especially excited that Red Cross Month is bringing attention to the new Red Cross Tornado app.

“It’s so powerful because it’s a real tool, something people can hold in their hand and that has the potential to save their lives. That’s pretty amazing.”

Red Cross Month is a great time to get involved—whether it be donating, giving blood, taking classes and especially volunteering.

“It’s going to be tough for you to find something more rewarding than getting involved with the Red Cross. We’re more than 90 percent volunteers,” T.D. explains. “It’s not that volunteers are important to us fulfilling our mission—they’re crucial. They’re the soul of our organization."

“I tell people, the Red Cross is you. We’re your neighbors. Sometimes people think of the Red Cross as just being a big organization that responds to national disasters, but we’re also the neighbors who show up at the curbside when a house burns down.  That’s because of our volunteers.”

To start your Red Cross story today, visit RedCross.org/DFW, and don’t forget to check out our Facebook page for more updates on Red Cross Month celebrations.

So what’s T.D. looking forward to the most?

“I’m excited to see the Fort Worth skyline turn red. It’s the culmination of a lot of work to make something like that happen, so that’s special,” he said, adding, “On the Dallas side though, definitely the Lost Coyotes concert. I like to rock. And I would never turn down a slice of Norma's Mile High Pie. I'll let my wife take care of the Jack Rogers sandals.”

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