Please Join Us at the 2012 Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions

March is 'Red Cross Month' and the Oregon Red Cross will be honoring local heroes who have displayed courage and compassion at our March 6th Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions.

“This is our largest charitable event of the year,” said Maree Wacker, Regional Executive of the Oregon Red Cross. “We celebrate the mission of the American Red Cross; the idea that we can all be a part of something bigger than ourselves. We also honor hometown heroes and we put together an amazing interactive experience for everyone that attends.”

When a massive EF 5 tornado tore through Joplin, Missouri on May 22nd, it completely destroyed over 7,000 homes and left damage to 75% of this city of 50,000 (the same size as Corvallis).

Joplin native Jack Jewsbury, the Portland Timbers all-star midfielder, heard from his father that his family members were safe, but his hometown had suffered catastrophic damage.

Jewsbury, the Timbers and their legion of fans raised thousands of dollars for the American Red Cross disaster relief effort, which helped send over 800 Red Cross workers to Joplin; they, in turn, helped families hit by the tornado get back on their feet.

DeOna Bridgeman of Canby witnessed a teenage boy being struck by a truck and trailer. She rushed to the boy’s aid and saved his life by performing citizen CPR until paramedics arrived.

When a rare, but incredibly damaging tornado struck Aumsville in December 2010, Dean and Marcia Howell, and their family, mobilized to respond to the immediate needs of their community.

Chelsea Carpenter used her CPR training to aid a woman who had collapsed in a parking lot. After EMTs arrived, she offered assistance and emotional support to the woman’s daughter.

The David Douglas High School football team responded to a call for blood donations during their summer break by bringing their entire team into the Portland Blood Donation Center.

The Oregon Red Cross will be honoring these and other amazing local heroes who have displayed courage and compassion at the Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions on March 6th in the Oregon Convention Center.

"The heroes we honor are unselfish, caring individuals who stepped up to help, heal, and comfort, sometimes in someone’s most desperate hour. And that’s what this event is all about -- celebrating those who would put aside their own needs to come to the aid of others," said Wacker.

Please join us at the 2012 Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions. Contact Tracy Madsen at 503-528-5692 for information regarding attending this charitable event.

Meet Local Heroes at Upcoming Oregon Red Cross Fundraiser

March is Red Cross month and the Oregon Red Cross will be honoring local heroes who have displayed courage and compassion at our March 6th Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions. This event, which is the Oregon Red Cross' largest fundraiser of the year, celebrates the mission of the American Red Cross; the idea that we can all be a part of something bigger than ourselves.

When an incredibly damaging tornado struck Aumsville in December 2010, Dean and Marcia Howell mobilized to respond to the immediate needs of their community.

In their words “After surveying the massive mess, we talked about our need to get involved in the cleanup.” They gassed up their front-loader tractor, and a 14-foot, high-sided dump truck, and went to work. For three days, with family members serving as their crew, Dean and Marcia gathered orphaned siding, fallen trees, and other storm debris, hauling multiple loads to a facility to be recycled.

Of the experience, Marcia said, “We believe we have a responsibility, or better yet, an ‘opportunity’ to care for those around us in meaningful ways, especially during times of need.”

In Oregon, the Red Cross responds to an emergency once every 16 hours - but the Red Cross does much more than respond to disasters. We train everyday people in lifesaving skills. We assist members of the military and their families. We provide transportation to essential appointments for the elderly and disabled. We provide warming centers in response to particularly cold nights in the winter. We educate the community about emergency preparedness. And we reconnect families separated by war or disaster.

Each year, the Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions features an interactive theme that draws you in to experience first-hand what it is like to be helped by the compassionate volunteers of the Oregon Red Cross. This year, the Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions will highlight the awesome power of natural disasters and the role of the Red Cross in responding to them. Contact Tracy Madsen at 503-528-5692 for information regarding attending this charitable event.

When you arrive at the Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions, you will find yourself physically immersed in episodes of tornado, earthquake, wildfire and floods, and witness Red Cross efforts to shelter, feed and care for Oregonians displaced by these disasters. Arrive early to give yourself time to explore this multimedia experience. Then enjoy breakfast and a heartfelt celebration; marvel at the touching stories of local heroes as we honor them for their acts of compassion, bravery, excellence and selflessness.

These individuals are the beacons of hope many see in their most desperate hours. And that’s what this event is all about -- celebrating those who would put aside their own needs to come to the aid of others. Please join us at the 2012 Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions, the Oregon Red Cross' largest fundraiser of the year. Contact Tracy Madsen at 503-528-5692 for information regarding this charitable event.

A Celebration of Local Heroes at Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions

March is Red Cross month and the Oregon Red Cross will be honoring local heroes who have displayed courage and compassion at our March 6th Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions. This event, which is the Oregon Red Cross' largest fundraiser of the year, celebrates the mission of the American Red Cross; the idea that we can all be a part of something bigger than ourselves.

Chelsea Carpenter first learned CPR when she was in 7th grade, but fortunately her training didn’t stop there. Two months after renewing her certification, Chelsea heard a woman calling for help. The woman’s mother had collapsed in her car while parked in the lot of a local market.

Chelsea ran to where bystanders had carried the distressed woman. Emergency responders were called, and after a quick assessment of the victim, Chelsea began CPR.

EMT’s arrived and took over, but Chelsea wasn’t through. She comforted the victim’s distressed daughter, walked her to the ambulance, retrieved the two women’s belongings from their car and offered to call someone to meet the daughter at the hospital.

Chelsea is our hero because she exemplifies American Red Cross mission to offer not only material support, but emotional comfort as well.

In Oregon, the Red Cross responds to an emergency once every 16 hours - but the Red Cross does much more than respond to disasters. We train everyday people in lifesaving skills. We assist members of the military and their families. We provide transportation to essential appointments for the elderly and disabled. We provide warming centers in response to particularly cold nights in the winter. We educate the community about emergency preparedness. And we reconnect families separated by war or disaster.

Each year, the Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions features an interactive theme. This year, the Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions will highlight the awesome power of natural disasters and the role of the Red Cross in responding to them.

When you arrive at the Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions, you will find yourself physically immersed in episodes of tornado, earthquake, wildfire and floods, and witness Red Cross efforts to shelter, feed and care for Oregonians displaced by these disasters. Arrive early to give yourself time to explore this multimedia experience. Then enjoy breakfast and a heartfelt celebration; marvel at the touching stories of local heroes as we honor them for their acts of compassion, bravery, excellence and selflessness.

These individuals are the beacons of hope many see in their most desperate hours. And that’s what this event is all about -- celebrating those who would put aside their own needs to come to the aid of others.

Please join us at the 2012 Fred Meyer Breakfast of Champions. Contact Tracy Madsen at 503-528-5692 for information regarding attending this charitable event.