Stormtroopers vs. Klingons Blood Drive: 12/31 (Thanks PDX Pipeline!)

On December 31, 2011, the Red Cross will rekindle an epic blood drive battle between the ultimate galaxy warriors: Stormtroopers vs. Klingons! Blood and platelet donors from the greater Portland area will once again be called upon to choose their side in the intergalactic showdown!

The 2nd Annual Stormtroopers vs. Klingons blood drive, which was generously reposted by PDX Pipeline, will take place during the day on New Year’s Eve (12/31/2011) at the Portland Donor Center, located at 3131 North Vancouver Avenue, and will run from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Mingle and take photos with members of Star Wars and Star Trek costuming organizations “The 501st Legion: Vader’s Fist” and “Starfleet International.” Watch the films, listen to the soundtracks and defend your galaxy’s honor!

All presenting donors will have the opportunity to cast their ballot for either the Stormtroopers or the Klingons, and the side which receives the most votes will walk away with the second annual Galaxy Drive trophy.

In addition, donors will be given event-themed buttons (graphics shown here), a black Red Cross t-shirt and a free large, two-topping pizza coupon from Papa Murphy’s. They can also enter into a drawing for a $100 gift certificate courtesy of our friends at ThinkGeek AND a $100 Safeway gift card. Cake and coffee will be served, along with standard refreshment items.

Start the New Year with a new tradition! Bring in friends and family to experience the next frontier of blood drives in Portland!

To participate, here’s how it works:
1. For more information and to schedule your appointment, call 1-800 RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: stardrive to register as a donor for the December 31st drive at the Portland Donor Center.
2. Blood donors must be at least 16 years old (16 year-olds require a signed Red Cross parental consent form) and meet minimum height and weight requirements.
3. Donor appointments are not required, but are preferred.

Tracking Santa with NORAD and Google Earth

Check out Santa's schedule at his official NORAD Santa tracking website

Once again, Google is running its Santa tracker, a collaboration with NORAD that shows Santa Claus' location around the globe. Google-owned YouTube is also offering a snowflake button that adds gently falling snow on top of whatever video you're watching, as well as turning the progress bar counter into a single flake.

And if that's not enough for you, Google is also offering a way to leave voice messages for Santa, as well as creating personalized video and audio messages for others using its SendACallFromSanta.com site.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• How long has NORAD been tracking Santa?
• Why does NORAD track Santa?
• When will Santa arrive at my house?
• What route does Santa travel?
• Does Santa visit everyone (i.e. Afghanistan, Israel, non-Christian countries)?
• How can Santa travel the world within 24 hours?
• Is there a Santa Claus?
• How old is Santa?
• What does Santa look like?
• How does Santa get down chimneys?
• Do your planes ever intercept Santa?

And as it's done in years past, Google's put a bit of holiday cheer on its usually stark white search page.

The new design went live today ahead of Christmas. The doodle changes colors and plays "Jingle Bells" after users light up each note with their mouse. Clicking on the page itself does a search for "happy holidays."

The design itself is strongly reminiscent of the glowing Lite-Brite toys, which light up in various colors after being poked through thick, black construction paper. Once animated it looks like plain old holiday lights.

Happy Holidays from the staff and our amazing volunteers at the Oregon Chapters of the American Red Cross!

Pizza for a Pint! (December 26 - January 2)

Come in to Donate Blood at the Portland, Salem, and Vancouver Donor Centers Between December 26, 2011 and January 2, 2012 to Receive a Coupon for One FREE Large One-Topping Pizza* from Papa Murphy’s

During the holiday season, blood donations often decrease as threats of wintery weather intensify and family schedules turn hectic. Every two seconds, someone in this country needs blood. On average, 1,000 blood donations are needed in the Pacific Northwest Blood Services Region each day to help trauma victims, surgical patients, burn victims, patients with blood disorders and many others.

Schedule your appointment at a blood drive near you or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Coupons will be given to all presenting donors at the above donor centers and can be used immediately at any participating Papa Murphy's locations. Some restrictions may apply. Offer valid only at participating Papa Murphy's locations.

Please schedule your donation appointment today. Check out Papa Murphy’s website for menu items and follow this link for a list of participating locations.

*While supplies last.

The global public toilet design committee

I know there are advocacy groups for everything these days, but sometimes there are groups that open your eyes! Here's our new fave - plus they have the best logo:

"PHLUSH is an all-volunteer advocacy group based in Portland's Old Town Chinatown. They collaborate with grassroots organizations, environmental activists, planners, architects, code officials and city managers."

This is the best part - "PHLUSH is a member of the World Toilet Organization, a partner in the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance and serves on the global public toilet design committee of the International Code Council."

Who knew there was a World Toilet Organization? Or that you could serve on a global public toilet design committee! I see new career paths opening before my eyes!

Seriously... "PHLUSH believes that toilet availability is a human right and that well-designed sanitation facilities restore health to our cities, our waters and our soils. We meet third Mondays at 5:30 pm at Floyd’s Coffee, 118 NW Couch St, Portland. Everyone is welcome."

They've even made sanitation after a Cascadia earthquake a topic of discussion (something I have never accomplished). We missed World Toilet Day and visiting with the PHLUSH folks at their booth at the Water! Festival in October, but we'll be there next year. Extra brownie points for clicking on every link in this post...

Saving the Galaxy One Pint at a Time - The Sequel!

On December 31, 2011, the Red Cross will rekindle an epic blood drive battle between the ultimate galaxy warriors: Stormtroopers vs. Klingons! Blood and platelet donors from the greater Portland area will once again be called upon to choose their side in the intergalactic showdown!

The 2nd Annual Stormtroopers vs. Klingons blood drive will take place during the day on New Year’s Eve (12/31/2011) at the Portland Donor Center, located at 3131 North Vancouver Avenue, and will run from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Mingle and take photos with members of Star Wars and Star Trek costuming organizations “The 501st Legion: Vader’s Fist” and “Starfleet International.” Watch the films, listen to the soundtracks and defend your galaxy’s honor!

All presenting donors will have the opportunity to cast their ballot for either the Stormtroopers or the Klingons, and the side which receives the most votes will walk away with the second annual Galaxy Drive trophy.

In addition, donors will be given event-themed buttons (graphics shown here), a black Red Cross t-shirt and a free large, two-topping pizza coupon from Papa Murphy’s. They can also enter into a drawing for a $100 gift certificate courtesy of our friends at ThinkGeek AND a $100 Safeway gift card. Cake and coffee will be served, along with standard refreshment items.

Start the New Year with a new tradition! Bring in friends and family to experience the next frontier of blood drives in Portland!

To participate, here’s how it works:
1. For more information and to schedule your appointment, call 1-800 RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: stardrive to register as a donor for the December 31st drive at the Portland Donor Center.
2. Blood donors must be at least 16 years old (16 year-olds require a signed Red Cross parental consent form) and meet minimum height and weight requirements.
3. Donor appointments are not required, but are preferred.

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...

PHILIPPINES: Last week tropical storm Washi swept through entire villages in several areas of the Philippines, causing the deaths of an estimated nearly 1,000 people and massive damage to infrastructure, including the water system. The ICRC, led by it’s local partner the Philippine Red Cross, distributed food packs, essential household items and hygiene kits for 18,000 people in three of the areas hardest hit within the first 48 hours. With more than 270,000 people now lacking access to clean drinking water, ICRC water and habitat engineers are devising ways to bring water from the undamaged water sources and of storing it for use by the survivors.

HAITI: The Haiti Red Cross Society is working to recycle rubble from the earthquake in 2010 to prepare for future disasters. So far they have been able to take 25,000 cubic meters of rubble and have local residents process it into concrete blocks, paving slabs or walls which will stop the ground from slipping away during Haiti’s next heavy rains or in case of another earthquake. The rubble recycling is just one part of the Haiti Red Cross Society’s neighborhood development support that assists in providing shelters, access to water and sanitation, and job opportunities along with training and technical support.

SOMALIA: Torrential rains that started in the southern provinces of Somalia in early October were welcomed in the drought stricken nation, however most roads were turned into rivers that have slowed down transport and delivery of food aid. Together with the Somali Red Crescent Society, the ICRC has distributed beans, rice and oil to over 917,000 people in southern and central Somalia. This will help farmers bridge the gap until January, when they will be able to harvest from seed the ICRC has also distributed.

NORTH KOREA: In North Korea, meager crops were severely damaged after being struck by a typhoon and flooding in July and August. Now, with the arrival of the first snow, people in the area are busy preparing for what they expect to be a severe winter. The Red Cross Society of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, supported by the IFRC, has so far distributed 288 metric tons of yellow maize to 6,051 of the most vulnerable families (24,827 people) who were severely affected by floods and subsequent food shortages in three target counties in South Hwanghae province.


GLOSSARY:

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

Miss Oregon's "Old Spice" Parody for Miss America - Vote Now!

Miss Oregon 2011 Caroline McGowan showcases Portland (and some unparalleled whistling talent) through her Miss America video contest submission below!

Please share the video/vote for her as she represents the Red Cross at the Miss America competition here.

Caroline brings Portland cred to the national stage with a parody of the random/brilliant Old Spice video below (featuring Portland actor Isaiah Mustafa and created by acclaimed Portland ad organization Weiden +Kennedy)



Old Spice original video:



Please share Miss Oregon's video to encourage people to vote! Viral videos are only possible if we set the chain reaction!