Make Your Halloween Night One-Of-A-Kind!

I generally start thinking about my Halloween costume in uh....late July. Yep, that's how excited I get about this holiday.

To me, Halloween has the best movies, the best parties and even the best music!

I thought I'd share some awesome Etsy finds to get others into the holiday mood. This Halloween gear is sure to make your scary shindig a "bloody" good time!

Check out exhibit A (otherwise known as the photo above this sentence). How awesome would that blood donor mug be as a gift for your dedicated donor friend? Fill it with red Kool-Aid to up the scare factor even more!

If you're a lady and looking to have people do a double-take, this awesome "Vampire bite" choker necklace is a winner. Hiss and attack people for extra realism. Avoid the Twilight films.

Every good party needs killer food (and by that I mean delicious, not, you know...deadly desserts). You can have your cake and get bit by it too, with this Vampire-inspired "Bite Me" fang banner! The party just got a little riskier...

Lastly, while not an Etsy find, you can kick things up a notch with BLOOD Concept fragrances, which are as fresh as they come!

Photo courtesy of Etsy.com

Just in time for Halloween, an awesome comic from the Center for Disease Control on Zombie Preparedness.

According to USA Today, the comic was a hit as a giveaway at New York Comic Con 2011 when director of the CDC's Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response Ali Khan passed out free printed copies at the "Zombie Summit: How to Survive the Inevitable Zombie Apocalypse" panel. If the CDC has its way, the online version will draw a similarly significant number of eyes and help better prepare the public for emergencies (ComicsAlliance).

Happy Halloween, be safe!

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...

TURKEY: The Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) and IFRC are working to assist survivors and reach people trapped in the rubble following the 7.2 earthquake that hit the eastern Turkish province of Van on Sunday. At least 217 people have been killed and 1,090 people have been injured, with hundreds more missing.

CENTRAL AMERICA: Over the past week, heavy rains in Central America caused flooding and several major landslides. A landslide in La Libertad, El Salvador took five lives and another five were rescued from under the dirt by members of the Salvadorian Red Cross. In Guatemala, the Guatemalan Red Cross is delivering relief supplies to those affected by landslides. At least 100 have died in the region, which continues to receive heavy rains from Hurricane Rita.

AFGHANISTAN: Every year, as the weather turns cold, the ICRC runs a winter program for Afghan detainees. By the end of October, the ICRC will have distributed over 26,000 parcels, blankets and other supplies to 72 prisons all over Afghanistan.

MADAGASCAR: Last week was the final training seminar in a series of 10 at the national police academy in Ivato, Madagascar. The seminars, organized by the ICRC, gave 400 officers the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of the rules on the use of force under human rights law.


GLOSSARY:

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

OTC Nurse Donna Jensen, PhD, RN earns Ann Magnussen Award

This year’s winner of the prestigious Ann Magnussen Award is our very own OTC volunteer Donna Jensen, PhD RN. In her 11 years as a volunteer she has become a Red Cross Health Services leader on both a State and National level. Gail McGovern will present the award to her today in Washington D.C.

The Ann Magnussen Award is presented to a volunteer registered nurse who has made an outstanding contribution to strengthening or improving American Red Cross programs and services. It is the highest honor of nursing achievement in the American Red Cross

Donna’s achievements are truly incredible. She has recruited and trained more than 50 nurses for the Red Cross and has been deployed herself on more than 18 disaster operations (including 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina). She also teaches classes throughout the state and across the country. As put so well by her nominator Janet Bailey, “In addition to formal classes, and sometimes even more important than her formal teaching, Donna stands out as a mentor to novice and expert nurses. She uses her calm demeanor and extensive teaching experience to help nurses and others to creatively think through difficult situations and problem solve during crisis and quieter times.”

As a tireless volunteer Donna is always ready to tackle the next challenge. She is an incredible role model to her fellow nurses and to all volunteers. “Through her compassion, leadership and integrity, Donna has inspired many, past and present and leaves a sustainable legacy for the future”, said Janet Bailey.

We think Clara Barton would be proud – we know we are!

"I Am The Red Cross" Video

We recently developed a video illustrating the concept of One Red Cross. The intent of the video captures not just language diversity, but also many other aspects such as age, culture, family life as well as highlighting services through blood recipients, military veterans, disaster instructors, family life, volunteerism and more!

Prepare-aphernalia: Office Edition

Here on the blog we spend a lot of time talking about being prepared. We’re pretty sure that a magnitude 9 or so earthquake (that will cause extensive damage and probably a pretty big tsunami) is coming and we know that you are all packing away food, water and emergency supplies so you’re ready for the “big one” but what about those day to day emergencies?

I came across a few key items to help solve workplace "emergencies" that many of us face everyday and wanted to share:

Can’t find a pen? Not a problem anymore you'll be offering, "borrow my pen" before anyone has a chance to ask with this set of eight reputable business logo pens such as “Stuffed with Love Taxidermy” where just as the pen says “No pet Too small – Give us a Call”. (We think these won't be walking away from your desk anytime soon either)

Someone keeps using your coffee Mug? Chances are good with this mug it won’t be a problem – wash as much as you like, the lipstick and coffee stains are there to stay.

No office windows? Here is an inflatable window with a lovely tropical scene. This could also be a useful addition to your office disaster kit – a little morale boost when your stuck under your desk waiting for help post earthquake.

Your lunch went missing from the staff fridge, again? Not a problem anymore with Anti-Theft lunch bags – these zip-locks have green splotches printed on both sides. Only you will know that sando hasn’t been in there since last summer.

[Note: We don't endorse, nor sell, the prepare-aphernalia products we feature here. We just like to share cool stuff we come across. These items and more availabe at perpetualkid.com]

Monday Only: FrightTown Ticket Giveaway in Portland!

Get your scares for free!!

All presenting blood donors at the Portland Donor Center will receive a free admission ticket to FrightTown (while supplies last). This ticket giveaway will only occur on Monday, October 24, 2011, so make your appointment today!

Visit us online or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to schedule your donation. This offer is only eligible for donors at the Portland Donor Center on Monday, October 24,2011.

FrightTown is the Pacific Northwest’s newest haunted event featuring three amazing haunted houses in one location for one price. Baron Von Goolo’s Museum of Horrors, the top rated madhouse of humor and horror, returns for its tenth year in Portland; Elshoff Manor has been completely renovated to be bigger and scarier than ever; and an all new version of our haunt not seen since 2006, The Black Box, is a non stop free fall into darkness and terror unlike anything this town has ever seen. There’s something to scare everyone at FrightTown!

FrightTown is located in the Exhibit Hall at the Rose Quarter, on Portland’s east side between the Broadway Bridge and the Steel Bridge. FrightTown is below the Coliseum: in fact, you enter FrightTown off of the courtyard in front of the Coliseum. When you’re facing the Coliseum, take the stairway to your right, down to FrightTown.