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Things with ARCAN are moving fast and we can't wait to tell you about them.
As we approach one year as an alumni network ARCAN is finding its flow in many ways, while also recognizing the great potential in new avenues. After hearing from our members, and working out some of the kinks, we are excited to announce that membership will soon be available to everyone affiliated with the American Red Cross as former or current volunteers or employees!!
In the Q&A below with ARCAN President Becky McCorry, she shares the vision and details of the changes, plus a membership drive that will help get the word out and bring new members to our ARCAN community. |
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Issue 9 - April | May 2025
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ISSUE AT-A-GLANCE - Interview and video with Becky McCorry
- Register for ARCAN SummerFest 2025
- Where Are They Now? Featuring David Morikawa
- Featured Alumni, Anne Chan
- Upcoming webinars | Listen to past sessions
- So Cal and DC/Baltimore Area group gatherings
- ICRC funding questions answered
- Discounts on books, meal kits, travel and more
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“We're incredibly excited about our upcoming membership campaign, officially kicking off with "Summerfest" on June 10 at 3:00 p.m.….Our goal is to expand our reach to current employees and volunteers, recognizing that the Red Cross family extends beyond alumni and retirees. We envision ARCAN as a vibrant social fabric, connecting individuals who share a passion for the Red Cross mission, regardless of their tenure or current status.”
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Building on Our Legacy: A Look Back and a Leap Forward with Becky McCorry, ARCAN President
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View the full recording of this interview here, or read highlights below.
The American Red Cross Alumni Network (ARCAN) is embarking on an exciting new chapter, building on a rich history of connection and service. Neal Gorman, ARCAN's Communications and Marketing Committee chair, recently sat down with ARCAN's President, Becky McCorry, to delve into the network's past, present and future. Here are some highlights from their insightful conversation:
Neal Gorman: Becky, it's fantastic to hear your passion for ARCAN. What truly excites you about bringing together past and present Red Cross individuals?
Becky McCorry: For me, Neal, it's about the enduring "family" that the Red Cross fosters. Whether someone served for a few years or dedicated their entire career, there's a shared love for the mission and countless "war stories" to share. ARCAN provides a vital space for these individuals – past employees, current employees and volunteers – to connect, learn from each other, and continue giving back to the Red Cross family.
Neal Gorman: That sense of connection is powerful. Why do you believe people should join ARCAN, especially as a relatively new group? What's our unique advantage?
Becky McCorry: It all comes back to the mission. Interestingly, the idea of Red Cross retirees connecting socially dates back to the 1970s, eventually leading to a formal advisory group for the Board of Governors.While the structure and focus have evolved, the fundamental desire to connect remains. ARCAN offers a way to rekindle those connections, share experiences, and for our more seasoned members, it provides a crucial retiree helpline. But looking forward, we aim to be a bridge between the past and the present, fostering mentorship and a continued sense of community for everyone who has been part of the Red Cross.
Neal Gorman: The historical context you provided is invaluable. It sounds like ARCAN is building on a strong foundation. You mentioned the retiree helpline – can you elaborate on that?
Becky McCorry: Absolutely. The retiree helpline is a vital service managed by our volunteers. We receive hundreds of calls annually, often from older retirees navigating automated systems, inquiring about benefits, or needing assistance with various administrative matters. Our volunteers provide that personal touch and guidance that can be so crucial.
Neal Gorman: That's a wonderful service. Now, let's talk about the future. ARCAN is launching membership drives soon. What can you tell our members about these efforts? Full interview here |
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WELCOME to our 20 new members who joined this spring!
Twenty new members have joined the ARCAN community since our March newsletter was sent. If you’re new to ARCAN, we want to welcome you! We hope you’ll dive right in and explore all that the community has to offer, including ARCAN's exclusive benefits, from the Member Directory to Alumni Stories and Events. A full list of member benefits can be found on the ARCAN website: www.redcrossalumni.org.
Here’s the list of our newest members. Be sure to reach out and say hello! |
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Members Can Inspire Colleagues and Friends to Join
As word gets out that our Alumni Network is a place to reconnect with Red Cross colleagues and friends, ARCAN members can encourage those you know to also take that next step and join. Our friends are interested. They just need to hear from members about why they should be a part of ARCAN. Remember, as we grow our membership, we’ll have more bandwidth for more and better opportunities and offerings. Get started: |
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ARCAN's SummerFest 2025 Virtual Gathering – June 10, 3:00 p.m.
Join us to reconnect with Red Cross friends and colleagues and celebrate one year as an alumni network. The agenda will include news about ARCAN, our upcoming membership drive, and changes for the future; breakout sessions by our different lines of service for sharing your best stories; reminiscing and more. Register here! |
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Condolences to Kate Forbes Our deepest sympathy goes out to IFRC President, long time American Red Cross volunteer and ARCAN friend, Kate Forbes whose daughter passed away after having a serious health emergency when Kate was preparing to speak at University of Arizona's Commencement. Vera Kathryn Ulibarri was a Red Cross Youth volunteer. She loved to cook, loved F1 racing, loved to read but most importantly loved her family. Donations can be made in her memory to: https://donate.redcrossredcrescent.org/ifrc/red-family-fund/~my-donation |
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“My father passed away last year and was part of the U.S, Army’s highly decorated 442nd Regimental Combat Team composed primarily of Japanese Americans during World War II. My mother is also Japanese American and was interned at Heart Mountain Internment Center during World War II. Family and our Japanese culture are important to us.” |
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Where are they now? A Q&A with David Morikawa |
David Morikawa has served Red Cross as a volunteer and employee in many locations, mostly throughout the Western states. See if you recognize a few of them. Also read about his avid hobby as a collector of rare seashells in the Q&A that follows. Q. What is one of your most memorable experiences at the American Red Cross?
A. I assume many would mention a disaster assignment, saving a life or some major project but for me it’s a million small things like teaching someone first aid, helping serve meals at a shelter, donating blood, recruiting volunteers and donors, and helping Red Cross staff and volunteers work together. It’s the million small things that give me and others a smile and pride when remembering our Red Cross years.
Q. You have an extremely interesting life as seen on Facebook. What can you tell our readers about your hobbies?
A. When I was working at the Red Cross, most did not know that I was an avid seashell collector. I started out collecting shells off the beach at age 3 and did my first seashell display and show in elementary school. My collection did not really take off seriously until my retirement. I currently buy, sell and trade specimen shells from around the world (but mostly buy), and go shelling whenever I can get close to the ocean.
Full story here |
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Featured Alumni Anne Chan from Northern California
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“At 5:04 p.m. on October 17, 1989, the 6.9M Loma Prieta Earthquake
shook our building at 1550 Sutter St. I was leaving the building to go to the parking. You guessed it; I turned around to go back to our office. Volunteer and paid staff jumped in to help.”
Anne “Annie” Chan’s work with the Red Cross in the Bay Area in Northern California and on field assignments spanned three decades. She worked in Service to Military Families (Services to Armed Forces), Volunteer Services and Youth Services across many groundbreaking programs that originated to help with the specific needs of those Bay Area communities. She now helps organize the CA North Coastal ARCAN group and plays a significant role in preserving the written stories of all of her paid and volunteer staff colleagues with whom she served.
Q. What are some of your earliest memories of your Red Cross work?
A. There were so many Red Cross services and programs! In addition to learning to do Red Cross basic emergency casework to support service members and their families, we also did the casework part of Disaster Operations. Pete Ashen, then Disaster Director, took me with him to the AFEES (Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station) to serve coffee and donuts from Bob’s Donuts on Polk Street, San Francisco and share Red Cross contact information for family emergencies with those entering military service. These are examples of cooperation between two lines of service. One story I heard a lot about was when Pete and volunteer Abbie McGreevy, RN led, with many volunteers worked on the San Francisco Red Cross part of receiving and caring for Vietnamese babies and children during the April 1975 Operation Babylift. Many of the children were very sick. The Babylift was a mass evacuation by the U.S. of children (not all were orphans) from South Vietnam. Pete talked about the Airlift operation and receiving and taking care of the children at the Presidio of San Francisco. It was a massive and multi-country operation. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, we supported local Southeast Asian families in providing verification of relationship to their family members who were in refugee camps. Full story here |
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The Retiree Helpline is one of the favorite benefits of ARCAN membership
The Retiree Helpline is a call-back service by ARCAN that assists American Red Cross retirees with questions about pensions, including those administered by the annuity companies, as well as retiree medical benefits, the ARC Savings Plan (401-k) and more. The Retiree Helpline also helps with ARCAN membership questions. The Retiree Helpline is staffed by Red Cross retiree/volunteers, called “Links”, who stay up to date on benefits and steer retirees in the right direction. Many callers will need to contact the American Red Cross Benefit Service Center (BSC) and/or one of the annuity companies to resolve their question or issue and Links will help them prepare for these calls. The Helpline is also a point of Connection for Red Cross retirees who often stay on the call with Links after getting the info they were seeking just because they enjoy talking with another Red Crosser; something Links enjoy as well. The Retiree Helpline can be reached at 202-303-8779. See also, ARCAN Retirement Resources at hps://redcrossalumni.org/Rerement-Resources See other resources for retirees on our website Retirement Resources page. |
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ARCAN's SummerFest 2025 Virtual Gathering – June 10, 3:00 p.m. ET
See details above. |
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June Webinar Pro Tips on all things travel from a panel of ARCAN’s own expert travelers including New Vista owner/advisor, Lew Woodard - June 24 at 4:00 p.m. ET
A Travel Panel will feature Lew Woodard and other seasoned travelers. We'll have more details soon. After registering here, you will receive an email about how to join the discussion. |
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Michael Stone Webinar Recording Available
ARCAN’s March webinar featured Michael Stone, President of the Alumni Association of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Michael joined us from the UK and talked about what it’s really like running an emergency response operation overseas. He gave examples and linked those realities and their solutions to 12 Laws of Life, for example: The Law of Unintended Consequences, which he relates to his work with Princess Diana, or Bad Means are Not Justified by Good Ends, related to conflicts in which we in the Red Cross work. These Laws enable teams to engage in really effective emergency responses. The Laws also apply to all of Life, working or retired. See the video here Passcode y!cN0uZK and see more from Michael in our World Red Cross Day story below. |
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Dr. Jeffrey McCullough and David Therkelsen Webinars Parts I & II Recordings Available -- ARCAN Members invited to purchase the book at the author discount Once again, Dr. Jeff McCullough and Dave Therkelsen were amazing as they shared from their book, told personal stories from Red Cross history, and so much more. If you missed the webinars, you can see the recordings for both here: Part 1: Recording Use passcode: Obd7v$Fb Part 2: Recording Use passcode: WWu.^D#3 Dave and Jeff shared a discount code for ARCAN members wishing to purchase their book. Use AUTHOR40 for a substantial discount on the paperback version of their book when purchased online at: https://www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-0364-0700-1. |
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ARCAN Southern California Group Meeting and Luncheon
On April 8 the So Cal ARCAN group met at Acapulco restaurant in Glendale for their bi-annual meeting and luncheon. With 137 members, the group is our largest regional ARCAN group. So Cal ARCAN President Bill Dutton reported that Patti Hartmann gave the group a great update on what American Red Cross in Los Angeles is doing for fire survivors. Southern Cal has raised more than $41 million and National $162 million. The Red Cross is working on a three year recovery program to aid the many victims of the fires. More information will be available when the three-month report is published. An additional item of interest included that long-time Red Cross member Al Panico is moving to Panama! Save the Date for the next meeting of the So Cal group on October 14, place and time TBD. |
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Greater DC & Baltimore ARCAN Spring Luncheon Meeting
The Greater DC & Baltimore ARCAN group gathered at the beautiful 17th Street building in the room formerly known as the Tiffany Ballroom for their semi-annual luncheon meeting on World Red Cross Day. Speaker Omar Abou-Samra, American Red Cross director of Preparedness, Climate Adaptation, Global Disaster Preparedness Center shared details about his team’s work in the U.S. and overseas. Joby Jester, President of the group, conducted a brief meeting and asked that anyone wishing to help with the regional ARCAN group step forward and let him or another member of their board know. |
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ARCAN Members Attend the Former Red Cross International Services Happy Hour
Several ARCAN members attended the former Red Cross International Services Happy Hour on May 12. |
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International Humanitarian Law For details about upcoming IHL classes and discussions, and to register, see the ARCAN Events webpage. |
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American Red Cross responds to deadly tornadoes
For the latest news on the American Red Cross response to recent deadly tornadoes, heat and safety tips, and more, visit Latest News at RedCross.org. |
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No Immediate U.S. Threat to ICRC Funding
United States funding of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is not under immediate threat, according to its director Pierre Krähenbühl. However, the ICRC has taken preventive measures, including a hiring freeze. Read the full story here |
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Space - IFRC Weekly Podcast
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) hosts a weekly X Space on their global @IFRC account on X offering listeners the latest updates on humanitarian emergencies around the world. Tune in every Wednesday at 09:30 CEST to hear from IFRC teams in the field as they discuss the world's most pressing disasters and humanitarian issues of the day. Make sure to follow @IFRC so you never miss a Space! |
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World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
Michael Stone, President of the Alumni Association of the IFRC, shared a beautiful commemoration of World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day. Read his letter on the ARCAN Red Cross News blog. |
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Plan Ahead and Participate in Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday!!
On July 4, 2026, our nation will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond. See the commemoration website to nominate history’s unsung champions, share your story, and encourage your kids and grandkids to enter a contest and earn unique experiences at iconic American historical and cultural sites. |
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17 unexpected items banned from hand luggage on flights in America From Skyscanner
Flying soon? Don't get caught off guard at airport security! When you’re flying from any American airport, there are of course restrictions on what you can and can’t bring on board your flight. And while certain carry-on restrictions are obvious, others might surprise you. Here we look at 17 surprising things that you can’t pack in your carry-on luggage. Read the full article here |
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Getting your weekly perks is easy! Sign up or sign in at PerkSpot to get discounts on travel, electronics, home goods, mortgages, and all of the other little – and big- things that will make life a bit easier.
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American Red Cross Alumni Network PO BOX 21004 | Washington, DC 20009
E-mail: info@redcrossalumni.org | Tel: 202.303.8779 Website: RedCrossAlumni.org |
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