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Issue 2 - July/August 2024

Happy Reading!

Note from ARCAN President Mary Buszuwski

This year it seems we are in a “summer of change.” Have you felt it? Embarking on our journey to transform ourselves into an alumni network is definitely one of the best changes! As of the writing of this newsletter ARCAN has 36 new members since we launched a few weeks ago on June 11. This is two and half times the number of new members that joined in all of 2023. And while a number of those up for membership renewal seemed to be waiting for the ARCAN launch, the high rate of re-ups this summer also shows strong support of the changes. Take a look at the new member list below and join me in welcoming everyone. It’s so good to be growing!

ARCAN’s new social media channels are becoming a real gathering place, boasting more than 550 members on our Facebook group and 300 followers on LinkedIn! They’re sparking great conversations as group members post photos and share memories. We’re also getting valuable feedback through the platforms that will help us plan programs and gatherings. Follow the links to join the conversation.

The new website is also seeing a huge upswing in visitors who are finding updated stories about alumni, Red Cross news, career and retiree resources and more. Explore what’s new at redcrossalumni.org.

I also know most of us have been feeling the impact of our changing climate this summer. I remember when summers here in upstate New York meant days in the 70’s and “heat waves” were temperatures in the low to mid 80’s and the chance to head to a local lake or the town pool to go swimming. Red Crossers have spanned the nation this summer in response to weeks of blistering heat, tornadoes where they shouldn’t be happening, wildfires that defy their seasons, and the earliest U.S. hurricane landfall in recorded history.

On July 1, the new President and CEO of the American Red Cross, Cliff Holtz, shared his intention to prioritize the climate crisis. His vision includes “building on the Red Cross's strong foundation to adapt to the growing frequency and intensity of disasters, and developing sustainability efforts with a focus on underserved communities across all service delivery.” See the story below. We are looking forward to working with Cliff and in support of the Red Cross under his leadership.

We’ll also be helping ARCAN members get ready for disasters and emergencies of all types in our July webinar. Elizabeth Bubel, senior associate of preparedness, will walk us though the newest and upcoming features of the American Red Cross Emergency App as well as answer technical questions. A link to register is in the Webinar section below.

Also in this summer edition, find Red Cross disaster response updates from Hurricane Beryl, the Iowa floods, and California and New Mexico wildfires; retiree and international updates; a warm welcome to new ARCAN member Susan Murray, who steps down as an employee of the Red Cross after more than two decades of service. I am so delighted that Susan will continue her connection to Red Cross through her membership in ARCAN. And of course, our fan favorite—features about, and updates from, fellow ARCAN members.

Stay cool and we’ll see you in September!

ARCAN UPDATES

Welcome New ARCAN Members!!!

More than 35 Red Cross alumni have joined ARCAN since we launched on June 11. We are so excited to see the faces of colleagues new and old, and we encourage you to reach out, welcome them, and reconnect or introduce yourself.

Members can find one another via the ARCAN Member Directory on the website.

Court Ogilvie

Rose Ann Haran

Susan Davis

Susan Murray

Renita Hosler

Brooke Flake

Maureen McKenna

Kevin Kellenberger

Scott Emerson

Roger Lowe

Trevor Riggen

David Little

Rose Eckenrod

Carol Turchick

Megan Chamberlain

Laura Wilkinson

Mary Dooley

Sara Hicks-West

George Hitchcock

Andrea Connors

Mary Anderson

Gisele McAuliffe

Mary Schaefle

Nazik Salih

Sheri Frost-Robinson

Cynthia Karst

Cara Ciullo

April Wood

Earl Johnson

Ashley Brush

Catherine Tisdale

Orion Bell

Frances Cutshaw

Neal Denton

Mark Hague

Amy Gabriel

Upcoming ARCAN Webinars

July 31: Elizabeth Bubel, Red Cross Emergency App

August 27: Susan Watson, Red Cross National Archives and Collection

Elizabeth Bubel

Elizabeth Bubel, senior associate of preparedness with the American Red Cross, will present about the Red Cross Emergency App at the ARCAN webinar on July 31 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Elizabeth is an exciting presenter. She has more than 15 years of U.S. and overseas experience in non-profit program management and development. She joined the Red Cross in 2015 and has been program manager for the emergency app since 2020. The emergency app aims to empower the public to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate-affected hazards. It provides alerts for storms, tornadoes, floods, and more.

During her presentation, Elizabeth will help familiarize us with the best, latest and upcoming features of the app, walk us through its uses, and help us tailor it for our individual needs. To register for the webinar, click this link. You will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the meeting.

Elizabeth believes that everyone has a right to prepare for disasters. That is why she developed a vision and strategy for and launched the new emergency app in May 2022. It is designed to serve people who speak Spanish, people with disabilities, individuals with low income, and individuals with limited literacy. The emergency app aims to achieve Web Content Accessibility 2.2 AA Guidelines. For more information about Elizabeth and the app, click here.

Susan Watson

Susan Watson, American Red Cross archivist, will present at our webinar on August 27 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Susan will discuss her role as archivist and how she makes decisions, especially about what goes to the National Archives vs what is kept for regional/chapter use for displays and fundraisers. Susan says she can sometimes use help from Red Cross alumni putting together some missing pieces for the Red Cross archives, and she will share examples of that and describe some of the fascinating items in the collection. For more about the webinar and to register in advance, click here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

View recent ARCAN webinar recordings

June 19 recording - Susan Hawa, Supporting the human-animal relationship throughout the disaster lifecycle

Sharon Hawa, who manages the emergency services department for Best Friends Animal Society, a national animal welfare organization, shared valuable pet preparedness tips and stories from her Red Cross years that illustrate the value of working with people and animals before, during and after disasters. Click on this link and use password RxJFE3!2 to view the recording.

Individual Pet Preparedness Emergency Go-bag Tips

If you have pets, designate a neighbor or nearby friend who can access your home to retrieve your pets when you are unable to do so.

Create emergency go-bags for your pets that contain essential items that can be grabbed along with your pet.

Food/Treats
Bowls
Leash/collar with ID
Letter pan/litter
Toys
Blanket/Worn sweater (yours, so it has your scent)

Other essentials:

Extra medication, if possible
List of medications with dosing/frequency
Veterinary contact information

Dedicated Red Crosser Susan Murray hangs up her vest

Good luck to new ARCAN member Susan Murray, after more than 20 years with Red Cross! Susan’s last Red Cross position was philanthropy director. Following is her announcement on LinkedIn:

After over two decades of working proudly for the American Red Cross and so many of you, I’ve decided to hang up my Red Cross vest.

Throughout innumerable crises from 9/11 to Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, I fell head over heels for the honorable humanitarian Red Cross mission and the heroic people it attracted – from Clara Barton to Gail McGovern to many amazing friends. It was thrilling to participate in record breaking donation initiatives – from online, text, ATM and cash register fundraising campaigns to pandemic-era stadium blood drives.

Together, I feel grateful to have worked with you to empower people and communities to bring hope, comfort, and speedy help to those in most need. Turning compassion into action. Thanks to so many of you who have helped make my career so rewarding.

I’ll be turning my energies to my family (daughter off to college!) and voter registration efforts with the optimism, creativity and determination of a Red Crosser – believing that kindness, compassionate listening and empowering action will lead to the greater good.

ARCAN members are key to the growth of our new alumni network. Please encourage your Red Cross friends and former staff members to join via the website's Join page.

ARCAN board members, Jim Hamilton and Randy Hutson both traveled to Scotland this summer. Thanks for shared these amazing photos from your trips!

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

“I joined the National American Red Cross for $1 in 1953 when I was 10 years old.”

A Q&A with Joseph (Joe) Prewitt-Diaz

Q. What positions do you currently hold?

A. I am currently serving as the global mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) lead for the National American Red Cross, a volunteer role in International Services. I am also a member of the board for the newly formed Washington, D.C. Chapter. Currently I am on loan to the IFRC as the volunteer partner to the Health Sector.

Q. How long have you been with the American Red Cross, and which Red Cross position was or is your favorite?

A. I joined the National American Red Cross for $1 in 1953 when I was 10 years old.

As an adult, I served as a volunteer in the Puerto Rico Chapter in the 1970s, came to Connecticut as a Blood Services volunteer organizing blood drives among Puerto Rican migrants, and in 1978 moved to Pennsylvania, where I served as a local volunteer in Disaster Services in Central Pennsylvania. From 1972 to 1998 I served in the role of Disaster Mental Health (DMH) for Hurricane Andrew, the Oklahoma City bombing. and the 9/11 terrorist attack, among others. I have served as a regional program coordinator in the Hurricane Mitch/Central America response (1998-2000), the MHPSS representative after the Gujarat earthquake in India (2000-2002), the psychosocial regional lead for the Tsunami Response (2004-2007), and the India American Red Cross representative (2007-2009).

Read more about Joe Prewitt-Diaz and his missions in the U.S. and around the world on the "Where are they now?" blog on the website here.

RETIREE NEWS

De-risking the American Red Cross Retirement System

Since at least 2009, the American Red Cross has been “de-risking” the retirement system. De-risking, according to the Red Cross, refers to the concept of transferring risk (like participant longevity and interest rate fluctuation) to another party – in this case, Red Cross retirees and annuity companies. Common de-risking strategies include offering lump sum payments, freezing benefits and purchasing annuity contracts. De-risking is widely used by sponsors of defined benefit plans across the U.S.

In a letter to retirees affected by the purchase of annuity contracts in 2017, the Red Cross wrote, “… a group annuity … would be the best … way to secure pension benefits for retirees and beneficiaries, maintain a healthy plan for future retirees, and minimize costs and business risk.” The organization added that as a non-profit, cost savings through annuity contracts and other de-risking strategies would be redirected to mission work.

Specific de-risking actions include the following:

The Red Cross closed the retirement system to new members in 2009 and froze benefit accumulation for vested employees in 2012.
In 2013 and again in 2016, the Red Cross opened “special election windows” and provided “cash-outs” to 10,516 eligible employees.
In 2017 and 2022, the organization purchased annuity contracts with Athene, covering 16,793 retirees. At this time, the Red Cross also changed the way retirees interacted with two previously purchased annuity contracts, Aetna and John Hancock. Retirees now interact directly with these companies.
In January 2019, the Red Cross began offering unrestricted lumps sums to retirees as they became benefit eligible. Since that time, about 70% of retirees (numbering roughly 4,700) have elected this settlement.

We are not aware of any retirees who have lost their hard-earned benefit as a result of these strategies. Perhaps the most significant change for retirees with annuity contracts is that, while your benefits are “insured”, the protection is provided by the state guaranty association (SGAs) where you live and not the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. (More on SGAs in future newsletters.) In addition, many retirees have been inconvenienced by the need to deal directly with Aetna, John Hancock and Athene instead of the single Benefits Service Center.

Part of your ARCAN member benefits include the ability to call on ARCAN links volunteers for help navigating the labyrinth of retiree benefits offered by the American Red Cross.

Find more articles and resources specific to retirees on the Retiree Connection and Retiree Resources page on the website.

AFFILIATED GROUPS NEWS

It’s Not Too Late to Register for the ARCOA Convention

The American Red Cross Oversees Association will hold its 75th anniversary convention in Kansas City, Missouri, September 12-14, 2024 at the Marriott Kansas City. The registration deadline is August 23. See more details in the Event listing on the website.

RED CROSS NEWS

AMERICAN RED CROSS

Red Cross Helps Texans through Storm Damage, Power Outages and Dangerous Heat

In the wake of Hurricane Beryl’s fury, the American Red Cross is working around the clock with Texas government officials and community partners to provide comfort, support and relief services where they are needed most. Read about the Red Cross response to Beryl as of July 9 here, and see further updates in the news section at https://www.redcross.org

Red Cross Helps Hundreds in Iowa and New Mexico Recover from Floods and Wildfires

The American Red Cross is on the ground in New Mexico and Iowa, helping the hundreds of people struggling to recover after losing everything in the devastating flooding and deadly wildfires in the two states.

In Iowa, new storms are dropping heavy rain in the same areas impacted in last week’s deluge. Early estimates indicate hundreds of homes are already affected.

In New Mexico, floodwaters and debris have damaged hundreds of homes and businesses. Both the Salt Fire and South Fork Fire are almost 90% contained. Officials report lightning caused the South Fork Fire, which scorched more than 17,500 acres.

RED CROSS RESPONSE Both the flooding and fires have caused tremendous losses. The Red Cross will be with those affected in the weeks and months to come, helping them recover. To read more about the response and how you can help, click here.

Tips from the Pros: The Ultimate Job interview Prep Guide

Finding a new job or switching careers can be daunting! That’s why we’ve asked Elizabeth Reardon from the American Red Cross Talent Acquisition team to break down what job applicants need to know when it comes to each step of the interview process.

Her Before, During and After the Interview Tips take you from preparation to follow-up. If you’re ready to make your career a force for good, visit ARCAN’s Advancement webpage to find a link to American Red Cross careers, and other great career resources and articles.

Connect with Elizabeth Reardon on LinkedIn and learn more about job opportunities at the American Red Cross.

Find additional interview tips in this article from Indeed: How To Prepare for an Interview in 11 Steps

Upcoming International Humanitarian Law Events

International Humanitarian Law Class: Even War Has Rules

Armed conflicts are ongoing around the world. At times it may seem that there are no rules in war. However, there are rules in war, and they make a difference. Even War Has Rules is a dynamic discussion on international humanitarian law (IHL) and how it governs armed conflict. By the end of the class, participants will achieve a general understanding of IHL and will be better able to evaluate the actions of parties to armed conflicts.

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

5:00 - 6:30 pm Pacific Time | 8:00 - 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Hosted by Red Cross instructors Kelly Saldarriaga and Jill Hofmann.

Click here for general registration.

If you are a Northern California Coastal Region Red Crosser, please click here to register.

International Humanitarian Law Class: Even War Has Rules

See the class description above.

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time | 8:00 - 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Hosted by Red Cross instructors Katrina Barlow and Reena Arya.

Click here for general registration.

If you are a Northern California Coastal Region Red Crosser, please click here to register.

INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF RED CROSS (ICRC)

75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions – “The one set of rules we all agree on”

When international humanitarian law (IHL) is respected, lives are saved and people's dignity is upheld. The 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions – the cornerstone of IHL – reminds us of the world's agreement that wars must have limits, and that, regardless of the circumstances, respect for human dignity and compassion must always guide our actions. Watching the news, we can easily get the impression that IHL is no longer relevant and never respected. Just like in 1949, today's wars continue to have horrific consequences: taking lives, separating families and causing unspeakable suffering. Yet, by focusing on victims of armed conflict and their needs, IHL does prevent and mitigate some of war's worst consequences – although much more must be done to improve implementation and compliance. Read more here on the ICRC website.

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES (IFRC)

#PassTheTorch: Volunteers from around the world gathered in Solferino, Italy, to ignite the spirit of humanity

For the IFRC, each anniversary of the Battle of Solferino, which took place on June 24, 1859, is a time to thank everyone who is moved to act in response to human suffering.

Thousands of Red Cross and Red Crescent members and volunteers gathered in Solferino, Italy, on Saturday, June 22, for a moving, torchlit procession called the “Fiaccolata,” which follows the path Henry Dunant and local volunteer nurses took as they responded to the Battle of Solferino in northern Italy 165 years ago today. Read more here on the IFRC website.

OTHER NEWS

67 Genius Hacks that will Make Your Life So Much Easier

By Michelle Valiant, Lifehackin

With how busy our lives get, it seems almost impossible to take care of ourselves, clean around the house, and just do a bunch of adult responsibilities. That’s why we compiled an incredible list of tips and tricks you can use as a cheat code to cut down on that to-do list! There are a few tricks to pamper yourself as well. So, sit back and relax, enjoy a good book, or catch up on your favorite TV shows from the comfort of your own home.

Remember, life is too short to be overwhelmed by responsibilities and stress. Let our life hacks help you simplify your routine and make the most of your time. It’s time to take control of your life and enjoy every moment. These little tips, tricks, and tweaks can save you buckets of time and hassle – it would be mad not to use them! See 67 life hacks here.

What Kind of Retiree Will You Be?

From Charles Schwab

"Retirement planning doesn't begin and end with the size of your nest egg," says Justin Richards, CFP^®, CWS^®, a Colorado-based senior financial planner for Schwab Wealth Advisory. "It's just as important to consider how you'll spend your time, especially given the extra hours you'll gain once you stop working. Without a plan, many retirees can feel aimless and unfulfilled."

But how do you begin to plan the retirement that's right for you? While everyone's experience is unique, retirees often fall into one of five categories. Read more here to discover which type most resonates with you—and what to consider as you near and enter retirement.

Finding and Vetting Retirement Facilities

From Retallic Financial

A residential facility such as a nursing home can offer a retiree some or all of their requisite long-term care needs. Some facilities merely provide housing and housekeeping, while others may provide personal care, medical services, and more. A CCRC (continuing care retirement community) offers a continuum of care; assisted living, long-term care, memory care, and more, with residents having access to a broad range of on-site medical professionals.

In many circumstances, patients must pay for care at a skilled nursing facility or CCRC themselves. Long-term stays at a nursing home aren’t covered by Medicare, but it may cover some associated costs, such as doctor’s visits and medical supplies. Medicaid may potentially cover some costs, depending on an individual’s income and personal resources.

So, how do you find one of these facilities, and how do you vet them to ensure they’ll be able to meet your needs?

First, examine the facility’s annual financial reports. These might be under the “about” section on their website. Go even more in-depth by finding the insurance regulator for the state where this community is located, and look up the legally required financial disclosures, which may provide more detail about the community’s finances.

It’s important to know the “cash on hand” of these facilities–“If they stopped getting any money in the door today, how many days could they operate, including debt service?”

Another thing to look into: How often are these facilities remodeled? Care facilities need to do this in order to reliably attract new residents, so if improvements are around 20 years old and there’s no indicator that renovations are planned, that’s a bad sign.

Third, review the occupancy rate and past rates in this community's history. If the occupancy rate is currently below 90%, ask yourself why.

The community should also be prepared to pay back refundable entrance fees upon the death or departure of a resident. However, some contracts specify that the payment is tied to the community’s ability to fill that exact living unit. If the community delays reselling that unit, leaving it vacant, the repayment is in limbo; “If they have a highly refundable contract, and they’re having trouble selling the units, they might start making refunds out of cash, and that becomes problematic.”

To learn more about your options for long-term residential care, consider Eldercare Locator or doing research on LongTermCare.gov. Alternatively, this article from the National Institute on Aging offers several resources.

If You Always Use These 6 Phrases, You’re Mentally Stronger Than Most

By Scott Mautz, MSNBC contributor

I’ve spent 30 years researching what makes people, and especially leaders, mentally strong. Along the way, I’ve discovered that you become mentally stronger by exercising six core mental muscles: Confidence, Fortitude, Boldness, Decision-making, Goal-focus, Messaging (which is about showing up positive-minded and engaged).

You can get in easy “reps” to build these muscles by being intentional about what you say to others — and to yourself. If you say these six phrases to yourself or others on a regular basis, you’re mentally stronger than most... Read the full story here.

See what's new in perkspot

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American Red Cross Alumni Network

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E-mail: info@redcrossalumni.org | Tel: 202.303.8779

Website: RedCrossAlumni.org