Tag: fundraising

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Our 2019 Heroes Awards Recipients

Congratulations to our 2019 Heroes Awards recipients. They’ve made the world a better place and we’re thankful for that. Check out their stories. 

Good Samaritan Hero

Melissa Goble  and Kimberly Hartung did not know each another when they encountered a man in cardiac arrest along the path of 10K race in Nisswa in April 2018, but they both stepped up and put their training as nurses into action. Click here to watch Melissa’s and Kimberly’s story. Our 2019 Good Samaritan Hero Award is presented by CenterPoint Energy.

First Responder Hero

Paul VanVoorhis and Steve Kritzeck found an injured man in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and traveled about a mile with him to get to safety. They provided him with crucial lifesaving first aid until emergency help arrived. To watch Paul’s and Steve’s story click here. Our 2019 First Responder Hero Award is presented by Abbott.

Give Life Hero

Kirk Albright has donated platelets every other week for nearly thirty years. He doesn’t do it for recognition or for awards, but simply because he knows there is a great need. To watch Kirk’s story click here. Our 2019 Give Life Hero Award is presented by Deluxe Corporation.

Community Hero

Cassandra Holmes is a vital part of the Little Earth United Tribes and East Philips neighborhoods in Minneapolis, serving in many roles that illustrate her commitment to the Native-American communities. Click here to watch Cassandra’s story. Our 2019 Community Hero Award is presented by Eide Bailly LLP.

Youth Hero

Thirteen-year-old Ella and fourteen-year-old Collin Hintze-Belland were watching their six-year-old sister at their home in Stillwater in August 2018 when a fast-moving fire swept through their house. Watch Ella’s and Collin’s story here. Our 2019 Youth Hero Award is presented by Medica Foundation.

Military Hero

Dan Couture, 20-year veteran of the Minnesota Army National Guard. Couture puts his military experience to work everyday fighting tirelessly to reduce veteran homelessness in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Click here to watch Dan’s story. Our 2019 Military Hero Award is presented by APi Group, Inc.

The 2019 Heroes Awards were given at our 2019 Heroes Breakfast, which was presented by Land O’Lakes, Inc., and held at Radisson Blu, Mall of America, on May 3. Many thanks to Slumberland Furniture for sponsoring and producing this year’s Heroes videos.  Click here for the complete playlist. Thank you to Marathon for supporting our Heroes VIP Reception. All photos are by Lara Leimbach for the American Red Cross Minnesota Region. 

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Mankato Stars Are Ready to Dance for Red Cross

Support the teams
DWTMSDo you want to start supporting a Dancing with the Mankato Stars team? Check out the new Crowdrise page where you can donate to your favorite dance team and help them win the upcoming competition while supporting American Red Cross programs and services in southwest Minnesota.

Attend the event
DWTMS_2Join us on the event day, February, 13, to watch the dancing teams. The teams are local celebrities who are paired with professional dance partners from Dance Express and colleagues of Dance Express. They will each compete for trophies, awards and the top spot. This event will raise money for the American Red Cross serving Southwest Minnesota.

Learn about Red Cross
January 2016 Urgent Need_Stamp GraphicAs part of the global Red Cross network, the American Red Cross works to reduce human suffering in the face of emergencies. Primary lines of humanitarian services include disaster relief, recovery and preparedness, emergency communications and financial assistance for military members and their families, health and safety training, blood and platelet donation collection, processing and distribution, reconnection search and messaging for people separated by international conflict and disasters, and immunizations in vulnerable communities around the globe.

12195094_10153609172750630_5228715192139806662_oThe Red Cross in southwest Minnesota serves more than 369,000 people in communities across Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Watonwan and Yellow Medicine counties. In southwest Minnesota last year, the Red Cross supported 62 families affected by disasters, collected more than 30,000 units of blood, trained 13,126 people in lifesaving and caregiving skills, provided 153 emergency communications services to military families, and installed 214 smoke alarms for home fire safety.

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Will You Be Mine?

valentinedayblogphotoI want to stand on the roof top and shout it: We love you, donors! Because of you, disaster assistance is free. Because of you, families divided are reunited. Because of you, trauma patients don’t need to wait, or wonder if there will be enough blood—there will be, because you gave it.

You give from your hearts, from your belief in our mission, and from your trust in the Red Cross to be ready and to be there—in a moment’s notice—whenever and wherever disaster strikes. Thank you!

We love you because, with your generosity, you are there beside us: giving back what fire takes, reconnecting military families after deployment, making sure the nation’s blood supply never falls short. Together with you, we help the people of Minnesota, the United States, and the entire world every day.

Thank you for your compassion. Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for your trust. Thank you for helping us to always be ready. We do—we love you!

And if you ever have questions about your giving experience, or if I may be of service, please call or email me anytime—I am here and happy to help.

Amanda Hedlund, Stewardship Officer, American Red Cross Minnesota Region
Reach me at 612-872-3246 or amanda.hedlund@redcross.org

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Balloon Toss + Lollypop Pull = Disaster Relief

Aliyah Robran, age 9
Aliyah Robran, age 9

Balloon tosses, lollypop pulls and county fairs… those were sure signs of summer in Minnesota.  These three things have something else in common: each played a part in ensuring that when disasters strike the Red Cross is prepared to respond.

Let me explain the connection for you.  As the Fundraising Events Director at the American Red Cross Northern Minnesota Region, anytime a community member or group wants to raise funds on behalf of the Red Cross, the call is sent my way.  I work with this group of donors to make sure they have everything they need in order to hold a successful fundraiser.  These can range from canisters on a store counter to choir concerts and bake sales.  If someone wants to raise money in the community, I’m their gal!

One day this past summer, I received a call from Chad, the father of Aliyah Robran.  Aliyah and her friends Brianna and Alyssa Brolin were planning to have a booth at the Corcoran Country Daze Fair and wanted to raise money for the American Red Cross.

Brianna Brolin, age 14
Brianna Brolin, age 14

In keeping with the hot summer days we had, the girls decided on a water balloon toss as one of the fundraisers.  For $.25, fair goers could pop a water balloon to reveal a ribbon inside.  The color of the ribbon determined the prize won.  Items came straight from the closets of the girls. The other fundraiser was a $.25 Lollypop Pull.  Those lucky enough to pull a sucker with the correct marking, won a prize as well. All together, the girls raised $126.56 for the Red Cross and wanted to have the money go towards Disaster Relief!

These creative kids are just one example of the generous support we receive from the community. Often people feel called to action once a disaster has happened, but these community fundraisers are a great way to make sure the Red Cross is prepared year round before, during and after disasters.

During their county fair, Brianna Brolin, age 14, and Aliyah Robran, age 9, raised money for American Red Cross disaster relief.
During their county fair, Brianna Brolin (l), Aliyah Robran (r) and Alyssa Brolin (not pictured) raised money for American Red Cross disaster relief.

If you’re interested in hosting a community fundraising event, give me a call at our region offices in Minneapolis: 612-871-7676. I love to hear from people in our community who are passionate about our mission–to alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies–and want to help fulfill it. 

Guest post by Kristin Peters, Fundraising Events Director for the American Red Cross Northern Minnesota Region. Click here for the Region’s website and to learn more about the Red Cross.

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