Fan Drive brings relief from the heat for the elderly, disabled

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Folks, I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record here, but it’s dangerously hot here in Oklahoma. As we move deeper into August, temperatures are expected to remain in the high 90s and into the triple digits. Today, for example, the high is supposed to be 109 degrees!

With that in mind, here are a bunch of photos from the Fan Drive we held with Rococo’s restaurant, The Bricktown Rotary and KFOR-TV. Because of them, we have hundreds of fans in stock to give out to the elderly, the ill and disabled and families with infants under 6 months old.

If you know of anyone fitting that description, please send them to us for a fan.

Out of curiosity, how are you staying cool this summer?

FANS FANS FANS – We’re YOUR Biggest Fan!

Wow, what an amazing night Monday!

With the help of KFOR-TV and the Bricktown Rotary, a massive box fan drive was held at Rococo’s on N. Penn Ave. For those of you who don’t know, Rococo’s is one of the best restaurants in Oklahoma City and are famous for their “cookies,” which are actually little savory appetizers topped with delightful cheeses, sausages, crab and more.

Truly a team effort, this fan drive not only brought in well over 200 actual box fans, but over $2,000 in donations. All in all, we are able to provide 400 box fans, thanks to Rococo’s, KFOR and The Bricktown Rotary. That means 400 senior citizens and families will find a bit of relief from this deadly heat due to the generosity of Oklahoma City citizens.

But, man, was it HOT! Well over 100 degress, The Salvation Army and its partners stood out in the blistering heat to hand out coupons for free “cookies” to those who donated a new fan. Inside, donors and supporters enjoyed cool drinks and delicious appetizers.

KFOR’s Scott Hines was a real powerhouse yesterday, doing live shot after live shot at the event. Lamar Advertising donated space on their digital billboards all Monday long to promote the event. Members of Bricktown Rotary reached out to their networks to encourage donations.

What resulted was one of the most successful drives we’ve seen.

I’ll have photos up soon. I have a few favorites, including the little girl who gave up her birthday money in order to buy fans to donate.

For those still wanting to help out, you can drop off new box fans at our Social Services office at 501 S. Harvey or mail donations to PO Box 2095, Oklahoma City, OK 73101. In this heat, we’ve seen over nine deaths already this summer. Please help The Salvation Army save lives by “Doing the Most Good.”

CDC’s tips for staying safe in extreme heat

Found these tips on the Centers of Disease Control’s website at: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heattips.asp

Anyway, these are great tips on staying safe in the heat. So, courtesy of the CDC, here’s their tips on being heat safe.

The best defense is prevention. Here are some prevention tips:

• Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
   
• Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar–these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also, avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.
   
• Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library–even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Call your local health department to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area.
   
• Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath, or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.
   
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
   
• NEVER leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle.
   
• Although any one at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others. Check regularly on:
   
  • Infants and young children
  • People aged 65 or older
  • People who have a mental illness
  • Those who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure
     
• Visit adults at risk at least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants and young children, of course, need much more frequent watching.

If you must be out in the heat:

• Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
   
• Cut down on exercise. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour.  A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. Warning: If you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage. Remember the warning in the first “tip” (above), too.
   
• Try to rest often in shady areas.
   
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels).

Remember, we have a cooling station open at 330 SW 4th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Red Shield Kitchen when the heat index gets over 100 degrees. Do not hesistate to send someone to us who doesn’t have air conditioning.

 

Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, Radio Stations Help Raise Funds for Oklahoma Tornado Victims for The Salvation Army

Two of the most popular items on the menu at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, located near Harkins Theater in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown, are the burgers and chicken fried chicken sandwich.

Because of that, citizens throughout the metro can enjoy a juicy burger or chicken fried chicken sandwich while helping their neighbors who were affected by the tornados that ravaged our state this spring.

On Thursday, June 2, 100 percent of the proceeds from the sales of burgers or chicken fried chicken sandwiches will be donated to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief funds. Come by for lunch and dinner, meet the on-air personalities for KMGL, KOMA, KRXO and KOKC radio stations and find out how you can be a disaster response volunteer for The Salvation Army.

How did this come about? Well, the big shout out should go to Jennifer Bell and the rest of the team at Renda Broadcasting, as well as the great management team at Toby Keith’s place, for setting up this generous fundraiser.

Now, it’s your turn, and what a tough challenge it is – enjoying a delicious lunch or dinner at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill this Thursday!

Hope to see you out there!

http://www.magic104.com/

https://secure20.salvationarmy.org/donation.jsp

The best pulled pork, ever – Susan Campbell | Still Small Voice

GREAT blog about recovery efforts in Joplin!

The best pulled pork, ever – Susan Campbell | Still Small Voice.

Disaster Response doesn’t take a holiday – Salvation Army continues clean up response in multiple states

The Salvation Army is still actively serving storm victims in Arkansas and Oklahoma from severe storms earlier this week as well as continued flooding. 

In the last two days, The Salvation Army has provided food and hydration to responders and survivors in Arkansas and Oklahoma.  Since mid-April, The Salvation Army has provided over 25,000 meals to those affected and responding to floods, tornadoes and wildfires.

Arkansas

Storm survivors and responders are being served in Etna by Lt. Josh Robinett and volunteers from Russellville.  Several hundred meals and over a thousand drinks have been handed out.   Additionally, Feed The Children delivered a truck load of supplies this morning to The Salvation Army to help with disaster response efforts across the state.

 In Fort Smith, The Salvation Army continues to provide lodging, food, and hydration for those without electricity at 301 N. 6^th Street.   Approximately 42 nights of lodging and over 300 meals have been provided in the last two days to those affected by the Tuesday storms.

 The Salvation Army continues to serve National Guard Troops in McGehee.  They have now served over 7,000 meals and volunteers have provided close to 1,500 hours of service.   Jason Martin, McGehee Salvation Army, and Captains David and Joanna Robinson of Pine Bluff have been very involved in the service.  Three meals a day are being provided as well as snacks and hydration.

 Oklahoma

The Salvation Army deployed units from Enid, Lawton, Oklahoma City and Ponca City as well as personnel from Chickasha, El Reno and Stillwater.   Services were provided in Blaine, Canadian, Delaware, Grady and Payne counties to responders and survivors of the tornadoes that struck on Tuesday, May 24. 

 In Chickasha service continues from the Chickasha Corps and the Lawton Canteen will return on Saturday to provide additional meals.

 In El Reno, The Salvation Army’s Teen Center turned into a shelter and a “gathering” place for information for people affected by the tornado.  Meals, hydration, and some social service assistance have been provided.

 Missouri

Captain Warren Jones and the Tulsa canteen continue to serve in Joplin, Missouri where the devastating tornado struck on Sunday, May 22.   The team deployed from Tulsa has been on site since Monday morning and will be replaced today with a team from Arkansas, including Lt. Philip Canning, Corps Officer fromFayetteville.

 The Salvation Army depends on financial donations to help in times of disaster.  Those who want to help people affected by disasters can make a donation to support Salvation Army Disaster Services.  These gifts make it possible for The Salvation Army to provide food and hydration, emotional and spiritual care, and other assistance to disaster survivors.

Visit http://www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY to donate.   All donations for disaster services will be used for the designated purpose

Deadly tornadoes/storms Tuesday mean more deployment for Salvation Army crews; hundreds affected

Salvation Army volunteers pray with a victim of the El Reno tornado on Tuesday night following a rash of severe and deadly storms in Oklahoma.

The Salvation Army in Arkansas and Oklahoma is active in disaster response to several areas as a result of weather related events.

A strong storm system crossed Oklahoma and Arkansas on May 24 that developed multiple thunderstorms and tornadoes across the division.

The Central Oklahoma Area Command has been dispatched to a location West of El Reno to support search, rescue and recovery efforts. The command post is being operated by El Reno Fire Department at Highways 66 and 270. Lunch and dinner will be served to responders at the command post as well as storm survivors.

The El Reno Service Center continues to act as a shelter for those who lost homes. It has also become an information center for residents. The command is also providing transportation for supplies being delivered to Delaware County to assist with response efforts in that area as a result of storms on Sunday.

The Enid canteen continues to serve responders and storm survivors in Woodward County. Damage assessments are still underway in the area.

The Lawton canteen provided breakfast to the shelter at Bible Baptist Church in Chickasha (Grady County) this morning. The Salvation Army is working closely with American Red Cross on shelter operations.

Captain Ernest Hull, Lawton, and Lt. James Biddix of Chickasha are assessing the damage in Grady County and working with emergency management to see if there are further needs.

The Ponca City canteen completed service late last night as search and rescue efforts near Stillwater were completed. Missouri Captain Warren Jones, Sapulpa, and a volunteer continue to be on the scene in Joplin, Missouri where a devastating tornado hit on Sunday evening. They arrived at 3:30 Am on Monday morning.

The canteen, capable of 2,000 meals per day, is now located near St. John’s hospital supporting numerous responders.

Captain Jones said, “On Monday, the faces of the residents were in total shock. It was difficult to even serve a bottle of water or cup of coffee as they didn’t even know they needed it.”

Additionally, flooding still continues to be an issue in both states due to previous storm systems. Arkansas Lt. Josh Robinett, Russellville, will be serving lunch from the Little Rock canteen in Denning (Franklin County) today. Denning was struck by a tornado late last night.

The Salvation Army is working closely with American Red Cross and local emergency management to ensure the immediate needs of responders and survivors are met.

In McGehee (Desha County), The Salvation Army continues to support National Guard troops working on levees along the Mississippi river. Jason Burns, McGehee Service Center, as well as numerous volunteers have served 5,752 meals over 13 days.

Captain David Robinson, Pine Bluff, is also on sit3. Volunteers from Desha and Chicot counties have provided 1,343 hours of service.

The Salvation Army needs financial donations to help in times of disaster. Those who want to help people affected by disasters can make a donation to support Salvation Army Disaster Services.

These gifts make it possible for The Salvation Army to provide food and hydration, emotional and spiritual care, and other assistance to disaster survivors. Visit http://www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY to donate. All donations for disaster services will be used for the designated purpose.

In the Aftermath – How You Can Help Salvation Army Relief Efforts in Storm-Ravaged Communities

 

In times of disaster, we see the true spirit of mankind.

We see our nation come together to reach out to those who are hurt and suffering, to ease the pain of losing everything they own or, worse, a loved one.

From sports teams to businesses to an individual, everyone wants to be able to help. Everyone wants to be part of an effort to mend their community.

In response to the tragic tornadoes that touched down in Joplin, Mo. and Reading, Kan. this weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs will donate $35,000 to disaster relief efforts. Additionally, they and their media partners are teaming up with The Salvation Army Midland Division to hold a bottled water drive at Arrowhead Stadium for Kansas City residents to assist victims.

How can you help? Most importantly, pray for those affected. Your prayers have more power than you think.

Secondly, volunteer. In affected communities across the south, volunteers are needed with The Salvation Army to help hand out food, water and comfort. Visit www.salvationarmyusa.org to find contact information for your area.

Third, donate to the effort. Disaster response is a major undertaking that requires hundreds of hours of manpower and tons of supplies. Food, water, clean up kits, toiletries are all items that do cost money, and The Salvation Army supplies those needs daily to thousands of victims and rescue workers.

No donation is too small. It’s easy these days to donate as well. Text the word “JOPLIN” to 8088 to make a $10 donation to The Salvation Army relief efforts in Joplin or “STORM” to 8088 to donate to relief efforts throughout the south, i.e, Tennessee, Arkansas and Tuscaloosa, Ala. Yes, we’re still in those communities too, helping with ongoing disaster relief.

As always, you can also call 1-800-SAL-ARMY to donate or donate online at www.salvationarmyusa.org.

This has been a deadly spring. The Salvation Army is there to help and will continue to be there as long as we’re needed.

The Salvation Army Supports Tornado Relief Efforts in Joplin, Missouri Mass Feeding Efforts Continue in Hard-Hit Reading, Kansas

The Salvation Army is supporting relief efforts in Joplin, Missouri, which was hit by a deadly tornado Sunday.

A Salvation Army emergency disaster services team based out Pittsburg, Kansas has been deployed to Joplin to help carry out mass feeding for residents and first responders through a mobile feeding kitchen capable of serving thousands of meals a day.

Teams from Kirksville and Springfield, Missouri are also en route. Meanwhile, in hard-hit Reading, Kansas, which was nearly demolished by a tornado late Saturday night, two Salvation Army mobile feeding kitchens, one stationary and one roaming, served meals, snacks and cold drinks to more than 250 people today.

The canteens will be back in operation tomorrow and will likely continue service through the rest of the week in Reading.

Tomorrow, more than a dozen members of a Kansas motorcycle club are volunteering for The Salvation Army to help with clean-up efforts in Reading. The motorcycle club will be working from about 4:30 pm until 8 pm.

Financial donations to The Salvation Army disaster relief efforts may be made by texting the word ARMY to 90999 for an automatic $10 donation.

To make a credit card donation, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or go to http://www.salvationarmy.us. Checks may be mailed to The Salvation Army, 3637 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64111.

Photos from Disaster Relief Efforts in Arkansas