Red Cross Partners with Local Girl and Boy Scouts on Community Preparedness Initiative
News Release: August 12, 2003
Contact: Janice Osborne, Director-Communications and Marketing
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262
The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley announced today (8/12) its partnership with the Girl Scouts-Great Valley Council and Minsi Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America in promoting the “Together We Prepare” campaign to generate greater community awareness about preparing for disasters and other emergencies.
“Together We Prepare,” a nationwide campaign initiated by national Red Cross, encourages residents to join a grassroots effort to make sure they are better prepared should disasters strike by doing five simple things: make a plan, build a kit, get trained, volunteer and give blood.
“In today’s climate, it’s more important than ever that all of us be prepared for possible emergencies,” said Red Cross Executive Director John Hughes. “Natural or other disasters can strike suddenly, at any time and anywhere. By taking five simple actions, everyone can help make a difference.
“We are extremely proud to partner with Girl Scouts-Great Valley Council and Minsi Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America, in getting this important message to our community. Our organizations’ visions and missions are intertwined … it’s a natural fit to be working together to make our communities safer.”
Council-wide, the Scouting organizations will be distributing about 500,000 “Together We Prepare” educational brochures in both English and Spanish to the public through their traditional food drive and nut and cookie sales in the fall and winter. In addition, age-level activities related to the five action steps have been developed as part of the Scouting learning curriculum for “Together We Prepare.”
“One of the guiding principles of Girl Scouting is community service, and what better way for our girls to give back to their communities than to help save lives?” said Dr. Melissa Wright Grigoruk, CEO of Girl Scouts-Great Valley Council. “We are proud to be partners with the Red Cross and Boy Scouts in this community education endeavor.
“Girl Scouts will be involved on a multitude of levels, doing a variety of age-appropriate activities,” explained Grigoruk. “Daisy and Brownie Girl Scouts, our youngest girls, will be learning about volunteering, while our older girls will be learning first aid and disaster preparedness skills.”
Boy Scouts will be involved in similar activities, explained Tom Harrington, Scout Executive and CEO of the Minsi Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America. “The Scout Motto is Be Prepared,” said Harrington. “By participating in the ‘Together We Prepare’ campaign, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturers will be helping their families and their communities be better prepared for handling any potential future emergencies.”
Harrington unveiled the artwork for a specially designed patch that will be available for Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts to purchase after completion of specific activities related to the preparedness program.
Public service announcements, community education presentations and other activities related to the campaign will be rolled out over the next few months. In addition to being made available through the Scouting distribution channels, the free brochure outlining the five action steps for “Together We Prepare” will be available by request by calling the local Red Cross. The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley is seeking assistance from companies and other agencies to underwrite the printing costs for the brochure.
“Emergency preparedness programs such as this one are not new for the Red Cross,” said Hughes. “For more than 100 years, Red Cross has been educating the community about the importance of preparing for the unexpected whether it’s a house fire, natural disaster or man-made disaster. The Red Cross continues with this mission today as we face a changing America, full of unique challenges.
“Every individual has the opportunity to play an important role in this campaign,” said Hughes. “There’s no better time to prepare for a potential emergency than now. When we come together, we become something bigger than us all.”
For more information on “Together We Prepare,” including how to make a plan, build a kit, get trained, volunteer and give blood, call your local Red Cross or visit www.redcross.org.
The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 660,000 residents in Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training and emergency relief services to more than 20,000 Greater Lehigh Valley residents.
For more information about the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley, visit www.redcrosslv.org.
Girl Scouts-Great Valley Council offers girls diverse experiences which address their current needs and interest, and which stimulate them to grow in skill and self-confidence. Great Valley Council has more than 22,000 members and serves one out of every five school-aged girls in its seven-county, bi-state jurisdiction.
The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. The Minsi Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America has more than 31,200 youth members in its six-county, bi-state jurisdiction.
