| Awards Celebration Recognizes Local Red Cross Supporters | |
Julie Palmé and her fiancé, Brian Mixtacki, were ecstatic about their home purchase last February. Three days after moving in, the couple would face the unimaginable: a gas explosion and fire.
"We lost everything - including four of our pets. We were two young people alone in the world without a clue about what to do next," Palmé tearfully recounted at the Greater Lehigh Valley Red Cross Awards Celebration and Annual Meeting on Sept. 18. "Red Cross was there to serve as the voice of reason and quickly made arrangements for a hotel room, clothing and food. The Red Cross became our minds when we had no minds of our own on which to rely."
"We cannot express in adequate words what the Red Cross did for us that day," Palmé told a group of 85 people.
Palmé's emotional testimony underscored the importance of the Red Cross in disaster situations and why support of the Red Cross through the gift of time and money is so important.
To show appreciation of that support, the local Red Cross presented awards to a number of individuals, corporations and agencies at the event held at the Banana Factory in Bethlehem tonight (9/18).
Awards included: The Good Neighbor Award, given to local businesses, corporations and agencies that have provided significant, ongoing support to the Red Cross. Carrabba's Italian Grill in Allentown; Lehigh Valley Mall; Mack Trucks, Inc.; and Moravian College received this year's awards.
The Bethlehem Area MORA Club received the Exceptional Partnership Award for its more than 25 years of volunteer service with the chapter.
The Employee Excellence Award, in recognition of superior job performance demonstrated by an employee of the American Red Cross, was presented to Robin Trexler, volunteer and youth services specialist. Trexler, of Allentown, was recognized for her work in developing the chapter's youth volunteer program in area schools.
The Clara Barton Honor Award for Meritorious Volunteer Leadership, the highest award the national American Red Cross bestows on volunteers, was presented to Dot Rodgers of Allentown, and Betsy Torrence of Center Valley.
Rodgers was recognized for her more than 20 years of volunteer service in the agency's accounting department. Torrence was honored for her long-time financial support of the Red Cross and dedication as a volunteer and board member.
LifePath and Whitehall-Coplay School District received the Workplace Recognition Award for their commitment to provide Red Cross training in lifesaving skills to their employees and students.
Ellen Kern, chief of staff for State Senator Pat Browne's office, presented a citation in recognition of local Red Cross disaster response. The citation was jointly signed by state senators Browne, Boscola, Wonderling and Rhoades.
During the annual meeting portion of the event, Chairman Bob McGovern recognized six outgoing board members for their contributions to the Red Cross: S.K. Hammi Kapoor, president of IKN, Inc.; John Yanek, director of safety operations, tech training and health services, PPL Services Corp.; Dr. Sue Garszczynski, vice president-professional services at Blue Mountain Health System; Stephanie Bush, marketing communications coordinator, Victaulic Company; and Vivek Ananthan, youth board member from Parkland High School.
In other business, the following individuals were re-elected to the board: Scott Friedman, president and COO at swb&r; Betsy Torrence, community volunteer; Robin Wolak, event coordinator, Lehigh Valley Financial Group; and Lizzy Stoner, Emmaus High School junior, as youth board member.
In addition, the following individuals were elected to the board for their first, three-year term: Bill Coles, retired vice president of data and operations at Dunn & Bradstreet; Jon Conrad, director of human resources at Moravian College; Jack Gross, partner and attorney at Gross, McGinley, LaBarre & Eaton; Ronnie Hess, esquire and shareholder at Tallman, Hudders & Sorrentino; Warren Hilton, associate dean of student development and director of co-curricular leadership programs at Moravian College; Joe Stockunas, general manager-electronics equipment at Air Products and Chemicals; and Robin Aguila, Allentown Central Catholic High School senior, as youth board member.
The election of officers will be held at the board's Sept. 26 meeting.
The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 680,000
residents of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross
provided health and safety education training; Lifeline, a personal response
service for seniors; and emergency relief to more than 23,000 Greater Lehigh
Valley residents. For more information about the American Red Cross of the
Greater Lehigh Valley or volunteer opportunities, call (610) 865-4400 or visit
www.redcrosslv.org.