PARTNER NEWS: HRTS Event, Nov 10, with Broadcasting Legend, Vin Scully

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS!
 
Join HRTS at this special Newsmaker Luncheon featuring broadcasting legend, Vin Scully, with a Q&A led by writer, director, producer, Ron Shelton.

Entering an unprecedented 60th season broadcasting the Dodgers, Vin Scully continues to rewrite the record book of his trade each and every time he goes on the air. With awards and accolades beyond comprehension, Scully's standing as the greatest sportscaster of all-time was reaffirmed earlier this year by the American Sportscasters Association (ASA), which puts his name atop the list of the 50 greatest to ever sit behind a microphone. The Hall of Famer's 60 years of consecutive service with the Dodgers is the longest of any current sports broadcaster with one team.

The ASA also elected Scully as the top sportscaster of the 20th century in a vote by more than 500 national members of the organization in 2000, topping such broadcasting icons as Howard Cosell, Mel Allen and others. And while the latest poll by that organization put the "Voice of the Dodgers" atop the list of all-time greats, that group is not alone. In the 2005 book "Voices of Summer," Scully was named as baseball's all-time best broadcaster based on "longevity, continuity, network coverage, kudos, language, popularity, persona, voice knowledge and miscellany." Each criterion was rated from 1-10, with the perfect score being 100. Scully was the only broadcaster to reach that number.

Ron Shelton, who will lead the Q&A with Scully, is a former professional baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles’ minor league system and has written, directed and produced some of Hollywood’s most popular films in the sports genre. The 1988 Oscar-nominated screenplay, “Bull Durham,” was his directorial debut. The film garnered critical acclaim for Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, while Shelton was honored by the Writers Guild of America (Best Original Screenplay), the New York Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the National Society of Film Critics. He then teamed up with Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes in the 1992 playground basketball comedy “White Men Can’t Jump.” In 1994 the film “Cobb,” starring Tommy Lee Jones, was Shelton’s uncompromising depiction of one of baseball’s darkest heroes. Shelton and Costner re-teamed in 1996 with the romantic gold comedy “Tin Cup.” He went on to work with Woody Harrelson, Antonio Banderas, Lolita Davidovich and Lucy Liu in the 1999 film “Play it to the Bone,” a road movie about boxing.

“Broadcasting Legend, Vin Scully” is chaired by HRTS board member Andy Friendly, President of Andy Friendly Productions.

VIP Reception opens at 11:30a.m.; lunch and panel at 12:30p.m.

Tickets: 
HRTS and AWRT Individual Member: $105/member
Table of 10: $1,050
Live-stream tickets: $29.95

For reservations or information on non-member tickets, please call (818)789-1182 or visit www.HRTS.org.
Click here to order tickets.

Contributing sponsor for "Broadcasting Legend, Vin Scully" is Volt Workforce Solutions. Live-streaming partners are CSG Systems, Digital Rapids, and Limelight Networks. The 2009-2010 HRTS Newsmaker Luncheon Season is sponsored in part by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and The Lippin Group.

American Women in Radio & Television Southern California Chapter Announces 2010 Genii Awards

Burbank, CA (Wednesday, October 28, 2009) - American Women in Radio & Television's Southern California Chapter (AWRT SoCal) announces the 2010 Genii Awards. Six women will be honored at the gala event Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, CA.

Actress Betty White (The Golden Girls, Boston Legal, The Proposal) will be honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in Acting. Mary Hart, Host for Entertainment Tonight, is the recipient for the Excellence in Television On Air Award. Lisa Foxx, On Air for Clear Channel Radio, 104.3MYfm Los Angeles, Star 101.3 San Francisco, and Star 94.1 San Diego, will receive the Excellence in Radio On Air Award. The honoree for Excellence in Radio Management will be Rosemary Hernandez, General Sales Manager at CBSNewsRadioLA, KNX1070 NEWSRADIO and KFWB NEWS TALK 980. Karla Keller, Senior Account Executive for Anheuser Busch, will be the recipient of the Excellence in Advertising Award; and AWRT SoCal Past President and Director of Community Affairs for Southern California Broadcasters Association, 710 ESPN and Radio Disney AM 1110,
LaFern Cusack, will receive the Tracey Miller Merit Award.

"It is our honor to recognize the amazing contributions of this stellar array of talent who promote progress and create change within our industry. On behalf of the AWRT SoCal Board of Directors, we are pleased to announce the 2010 Genii Awards and look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of these exceptional women at the Awards Show in April," says Laura Behrman, President of AWRT SoCal and Promotions Director for Radio Disney AM 1110.

The Genii Awards are annually granted to people who have demonstrated excellence in television, radio, and the allied fields. Honorees are commended for their alignment to the AWRT mission statement: "To Promote Progress and Create Change." Proceeds from the Genii Awards support AWRT SoCal's College Scholarship Fund and educational endeavors.

Sponsorship and ticket information is available at http://awrtsocal.org/awards_history.php. For more information, visit www.awrtsocal.org or email info@awrtsocal.org.

WHAT:
American Women in Radio & Television, Southern California Chapter's 2010 Genii Awards

WHO:
Lifetime Achievement Award in Acting
Betty White, Actress (The Golden Girls, Boston Legal, The Proposal)

Excellence in Television On Air Award
Mary Hart, Host for Entertainment Tonight

Excellence in Radio On Air Award
Lisa Foxx, On Air for Clear Channel Radio, 104.3MYfm Los Angeles, Star 101.3 San Francisco, and Star 94.1 San Diego

Excellence in Radio Management Award
Rosemary Hernandez, General Sales Manager at CBSNewsRadioLA, KNX1070 NEWSRADIO
and KFWB NEWS TALK 980

Excellence in Advertising Award
Karla Keller, Senior Account Executive for Anheuser Busch

Tracey Miller Merit Award
LaFern Cusack, AWRT SoCal Past President and Director of Community Affairs for Southern California Broadcasters Association, 710 ESPN and Radio Disney AM 1110

WHEN:
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Cocktails and Silent Auction
7:00 p.m. Dinner and Live Auction
8:00 p.m. Awards Show

WHERE:
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90049

About American Women in Radio & Television,
Southern California Chapter:

American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT) is the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. AWRT (www.awrt.org) is a national organization with local chapters across the country. AWRT carries forth its mission by educating, advocating and acting as a resource to its members and the industry at large.

Founded in 1951, AWRT works to improve the quality of electronic media; promote the entry, development and advancement of women in the field; foster communication and idea exchange; and give back to the community it serves.

The Southern California Chapter of AWRT (www.awrtsocal.org) is a non-profit membership organization for women and men who work in the electronic media and allied fields in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and Ventura counties. The Southern California Chapter of AWRT offers numerous local benefits to its members, including networking events, educational programs, community outreach, career counseling and occupational training. Founded in 1952, the first Chapter president was Jeanne Gray-McDonald, after whom the Chapter's prestigious Genii Award is named.

Actress Joan Van Ark with attendees at the Genii Awards Show

About AWRT SoCal Genii Awards:

For over 50 years, AWRT's Southern California Chapter has presented the highest honor AWRT SoCal bestows in the name of Chapter Founder, Jeanne Gray McDonald. This special honor celebrates the notable achievements of excellence executed by individuals in radio and television broadcasting. The recipients of this prestigious honor are being saluted for their significant contributions to the industry aligned with the mission of the organization to promote progress and create change within the electronic media.

Genii honorees are recognized for their pioneering efforts, dedicated leadership, commitment to quality and excellence, and their community contributions. Saluting the Notable Achievements of Excellence by Individuals in the Broadcasting Industry, the Genii Awards benefit AWRT SoCal's scholarship program, and educational programs.

Past Genii Award Recipients Include:
Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Whoopie Goldberg, Doris Roberts, Leeza Gibbons, Fay Kanin, and Anne Sweeney, to name a few.

The chapter's annual Genii Awards celebrates the contributions of esteemed colleagues, and helps to fund AWRT SoCal student scholarships.

For a complete list of Genii Award winners and AWRT SoCal membership information, go to www.awrtsocal.org.



# # # #
Media Contact:
Kim Spence
Public Relations Director
AWRT SoCal Chapter
press@awrtsocal.org
(310) 463-4201

Laura Behrman
President
AWRT SoCal Chapter
president@awrtsocal.org
(818) 569-3148


Table, Ticket, and Donation Contact Information:
Julie Kertes
President Elect
AWRT SoCal Chapter
info@awrtsocal.org
(818) 970-6673


Event Sponsorship Information:
Bonnie Gallanter
VP of Programming
AWRT SoCal Chapter
bonzzai@aol.com 
(310) 385-8401

Jennifer Love Hewitt co-hosts "Season for Sharing" at the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank

**********************************************************
CELEBRITY AND MEDIA VOLUNTEER DAY
at the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank!

Hosted by Jennifer Love Hewitt and the SoCal Chapter of AWRT

WHO:
During “Season For Sharing,”  local celebrities and media are rallying together to help assemble and ready food packages at the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank for distribution to the community, including Candy Spelling, Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives); Patricia Kara (Deal or No Deal); Jessica Kinni (VH1s Rock of Love 2, VH1 Charm School); Maureen McCormick (The Brady Bunch);
Drew Seeley (Another Cinderella Story);  Becca and Meaghan Martin (Camp Rock); Ross "The Intern" Mathews (The Jay Leno Show); Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager); Jamie McCall (Pushing Daisies); Erica Hubbard (Lincoln Heights); Ajay Mehta (Fiber One); Chelsea Hightower (Dancing with the Stars); Gayla Johnson, Actress/Comedian; Kate Linder, Actress; Rick Yune, Actor;  Amy Paffrath, Host, E! News;
Anita Vogel, Correspondent, Fox News Channel; Alysha Del Valle, Morning News Team, KABC Eyewitness News ; Rita Garcia, Reporter, KCAL/KCBS; Jo Kwon, General Assignment Reporter, KABC 790; Shira Lazar, Blogger, The Pop Report;
Marcela Luevanos, On Air, Exitos 93.9 with attendance from Daily Variety, CBS Radio, KTTV Fox 11 and KCOP My 13 Los Angeles, Power Women Magazine & Radio Show, KABC Radio, Premiere Radio Networks, Southern California Broadcasters Association, Muse Artist Management , Radio Disney AM 1110, 710 ESPN, Global Vision Editing, VCI Solutions, Celebrity Photo Agency, The Multi Cultural Cooking Network and Look to the Stars,
Los Angeles Times, Hollywood Radio & Television Society,
Press Association, Lifetime Networks, London Entertainment, FilmLink, KNX 1070 Newsradio, General Mills, and more.

WHAT:
Los Angeles Regional Foodbank’s “Season for Sharing” Celebrity & Media Volunteer Day

WHEN:
Saturday, November 14, 2009, 8:45 am - 12:00 pm

WHERE:
1734 E 41st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90058

WHY:
To create awareness of the growing need for volunteers and donations at the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank this Holiday Season.

PRESS RSVP:
Contact Kim Spence, PR Director, AWRT SoCal at press@awrtsocal.org or call 310.463.4201.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
To learn how you can get involved or to donate to the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, please visit https://www.lafoodbank.org/ssl/awrt.htm.

ONE OUT OF EVERY EIGHT PEOPLE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY IS AT RISK OF HUNGER

Burbank, CA (Wednesday, October 21, 2009) – No matter who you talk to these days, everyone seems to know a friend, relative, or an associate that has recently lost their job due to the volatile U.S. economic climate. As a result of increasing unemployment, this holiday season there is a growing demand for volunteers and donations at charitable organizations nationwide.

Celebrity co-host Jennifer Love Hewitt joins American Women in Radio & Television’s Southern California (AWRT SoCal) Chapter to kick off the “Season for Sharing” at the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank on Saturday, November 14 starting at 8:45am. Patricia Kara (Deal or No Deal), Jessica Kinni (VH1's Rock of Love 2, VH1 Charm School), Ross "The Intern" Mathews, along with many local celebrities, members of the media, and AWRT SoCal members will gather to assemble and ready food packages at the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank for distribution to the community.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to volunteer and raise awareness for a very worthy cause,” states Laura Behrman, AWRT SoCal President. “Due to the recession, the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank has encountered increasing demands and we want to encourage everyone this holiday season to volunteer and donate what you can to help others in need.”

In September California’s unemployment reached a staggering 12.2 percent, exceeding the national U.S. unemployment rate of 9.8 percent, and leaving many California families in need. Based on recent figures released in October by the Employment Development Department, the number of people unemployed in California in September 2009 was 2,247,000, up 799,000 compared with September of last year. With more and more families losing their incomes, their homes, and their ability to provide the basic necessities for their children, charitable organizations like the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank are facing major increases in demand.

The Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, which distributes food to 544 charitable agencies providing service from 902 agency sites throughout Los Angeles County, has increased volume by 41%, the equivalent of 5 million meals, year to date compared to last year to meet the demand; however, there still remains a gap between the overall demand for food assistance and the supply of food.

“The demand for food assistance has reached record proportions in Los Angeles County,” said Michael Flood, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. “As a result of state budget cuts and rising unemployment rates, hunger is becoming a more critical problem. We are actively recruiting new pantry locations to increase distribution and are seeking help from the community through donations and volunteering.”

To learn how you can help or to donate to the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, please visit https://www.lafoodbank.org/ssl/awrt.htm. For more information, visit www.awrtsocal.org or email info@awrtsocal.org.


ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOODBANK:

The Los Angeles Regional Foodbank is a non-profit, charitable organization established in 1973 and is one of the largest food banks in the United States. Through a network of over 540 charitable agencies with more than 900 sites, the Foodbank supplies enough food for over 700,000 meals each week in Los Angeles County. The Foodbank is affiliated with Feeding America. For more information, visit http://www.lafoodbank.org.

Contact:
Amanda Brocato
FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS
Amanda@FifteenMinutes.com
323.556.9700

Ryan Croy
FIFTEEN MINUTES PUBLIC RELATIONS
Ryan@FifteenMinutes.com
323.556.9700


ABOUT AWRT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT), is the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. AWRT is a National organization, with local chapters across the country. AWRT carries forth its mission by educating, advocating and acting as a resource to its members and the industry at large.

Founded in 1951, AWRT works to improve the quality of electronic media; promote the entry, development and advancement of women in the field; foster communication and idea exchange; and give back to the community we serve. For more information, visit www.awrt.org.

The Southern California Chapter of AWRT is a non-profit membership organization for women and men who work in the electronic media and allied fields in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and Ventura counties. The Southern California Chapter of AWRT offers numerous local benefits to its members, including networking events, educational programs, community outreach, career counseling and occupational training. Founded in 1952, the first Chapter president was Jeanne Gray-McDonald, after whom the Chapter's prestigious Genii Award is named. For more information, visit www.awrtsocal.org.


# # # #

October Broadcasting Events

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19TH: 

Making or Breaking News: The State of the News Business 2009

The Radio and Television News Association of Southern California invites you to attend the news networking event of the year! 

“Making or Breaking News: The State of the News Business 2009″

Our networking reception and discussion will be held at UCLA on Monday, October 19th, 2009.

Here are the highlights:

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

Harvey Levin – Founder of TMZ

PANEL MEMBERS: 

Andy Ludlum – Program Director, KNX 1070 Newsradio and KFWB News/Talk 980

Jose Rios – VP and News Director, KTTV-TV and KCOP-TV

Kris Knutsen - Managing Editor, Local News Service

MODERATOR: Frank Mottek

WHEN: Monday, October 19th, 2009

Hors d’Oeuvres Reception: 6:00 – 7:00 PM

Program: 7:00 – 8:30 PM

Dessert Reception: 8:30 – 9:15 PM

WHERE: Lenart Auditorium, Fowler Museum of Cultural History, UCLA

PARKING: Convenient parking in Lot 4 on the UCLA campus.

Enter UCLA from Sunset Blvd. at Westwood Plaza. Drive ahead to the Parking Information Booth in Lot 4.

PARKING COST: $10.-  

ADMISSION COST: General Admission -$20 Students w/ID - $10

UCLA Students and Faculty - Free

Reserve your place NOW by calling RTNA: 562-987-4545 or e-mailing rtnasc@rtna.org

SPONSORS:

Western States Petroleum Association

UCLA

City News Service

________________________________________________

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20TH:

SPJ-LA Halloween Mixer Featuring Chief Coroner’s Investigator

JOIN US TUESDAY, OCT. 20th @6:30 p.m.

You’ve seen him at crime scenes. Here’s your chance to hang out with Craig Harvey outside the yellow tape!

The Greater LA Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists invites you to join us for a Halloween mixer – featuring the chief investigator for the LA County Department of Coroner - on Tuesday, Oct. 20 in downtown LA.

The mixer is free and open to all! Please let us know you’re coming by sending an e-mail to: spjlosangeles@gmail.com

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. To learn more about SPJ-LA, please click here: http://spjla.wordpress.com/about/

WHAT: SPJ-LA’s Halloween Mixer
 

WHO: Our guest will be Craig Harvey, chief investigator, LA County Department of Coroner


WHEN: 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20


WHERE: We’ll meet in the back room at the Redwood Bar and Grill, 316 W. 2nd Street in downtown L.A.; 213-680-2600. Street and lot parking is available in the area. The bar is close to the Civic Center Red Line Metro stop.


COST: It’s free fun for all! (You’ll have to buy your own drinks. Happy hour ends at 7 p.m. so get your drinks early!)
________________________________________________

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24TH: 

Free Speech Assembly, October 24, in Los Angeles

The First Amendment Coalition invites you to a unique day-long conference on issues in journalism, technology and public policy- explained and debated by leading experts from the standpoint of freedom of speech and freedom of information. 

Admission is FREE, but to secure one of only 25 spaces still available, you have to register NOW:
http://www.firstamendmentcoalition.org/events/

When: Saturday, Oct. 24

Where: Southwestern Law School’s Biederman Entertainment and Media Law Institute in Los Angeles.

The event is FAC’s annual Free Speech and Open Government Assembly, jointly sponsored by the Coalition, the Biederman Institute and the McCormick Foundation. For our colleagues in the ethnic media, some sessions will be conducted in Spanish and Vietnamese, as well as English.

The program includes panel discussions on topics ranging from journalists’ use of social media for reporting, to new online tools to track the influence of money on legislation, to journalism training sessions on how to get sophisticated, insider news stories (and avoid being “spun” by government officials on one hand, or union officials on the other) about: local police and the criminal justice system;  public school financing and the ranking of schools and teachers; salaries and pensions of government employees; and much more.

You’ll hear from featured speakers:

• 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner (”public interest” category) and Wall Street Journal reporter Alexandra Berzon (in a conversation with LA Times media columnist James Rainey)
• Alex Jones, author of the just-released “Losing the News” and director of Harvard University’s Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy.

Enjoy debates among our expert panelists, including: Dan Gillmor, Director, Knight Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship; Geneva Overholser, Director  of the USC Annenberg School of Journalism;  Claudia Nuñez, La Opinion; Evan Hansen, Editor-in-Chief, Wired.com; Neil Budde, President, DailyMe; Ricardo Sandoval, Sacramento Bee; Mary Perry, EdSource; Kathryn Baron, Fellow, UC Berkeley; and LA Times reporters Mitchell Landsberg and Matt Lait.

Check out the full program at: http://www.firstamendmentcoalition.org/2009/09/assembly 

In addition to the regular sessions, the event will afford opportunities for informal conversations and socializing for the journalists, lawyers, academics, students, public officials, community activists and other guests.

All this is FREE, thanks to FAC’s sponsors and contributors. However,  there are only 25 free spaces still available. To reserve one, RSVP NOW at the Assembly registration page: http://www.firstamendmentcoalition.org/events

Or send an e-mail to cfac@cfac.org (with your full name email and phone number).

AWRT SoCAL Attends The High Flying Fundraiser Presented By The Good News Foundation

AWRT SoCal is proud to support The Good News Foundation and we congratulate all of the honorees for their outstanding contributions to our community.





TO VIEW THE EVENT BOOKLET:
http://www.heritagemakers.com/projectBrowserStandAlone.cfm?projectID=1046478&productId=3

FUNDRAISER HIGHLIGHTS:
(Click on image to enlarge photo)

The above Good News Event Book is developed by www.StorybookProducer.com. To order a copy, or to make your own book, contact Kim@StorybookProducer.com. For more information, http://storybookproducer.blogspot.com/.

AWRT Honors Women Reporters on the Front Lines of the Recent Fires

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to do your job from the front lines of a raging fire?

The Southern California Chapter of American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT SoCal) hosted “Reporting Live From A Fire Zone,” panel and networking event, Wednesday, September 30 at 6pm at the Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood, honoring the amazing women reporters on the front lines of the recent fires.





BOOKLET VIEW:
http://www.heritagemakers.com/projectBrowserStandAlone.cfm?projectID=1044094&productId=5


(CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO ENLARGE IMAGE)

 A NOTE FROM THE AMERICAN RED CROSS:

 Today, a Level 5 operation ($2.5M to $5M), was issued in response to the tsunami that hit near American Samoa – this is the response that the American Red Cross is responding to, thanks to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.  The DRF is paying for the American Samoa disaster response, so solicitations for the American Samoa event should be for the DRF.

The tsunami also affected the sovereign country of Samoa, which has their own Red Cross, the Samoan Red Cross, which is a sister society to the American Red Cross.

Situation Overview:
At 1:48 pm EST on 9/29/09, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck approximately 140 miles southwest of the main island of Tutuila in American Samoa.   95% of the population of American Samoa is on Tutuila.  The capitol city of Pago Pago was hit with multiple tsunami waves, reaching 5.1 feet.  Smaller waves hit the rest of the island.  The western district is without power, and it is estimated that it could take up to 30 days to repair.  More than half of the eastern district is without water and power.  Damage assessment on the ground has begun, significant damage to infrastructure (including power, water, industry and roads) is anticipated.  Numerous aftershocks were recorded, ranging in magnitude from 4.8 to 5.8.  CNN is reporting that at least 22 people have been confirmed as dead in American Samoa.

Information from the local chapter indicates that there is wide-spread devastation across the island, and that many coastal villages have been wiped out on the eastern and northern part of the island.  

American Red Cross Response:

• The local chapter is fine, and the national supply warehouse is also fine.  15-25 local chapter volunteers have been working to clear roads and assess damage across the island since the tsunami hit yesterday.  The local chapter is also feeding first responders on the ground.  The DOC at national headquarters was activated this morning, and will remain active at least through Friday.

• The local airport is operational, but all commercial flights have been cancelled.  We are working with our government and non-governmental partners to secure transportation for up to 50 Red Cross disaster workers to leave as soon as possible from the west coast.   These disaster workers are trained to organize and help set up a local response, utilizing the resources currently on the ground.  In addition, a staff member from the Hawaii chapter is on the ground as part of a team sent in by FEMA.

• We are working very closely with FEMA and the local government.  FEMA has sent in initial material resources including at least food, water, tents and propane.  The Red Cross will be a key partner in distributing these resources.  Our main role in the coming days is anticipated to be direct humanitarian response, focusing on feeding, and possibly sheltering, if needed.

• Safe & Well has been activated. Safe and Well is the online resources to connect United States families with families in the affected areas. This is one of Red Cross’s chartered responsibilities.

• The Red Cross is the blood supplier for the local hospital in American Samoa, LBJ Hospital.  A regular blood shipment should be arriving tonight or tomorrow.

• We are working very closely with FEMA, they are sending in material resources and are counting on Red Cross support to help distribute them.  Our main role is expected to be mass care and direct humanitarian response.

• The warehouse in American Samoa, which is paid for by the DRF, contains gloves, comfort kits, flashlights, coolers, stoves, trash bags, laundry soap and cots.

• Three of our non-governmental partners have a large presence in American Samoa: Church of Latter Day Saints, Catholic Charities and Tzu Chi Foundation.

• The main stores, and only real retail locations on the island are Ace Hardware and Cost-U-Less

TO MAKE A DONATION TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS DISASTER RELIEF FUND, PLEASE SEND YOUR CHECK TO:

Maria Sanchez
c/o American Red Cross
836 Calle Plano
Camarillo, CA  93012

Made payable to:  American Red Cross and in the memo section:  National Disaster Relief Fund or NDRF.


Credits: The above AWRT SoCal event booklet was produced by www.StorybookProducer.com. If you would like to purchase a hard bound copy, or if you would like to make your own book, please contact Kim@StorybookProducer.com.