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Red Nose Response
Newsletter
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As I reflect on the growth Red Nose Response has made in
the four years following Hurricane Katrina I see a young organization
with a big heart and a strong desire to help when people are hurting.
As organizations go, we are still young. We have come a
long way from those initial meetings and conference calls. We became
incorporated as a 501 (c)(3) not for profit in the state of Georgia. We
have officers and an Advisory Board. We have grown our cadre of
responders to nearly 600. We have learned which kinds of responses are
appropriate and which are not so good. We have taken our lessons and
become a group of people who know they can and will provide comic relief
wherever it is needed. We have begun to offer training sessions on Comic
Relief and Disaster Preparedness, among others.
We have a web site and even that is evolving. In the near
future you will see some major changes to that. It is on this site that
you will be able to download some of these training materials. The
newsletter, the e-zine you are now reading, has also been a valuable
resource to share training ideas and materials with you.
Have you found us on Facebook? We now have a Facebook
presence for Red Nose Response and encourage all of you to sign in and
check it out. It is through that social network that we can hear more
from you and your activities.
To all of our readers we appreciate your support and enthusiam
in "Sending Smiles To The Rescue".
Editor Barbara "Sparky" Bird
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With the Flu season and the outbreak of the H1N1, getting
the word out on Scrubby Bear is very important. If you have shared the
Scrubby Bear, "Don't Get Sick, Wash up Quick" program, please
let me know. I would like the details. When and where did you give the
program? How many people did you share Scrubby Bear with? How was it
received?
Please email to my Red Cross email address, BobG@somdredcross.org. I would like
to compile the results and share them with the Red Cross. Let's show the
ARC what RNR is doing on the front lines.
Thank you so much!
Bob "Bunky" Gretton, RNR President
Clowns of America International Clown of the Year 2009
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RNR response after the Georgia floods
 After
several attempts and a lot of frustration trying to find out how she
could help following the Georgia floods, Julia Smith, Twinkles, was able
to make an appearance. She sent this photo of herself and her friend
Melody Merry Maker at the Marietta Georgia Cobb Civic Center.
She reported that the
event went "great" and the kids were so happy and excited.
"I felt so
humbled. I got much more than I gave which is a new appreciation for what
I have today. Thank you for allowing me to represent The Red Nose
Response Group. I look forward to serving again soon."
Here is a reminder to
all of you out there with cameras. We want photos but do not take a photo
of anyone if you are going to send it to us or publish it in any manner
without a signed photo release.
And we thank Twinkles
and Melody Merry Maker.
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Angel "Jobolin" Morales
Responds
 Here
is his first hand report: The explosion was right off the roadway that
divides Fort Buchanan and the refinery. At home we only felt the after
shock of the explosions. It was a 2.8 on the earthquake scale. I felt
that my house was shaking and a big rumble, like we have a bunch of
horses running around our roof.
At work we had numerous
amounts of damages I can not disclose but it looks bad around some of the
housing areas and the commissary and the Department of Public works was
part of those sad damages. People are out of shelter, lots of damaged
homes in the town of Catano area, the area where we had the Latin party
and where we had the show when we had our convention. (Ed. note: COAI
Puerto Rico 1996). It's only a few miles away from the blast.
Red Cross is there
providing help. I saw it in the news. Also we had some clowns at the
shelter. But the most incredible part is we had no death casualties, just
a few cuts and blisters. I been working ever since the event on Friday
the 23 rd until today, more 77 hrs in those 6 days, I am ok and my fellow
workers are too, thanks to GOD for what he has provided to us.
I will be providing
support this week to the military dependants (families) at work because
they can not really do anything since the installation is closed; most of
their daily stuff (groceries and shopping) is off post,
I will represent Red
Nose Response and COAI.
Angel
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 We
now have responders in 47 of the 50 states. In addition there have been
responders who signed on in Canada, the Pacific Rim, New Zealand,
Thailand, South Africa and, most recently, Norway. We have, as of this
writing, 588 responders.
The 3 states without
representation on the responder list are South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming.
Do you know any people in those states who would be interested in being
part of RNR? Send them a copy of this e-zine, contact them directly, send
them to the Red Nose Response Facebook and ask them to send a message to
us at info@rednoseresponse.org.
Responders
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Do you know a grant writer?
 RNR
needs help from one or more grant writers. Do you know one? Are you one?
Can anyone step forward to help?
If you have suggestions
please get back to your Board as soon as possible. The address? Of
course, it's info@rednoseresponse.org.
Grant writers
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Although there are 588
responders in our organization, there are ONLY 333 on the Red Nose
Response Facebook. We need more action there.
Join Facebook and ask
your friends to join the RNR Facebook. It's a great way to stay very
current, is more frequent than our newsletters and is something that can
replace the rarely used forum on our web site for an ongoing discussion..
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Get what you want by shopping at Cafe
Press
Do you have your RNR shirts, hats, hoodies and more? What
RNR item is on your holiday wish list? With conventions, workshops and
alley meetings coming up this is the perfect time to show your support
for Red Nose Response.
You can get it here with no hassle shopping. The RNR store
is waiting to hear from you and your order will be quickly filled by Cafe
Press.
Shop Our Store
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How to get your foot in the door with
Red Cross
 "Get
to Know Us, Before You Need Us" is a saying the Red Cross uses. I
think we as RNR should think about that too. If you don't want to become
a Red Cross volunteer, at least let your local Red Cross Chapter know
about you. Inform them that you are able to entertain at a shelter, bring
soft assistance, and lend a listening ear.
To find your local
Chapter click on the link at the end of this article or cut and paste: http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.b5a0 414b8a13bb88110dab5fc23f78a0/?
vgnextoid=6d65e821cbdf9110VgnVCM1000002bf3870 aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
Find a local
chapter
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We begin to bring you information about
the RNR advisors
You probably are
already familiar with the officers of the Board of Directors. If not,
they are: ·
· Bob Gretton,
President and founding member
· Barbara Bird, Vice
President and founding member
· Dianna Hale,
Secretary
· Dr. Robert Cohen,
Treasurer
· Jeremy Cohen, Past
President and Founder
The advisors are
responders who have been willing to lend their background and experience
to the Red Nose Response and its mission. These fine folks are:
· Keith Stokes,
founding member
· Paul Kleinberger,
founding member
· Teresa Gretton,
founding member
· Mike Zabko
· Marion Lovig
· Rita Winter
We will feature one or
two of these advisors in this issue and future ones. We could not be as
strong and effective as we are without this team.
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 The
Bear warehouse is getting overstocked. There is a bunch of cute and
cuddly Hug A Bears in the basement of our President, Bob Gretton. He
feels they need homes and hugs.
These bears have been
made by the ATT and Southern Bell Telephone Pioneers and can be given out
to hospitals (I imagine the ERs would especially appreciate something to
give to the kids who are coming in with the H1N1 flu), to local community
rescue squads, to displaced children and adults after the fire, to
shelter occupants (only if you have enough for everyone) and many other
places.
Since RNR is not an
organization with lots of dollars we only ask that you pay for the costs
of shipping and handling. Want some bears to use in your community? Send
an email request to Bob and Teresa Gretton, bunkyandblinky@comcast.net. Include the following:
- Your
name
- Your
full mailing address
- Your
email address
- Your
phone number
- How
many bears you feel you can distribute? Please note that the bears
will be packaged 10 bears to a box.
- How
you want us to get information about the cost of shipping and
handling to you--by email, phone or snail mail?
Once we have that
information we will tell you the cost, you can send that to the Grettons
and the bears will be on their way. Sound good?
There are several ways
to contact the Grettons and be sure it indicate "Bears" in your
message:
- bunkyandblinky@comcast.net
- phone
at (301) 843-8212 (leave a clear message because these clowns work
day and night)
- mail
to 3411 Lisa Circle, Waldorf MD 20601
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Also know as Dizzy the Clown from Kansas
 Rita
Winter, Dizzy the Clown, has lived real life in the aftermath of a
disaster. We have featured several of her stories in past issues of the
RNR e-zine. Her hometown, and her parent's home, felt the brunt of the
tornado in Greensburg KS. Dizzy rushed into action and tried to keep RNR
updated as she went and whenever she found an Internet connection.
A year or more later
Dizzy let us know that a large number of hale and hearty and hungry
volunteers were coming into Greensburg to help with some rebuilding
efforts.
RNR got the word out
that cookies would help. Oh, my, did the cookies flow into Greensburg.
Many of those cookies were decorated with clown faces and red noses.
Dizzy has more to share
with all of you. There is some story about how she had to teach people
how to use the Porta-potty. Her experiences and exploits will enliven the
e-zine in coming months.
We welcome Dizzy to the
RNR Advisory Board.
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 "I
got my card but it does no good if I don't have training"
The training many are
asking about is the Red Cross Disaster training classes. The availability
of these classes vary widely depending upon where you live, how large the
local RC chapter is, and what the local policies are. These classes are
key to being able to respond to a local disaster as part of the DAT. But
it is important to remember that when you do that you are ARC volunteers,
not RNR volunteers. Yes, you need to register yourself as a volunteer
with the local Red Cross chapter, sign up for classes and follow through
on the training, background checks when required, and participation for
whatever your time allows. As we said before, get to know them before
they need you.
Now for the myth part.
No, the RNR card does not get you into the shelter situations without the
above training and it won't get you a cup of coffee at the local beanery.
It shows that you have the heart and desire to bring smiles to a bad
situation. You do not need to be RC trained to help in many other ways.
We have featured stories of responders who have found the unique approach
in a community. In addition, what you can do and how will be dependent on
the type of disaster.
On past occasions we
have suggested that as RNR responders you remember the sacrifices that
first responders have all made when they are deployed and plan a thank
you party for them when they return. Many of them missed birthdays,
anniversaries, graduations, and possibly even funerals while helping out
in dangerous and distant location. They are our heroes and it's great to
tell them so. You might even hear some awesome stories.
Another way to help is
to have your alley, or any other organization, do some Red Cross fund
raising. Have you gone to donate blood? Our advisor Marion
"MLE" Lovig has done that wearing her red nose. Others have
shown up when blood drives are being held and entertained the kids while
the adults donated.
The other common
question is the misunderstanding that RNR would be able to go cross
country through hill and vale to train every responder on comic relief.
That is just not a reality. Instead we have the materials available to
you for the asking so you can train yourselves and your fellow clowns.
Learn about Disaster Preparedness and teach it in a humorous way. Bob and
Teresa Gretton have presented this class, with an outline of the
preparedness class, at a number of conventions and workshops. You too can
do that. Have you participated in the Scrubby Bear program? Do you have
any ideas to share with us? We all learn from each other and learning
never ends.
Contact us at info@rednoseresponse.org.
There are so many
options out there and this is what your card signifies: I want to
offer my help and my comic skills Sending Smiles to the Rescue.
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We are headed into Winter and all the challenges that it
brings. We've been fortunate this year with a quiet hurricane season, but
there were tornados, floods and fires! We know you have been busy out
there coping with these disasters. Please continue to tell us all the
super things you are doing as a Red Nose Responder for those in need.
Email Barbara Bird, our editor, with your articles and pictures at barbara@rednoseresponse.org.
You are our eyes and ears "Sending Smiles to the
Rescue".
Bob Gretton, President
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