Quilts For Japan...Update

If you have quilts to send to donate to the people in Japan, the deadline for mailing to Quilters Newsletter is today as they want all quilts in their office on April 30th.

If you have one in progress and can't meet that deadline, do not feel badly, you can send them to:
QFJ
c/o Larry Musick CEO (After May 19th Larry will be traveling to Japan so please send c/o Sharon Wallis)
Global Samaritan Resources
2074 North 1st Street
Abilene, Texas
79603

If you are sending to QFJ, their deadline to have all quilts is May 24th.

So, I sent 3 smaller quilts out to Quilters Newsletter and will send my large one that I am finishing up today to QFJ and then begin making quilts for people hit hard by the tornadoes.

I have had people send me Emails and ask why I don't just donate to the Red Cross or United Way. Simply put, I have seen to much and heard to much abuse in both of these organizations and while they do amazing work without a doubt in the areas of sheltering, blood donations, etc. I am NOT contributing to their salaries.

Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross...for her salary for the year ending in 2009 was $651,957 plus expenses. Enjoys 6 weeks - fully paid holidays including all related expenses during the holiday trip for her and her husband and kids. including 100% fully paid health & dental plan for her and her family, for life. This means out of every dollar they bring in, about $0.39 goes to related charity causes.

The third worst offender was again for the 7th time was, Brian Gallagher, President of the United Way receives a $375,000 base salary (U.S. funds), plus so many numerous expense benefits it's hard to keep track as to what it is all worth, including a fully paid lifetime membership for 2 golf courses (1 in Canada, and 1 in the U.S.A.), 2 luxury vehicles, a yacht club membership, 3 major company gold credit cards for his personal expenses...and so on. This equates to about $0.51 per dollar of income goes to charity causes.

So, I quilt and I send my quilts to organizations that I know will deliver them to someone in need. In the United States, I will contact 911 Cares and they always have a police or fire agency that is passing out things for people in need in disaster areas.

So, If you didn't wake up to standing on top of what was left of your home as the skies opened up to blue and sunshine, or to your neighborhood being totally obliterated off the map, be thankful and instead of spending that $4 on Starbucks, $8 on lunch or $20 on that new purse, toss together a shoe box package and send it to a local police/fire agency, a family member in the area of simply contact Kevin at 911cares.com and tell him the quilting dispatcher sent you to ask how you can help.

Believe me, even $4 helps when you have nothing left in life that you recognize.

Katrina Survivors and Volunteers...5 Years Later

Those of you who know me and I mean really know me, know that for almost 13 years I was a police/EMS/Fire dispatcher and trainer and though the job was filled with many frustrations, everyday that I went to work, I went knowing I was there to help others and save lives. No matter what family problems I had, what work issues there may have been, my heart was for those who called 911.

It is an amazing career, one oft times filled with sadness and anguish, but it is a wonderful fulfilling job and one in which there is no comparison. In many ways, 911 dispatchers are the unsong and unnoticied heroes. While they are usually the first ones to answer the phones and stay on the line until help arrives, they are forgotten when it comes to thanks. You will see police officers and fire fighters on the news, rarely will you see the dispatcher that was there as well. Police officers have foundations that support them should something happen, dispatchers don't...not until 911 Cares came along.

They were there for Katrina and her is what Kevin had to say about the quilts I made:

Along life's way, you meet some extraordinary people. Some make you smile, others weep and some take your breath away. Jean does a little of each. Jean has retired since Katrina but she will always be a dispatcher at heart. She asked us to connect her with people that had lost everything. She would then call that individual or family and ask for their favorite colors. Jean and her nimble fingers then made god knows how many quilts. She would ensure their delivery and start on the next one. Amidst loss and mud, she brought some sense of normality and comfort to so many. God bless you Jean!

Here is a note from Jean:
Five Years After Hurricane Katrina - Jean KesterWhat I learned during the Hurricane Katrina crisis and others that followed in its aftermath is that no matter how small you think your contribution will be, no matter how little you think you have to offer, the people in the midst of the crisis will think it is huge.I couldn't go running off to New Orleans like I had initially wanted to do because my husband and I are raising three grandchildren, so when he suggested I make some quilts for those in need, 911 CARES jumped at the idea.Always having a stack of quilts on hand, I sent a batch out to 911 Cares for distribution and that is when Kevin asked me if I could make a quilt for a dispatcher named Tina in New Orleans and her young daughter Mikhala who was living with family in Texas due to the hurricane.As soon as those were done, Kevin told me the heart wrenching story of Gloria in Pass Christian, Mississippi who was working in a temporary dispatch center when her own home came to rest up against it. So many stories and people that I will never meet and yet they touched my heart and soul and I will always carry them with me because they showed me what true bravery and fortitude are. In the midst of chaos, disaster and losing all they held dear, they continued to stand strong. I remember talking once to Clementine in Bay St. Louis and asking her what she saw as her biggest challenge. To my amazement she didn't complain about the lack of services being provided by the government, she didn't complain about her working conditions or her living quarters, she was thankful her family and friends were safe and they were together.I no longer dispatch as I took an early retirement in 2007 and moved from Arizona to Washington, but I still make quilts when I can for dispatchers and their family members and others who need the comfort and warmth of something that belongs to them. I will continue to 'pay it forward,' and I want others to know that no matter how small you think your contribution is, it can mean the world to someone else going through a tragedy. I continue to sign my quilt cards 'Ranny Jean, the (retired) Quilting Dispatcher and I always add...911 Cares in Aberdeen, Washington where I now live.If it wasn't for a few co-workers, family members and 911 Cares that helped provide batting, fabric, thread and money to mail those quilts off, I may never have gotten started, so always remember even something as small as a spool of thread can make a big difference in the end! Jean didn't ask me to say this but if any of you have supplies like she listed above, write Jean an email and I'm sure she would love to get a box of supplies from you! compassionatequilter@rocketmail.com These people are my heroes and I hope to always be able to pay it forward and help others whenever and wherever I can because that is the 911 Cares way!

If you want to read about the real heroes, go to 911 Cares and read the stories. You will see that even heroes need help!

Support Lakewood PD's Downed Officers Families

The law enforment dispatch department that dispatches for Lakewood Washington Police Department (LESA) has joined with 911 Cares to make the above tee shirts to raise money for the families of the 4 fallen officers.

I do not think there was a community across this nation that did not cry when they heard the news that 4 officers had been shot to death in the same place at the same time. They all left behind children, spouses and family that will need our help.

Won't you be a part of this wonderful opportunity to raise money for these families and let them know you care? The tee-shirts are selling for $18 and between $12 & $15 goes directly towards the fund for the families.

I have made it so all you have to do is click on one of the highlighted areas and it will link you directly to 911 cares. You will not only be showing your support to the families you will have a great tee shirt to wear as well.

Death of 911 Dispatch Family

I received this today in my Email, I am numbed by this tragedy & though I didn't know the family, I feel so terrible. Please pass this on as you feel led:

Wisconsin Dispatcher Death

911 CARES Supporter,

We have received a number of e-mails on the tragedy listed below. 911 CARES immediately called the Sheriff and contacted two of the Waushara dispatch professionals.

We already have a “911 CARES” stress management package on the way and we have offered our support in any way we can. There may be burial costs pending. The agency will keep us updated and we will post updates at www.911cares.com See the initial teletype below and the update from their dispatch center below. Please send a card of condolence to their 9-1-1 family if you can. Their address is listed below.

ON 12-05-2008 AT 0126 HRS, THE WAUSHARA COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT 911 CENTER TOOK A CALL FOR A HOUSE FIRE. THE RESPONDING UNITS FOUND A FULLY ENGULFED STRUCTURE. DISPATCHER PEGGY A BANECK, F W, 09-29-1961, A 7 YEAR VETERAN DISPATCHER WITH THE WAUSHARA COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT ALONG WITH HER HUSBAND LARRY D BANECK AND SON CHARLIE R BANECK PERISHED IN THE FIRE. THE BANECKS ARE SURVIVED BY 5 OTHER LIVING CHILDREN. FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE PENDING AT THIS TIME.

David Peterson, Sheriff
430 East Division
Wautoma, WI 54982
Phone (920) 787-3321

911 CARES,

Thank you for getting in touch with us, we appreciate all of the condolences from everyone. The Baneck's surviving children are Billie Jo 24, Anthony 23, Nellie 20, Emily 19 and Katie 16. Charlie was 17, he and Katie were the only ones still in school. Both sets of Grandparents are living and in the area. We have 9 full time dispatchers and 1 that is part dispatch, part jail. We are a small department and this impacts all of us from the communications through, patrol and jail.

I will let you know when we have more information on what the family may need.

Thanks again,
Sally Sroka -

Not only is the immediate family hurting I can tell you first hand when a tragedy hits a dispatcher center it is very much felt like a family.

Even cards of comfort to them during this time would mean so much!