The MRC welcomes these new additions to our 556-member ranks:

Nurses: Shari Berkland-Zozaya, Elizabeth Berry, Susan Box, Rachel Burg-Adams, Janet Davis, Debra Dugan, Alisa Dunn, Jessica Ebsen, Donna Garbacz-Bader, Pat O’Hanlon, Steven Henson, Ingrid Johnson, Jolynn Keplinger, Shelly Kinney, Kari Madsen, Joan Putz, Kelly Schreiner, Dustin Scott, Paula Smith, Chelsea Steager, Amy Strain, Christy Todd, Debra Thurlby, Katie Vanis, Angela Vasa, Kristina Wullschleger, and Katheryn Zychowski.

Licensed Mental Health Professionals: Terry Coleman and Joan Walker

Physician: Cheri Ferguson

If you know of anyone who is interested in joining the MRC, have them contact Tom at (402) 522-7970 or tmcmahon@uwmidlands.org

Awards

Volunteer Linda Ohri received the Lt. Governors Citizen Corps Volunteer of the Year Award and a Governor’s Points of Light Award for her immunization work and her efforts during last fall and winter’s H1N1 national health emergency. Linda assisted at a number of H1N1 clinics and recruited several other Creighton University pharmacy faculty and students to assist. In addition she developed a screening tool for volunteers to use that helped speed up the process.  Congratulations to Linda!

Our Eastern Nebraska/Western Iowa MRC also received a Governor’s Points of Light Award for the work volunteers did during the H1N1 vaccination effort.  One-hundred fifteen MRC volunteers from a number of disciplines assisted three different Health Departments (Douglas County, Sarpy County and Three Rivers) in providing vaccinations. Volunteers helped in screening, vaccinating, filling syringes, monitoring post-vaccination clients, helping with paperwork, helping with crowd control, providing behavioral health assistance and identifying clients with health issues who needed to be brought to the front of the vaccination waiting line. MRC volunteers provided over 1,000 hours at 35 clinics that vaccinated over 50,000 people. Without the MRC, fewer people would have been vaccinating/screening and waiting lines would have moved much more slowly.

Congratulations and thank you!

Bonnie Riley and Alane Jespersen received Above and Beyond Awards at the MRC thank you celebration on Nov. 17.

Bonnie received the award for volunteering the most hours in 2009 – 86 – and Alane was honored for helping with the most events – 13!

Congratulations to these dedicated volunteers!

Thank You Celebration

About 75 people attend the MRC Thank You Celebration on Nov. 17 at Creighton University’s Harper Center Ballroom.

Volunteers, community partners and regional and state representatives gathered to recognize and celebrate the contributions made - You provided over $75,000 worth of service during 2009 based on Points of Light Foundation calculations!

The Creighton University Gospel Choir performed; Gary Brown, regional MRC coordinator, and Evan Knight, state MRC coordinator both thanked the volunteers for their efforts.

The following agencies received Community Partner Awards: American Red Cross/Heartland Chapter, Creighton University, Douglas County Emergency Management, Douglas County Health Department, MS Society of Nebraska, Nebraska Methodist Hospital, Omaha Metropolitan Medical Response System, Sarpy County Health Department and Sarpy County Emergency Management, and UNMC HEROES program.

Thanks to the Sarpy County Health Department, Creighton University, the Nebraska Citizen Corps, United Way of the Midlands, MS Society of Nebraska and Nebraska Methodist Hospital for sponsoring the event.

Training

We will be scheduling NIMS classes in the near future for those who prefer not to take the courses online.

You can take the recommended 100 and 700 courses by going to www.fema.gov and following the NIMS link.

Twenty-three law enforcement, fire department and hospital personnel attend the three-day WMD radiological/nuclear training the MRC co-sponsored with the Omaha and Bellevue fire departments in October.

Upcoming Community Involvement

December 23: Project Homeless Kids Connect is offering physicals to children. Physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants who wish to help should contact Tom McMahon at (402) 522-7970 or tmcmahon@uwmidlands.org for more information.

The Annual Walk for Warmth will take place Feb. 25, 2011 at Turner Park at Midtown Crossing. The MRC provides first aid at the walk, which raises heating assistance funds. Watch emails for details.

MRC Decontamination Team

We are recruiting volunteers to be part of our decontamination team. The team will assist area hospitals if needed. We will also provide decontamination to Red Cross shelters if needed.

Volunteers receive training and participate in annual drills.

If you want to learn more about the team, contact Tom McMahon at (402) 522-7970 or email tmcmahon@uwmidlands.org.

Recently Moved?

Please let us know if you change address, phone numbers, work location or email addresses. It is important we have current information in case of a disaster. Call Tom McMahon at (402) 522-7970 or email tmcmahon@uwmidlands.org.