Month: July 2014

Red Cross issues urgent call for blood donors

The American Red Cross is facing a looming blood shortage, leading to an urgent need for donors of all blood types to roll up a sleeve and give, according to Red Cross officials.

Donations through the Red Cross are down approximately 8 percent over the last 11 weeks, resulting in about 80,000 fewer donations than expected. The number of donors continues to decline, and the shortfall is significant enough that the Red Cross could experience an emergency situation in the coming weeks.

In addition, the Independence Day holiday falling on a Friday reduced the number of blood drives scheduled in early July. Many sponsors did not hold drives because people took vacations either over the long weekend or for the entire week. In an average summer week, about 4,400 Red Cross blood drives are scheduled, compared to Independence Day week when only 3,450 drives occurred.

“Hospital patients continue to need lifesaving blood this summer, and they’re relying on the generosity of volunteer donors to give them hope in the days and weeks ahead,” said Scott Caswell, CEO for the Red Cross Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region. “Please, consider giving the gift of life. Each day donations come up short, less blood is available for patients in need – and you never know when it could be your loved one needing blood.”

Eligible donors with types O negative, B negative and A negative blood are especially needed at this time. Type O negative is the universal blood type and can be transfused to anyone who needs blood. Types A negative and B negative can be transfused to Rh positive or negative patients.

There is also an urgent need for platelet donations. Platelets – a key clotting component of blood often needed by cancer patients, burn victims and bone marrow recipients – must be transfused within five days of donation, so it’s important to have a steady supply of platelets on hand, Red Cross officials said.

The summer can be among the most challenging times of the year for blood and platelet donations as regular donors delay giving while they take vacations and participate in summer activities. When school is out of session for summer break, donations from those who normally give on campus tend to drop by more than 80 percent.

Every day this summer is a chance to give hope to patients in need and their network of family and friends. July 13 marked the half-way point for the Red Cross campaign “100 Days of Summer. 100 Days of Hope.” Blood and platelet donations are needed now and for the rest of the summer. Individuals who donated blood earlier this summer may now be eligible to donate again and help patients such as accident victims, heart surgery patients and children with blood disorders.

A Red Cross blood drive will be held from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 29, at Sporting Park, 1 Sporting Way, Kansas City, Kan. To schedule an appointment, call 800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit www.redcrossblood.org/

SCL, faith groups urge president, Congress to protect unaccompanied children

On July 24, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth were among the more than 300 faith-based organizations represented by a letter delivered to President Barack Obama and members of Congress urging protection, care and legal counsel for the thousands of Central American children who have fled escalating violence, conflict and exploitation in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

Forty national faith organizations alongside 269 regional and local groups from 42 states wrote:

“We strongly object to proposals to detain families with children and any move to roll back the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) in order to effect expeditious deportations. Forcibly and hurriedly returning people in need of international protection back to the dangerous situations they fled without adequate due process would undermine our obligations under international law and our position as a global humanitarian leader and would be a moral disgrace.”

The letter articulates clear policy recommendations for Congress and the Administration and calls for:

· Strengthening the humanitarian response in the United States.

· Legal counsel for all unaccompanied children.

· No roll backs to the provisions of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 relating to unaccompanied children.

· Cost-effective community-based alternatives to detention.

· Adequate services for children, refugees and all groups under the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

In addition, the faith groups urge that the U.S. government must also address the root causes of the crisis faced by children in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The letter calls for increased regional programs to reduce poverty, lack of opportunity and violence so that children and families can live free from fear in their home countries.

This letter follows a petition on unaccompanied children now signed by more than 4,400 people of faith that was hand-delivered to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.
– From Therese Horvat, communications director, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth

Pots and pans manufacturer makes impression on national chefs

Members of the American Culinary Federation recently made a field trip from their convention in Kansas City, Mo., to visit the Vita Craft pots and pan manufacturing plant in Shawnee, Kan. (Photo by William Crum)
Members of the American Culinary Federation recently made a field trip from their convention in Kansas City, Mo., to visit the Vita Craft pots and pan manufacturing plant in Shawnee, Kan. (Photo by William Crum)
by William Crum

At the 2014 national American Culinary Federation convention in Kansas City, Mo., national chefs were taken on a tour of Vita-Craft.

Vita-Craft manufactures pots and pans in Shawnee, Kan. This company is noted as a leader in the industry. A lot of people know this company as a direct sales company, selling door-to-door.

According to Jerry Martin, Vita-Craft president, “We decided recently to expand our market. Instead of not only doing direct sales, we recently decided to go retail.

“The commercial market is what we are testing now,” he said. “This why we invited the chefs to come by and take a tour and give their input. This means a lot to us, after all, they are possible future customers.”

The company has 40 employees now, and is intending to expand soon, he said.

“This is why we are looking to explore into other markets,” Martin said. “We want to give the people who work here a future. In fact we have a lot of people who live in Wyandotte County who work here. Every employee has a say-so at Vita-Craft. Since we have started the commercial market, response has been overwhelming.”
One chef, while touring the plant, said he was impressed with not only the quality of the product, but also the work ethic of all the employees.

To learn more about Vita-Craft pots and pans, go to the website www.vitacraft.com. For more information call 913-631-6265.

Members of the American Culinary Federation recently made a field trip from their convention in Kansas City, Mo., to visit the Vita Craft pots and pan manufacturing plant in Shawnee, Kan. (Photo by William Crum)
Members of the American Culinary Federation recently made a field trip from their convention in Kansas City, Mo., to visit the Vita Craft pots and pan manufacturing plant in Shawnee, Kan. (Photo by William Crum)

Members of the American Culinary Federation recently made a field trip from their convention in Kansas City, Mo., to visit the Vita Craft pots and pan manufacturing plant in Shawnee, Kan. (Photo by William Crum)
Members of the American Culinary Federation recently made a field trip from their convention in Kansas City, Mo., to visit the Vita Craft pots and pan manufacturing plant in Shawnee, Kan. (Photo by William Crum)