Greetings Fellow Doves,

I hope you are all safe and well out there. The Welfare Information (WI) Activity of the American Red Cross began in 1865 when Abraham Lincoln placed Clara Barton in charge of the search for the Civil War’s missing soldiers. By writing letters and placing newspaper ads, she helped trace the fates of over 22,000 men. WI is a vital service to our clients during times of disaster and very little donated dollars are spent connecting loved ones.

When disasters strike, family and loved ones can become separated. WI volunteers assist people in communicating their status to those who may be worried. Volunteers also aid in the search for the particularly vulnerable-those with health and mental health conditions. When you are working on a DRO, and have direct contact with clients, remember to ask them if their family knows they are okay. If the client is unsure, tell them that the Red Cross can help them notify their loved ones of their wellbeing.

People affected can register themselves on the Safe and Well website, www.safeandwell.org. Those without internet access can register toll free by calling 1-800-GET INFO. I encourage all of you to register yourselves any time, wait a few minutes, then search for yourself. It is a very user friendly site.  I encourage you to tell your family and loved ones about the site. As wanderers, letting our loved ones know we are safe and well is important, especially when we are on a DRO.

For those of you with Crossnet access, you can go to the Welfare Information Neighborhood at https://neighborhoods.redcross.org/sites/WI  to learn more about this activity. There is a WebEx training available and you can contact Diane Zinna at ZinnaD@usa.redcross.org to register for the training.

Enjoy your travels and come visit Montana.

SKP Hugs,

Leann Johnson  (Kent and Bailey dog too!)