relief

below is a blog i wrote about a fire i went out on this week, enjoy.


When asked what it feels like to have the Red Cross help you after a fire, Alicia Klute replied in one simple word.

"Relief."

"It was relieving to know that since I don't have insurance, that if I needed help the Red Cross would be able to help me," Alicia said.

For Alicia's three year old son, Conlee, relief came in the form of a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal and a rice krispy treat.

The Klute's were able to take refuge from the bitter cold in the Red Cross's Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) while firefighters fought the fire that broke out this morning in their neighbors apartment. It's here in the ERV where our Disaster Action Team Volunteers can talk to families and offer them Red Cross assistance.

Assistance comes in many forms- helping with immediate needs like food, clothing and shelter. It also comes in forms of the heart through comfort and care. From a warm cup of coffee to a hug our volunteers excel at offering our clients what matters most- compassion.

Thanks you to our awesome volunteers who responded to this morning's two apartment fires in subzero temperatures: Ed Schwartz, Bill Dreyfus, Joe Zaki and Kim and Amy Burns.

It's their compassion that is turned into action that allows the Red Cross to serve those in need in the Omaha metro every single day.

The Red Cross depends on the generous support of Omaha metro residents to respond to our neighbors who are affected by home fires. You can help the Red Cross continue to be ready to respond and help fire victims by making a financial contribution to Heartland Chapter today.

To make a financial donation, visit www.redcrossomaha.org, call 402.343.7700, or mail a check to 2912 S. 80th Ave, Omaha, NE 68124.

For more Red Cross fire safety and preparedness information visit www.redcross.org/homefires.

volunteer...

we want you.
come and check out our next 60 minutes with the red cross on march 10th at 9am and you can get the behind the scenes tour too!
you can also check out my latest newsletter here to see our latest news.

meet kate.

you might remember my red cross atlanta flood buddy kate from previous blogs.
she works for the red cross in north carolina doing what i do and she is fabulous.

after two crazy weeks in atlanta working on the disaster relief operation for the flooding in georgia we are forever friends.

this week we got to be roomies in dallas at apat (advanced public affairs team) training in dallas.
we have had a blast here and are spending tonight in our pj's with a bottle of cabernet.

we cant wait until our next deployment together!

life as a puppy mom day 365...

feb. 14, 2009


(notice where the electrical box is)
feb. 14, 2010


one year ago today we picked up our little bundle of joy in bellevue.
that weekend i blogged about life as a puppy mom.

observations about puppies:
they are like babies, they wake up early, cry and cant walk downstairs yet...
they are unlike babies because they run all over the house, bite everything, and scratch the crud out of you with their sharp puppy claws and teeth.
they are sweet and loving.
they try not to pee in the house but sometimes they are too darn excited while playing.
they learn quick.
they are fun and funny.
they have big bellies.
they wear humans out.
they like balls and mini frisbees.
they watch tv sometimes.
they can and do get the hickups...i think
everybody loves them.

most is still true a year later, except she can walk up and downstairs now...but she chooses to sprint up and down them...and she is potty trained now.
she is also still wearing us all out.

i wish she was that tiny and fuzzy again...but she has grown into a beautiful little lady.

yes- i love john hughes and now i have published proof.

i walked in to the bookstore frantically looking for the new release books...
i spin around scanning all of the sections...what section would it even be in?
pop culture? is there a pop culture section?

and there it is...
the faces on the cover of the book were unmistakable.
molly. john. matt. three of my favorites.

'yep there it is'- i wanted to scream!

as i stood in the bookstore i stumbled through the pages until i got to the back...perfect an index.
'omg- my name is actually in it- it really happened,' i think.
page 363- there it is under say anything and before sixteen candles (my two favorites).
schlegelmilch, danelle- 272,316-317

i flip as fast as my fingers have ever flipped to page 272.

in the chapter 'anything and everything' im quoted talking about the final scene of say anything and how every time i'm on an airplane and hear the 'ding' for the seat belt sign after take off- i smile and think of lloyd dobbler and diane court. i go on to say how i think its pretty amazing that after that many years that it still takes me right back to that moment. the coolest thing is that my quote is followed by a quote from mr. john cusack himself talking about the unknown possibilities of that scene.

i wanted to scream, 'hey everyone- im in this book- and im quoted in the same paragraph as one of my all time favorite actors!"

but...i didnt. i just flipped to my next quote on pages 315-316.

this quote is in the 'dont you forget about me' chapter and im talking about growing up in a small town as the new girl and relating to molly ringwald's characters. saying how i would go home at night with crushed self confidence and how the movies would help me realize that school is awkward and usually horrible at times for everyone. i talked about how i could related to the dysfunctionalism of her families in the movies. having divorced parents and living in a small town seemed like a death sentence growing up. (now i can appreciate all that my parents did for me back when i was a horrible hormonal teen drama queen...sorry mom and dad)

wow- i still can't believe it. i flip through a few more pages and then make a beeline to the check out. i get in my car and call joel. i had to tell someone how awesome it feels to be included in such a cool book.

my first thoughts-
1. oh my goodness- john cusack and molly ringwald might just read my name and who knows... call me up someday!

2. i hope my family isnt offended by me saying i could relate to molly ringwald's characters and her dysfunctional families. all families are dysfunctional and in middle school everything is the pits...but john hughes brought me out of my teenage small town melodrama to make me laugh and realize that things usually will work out for the best- even if you're the dorky girl.

sidebar: my family has never forgotten my birthday like claire's in sixteen candles...they are the opposite about remembering birthdays and making them a big deal.

3. i cant wait to finish this book. what i have read so far is amazing. its like a behind the scene's look back in time to what made john hughes tick and what made his movies so fabulous...the people.

as anthony michael hall said in sixteen candles (and susannah reminds us in the front of the book)

want to know what happened? buy the book.

you can also get a sneakpeak here and here and here on some of susannah's amazing media clips.

ochos rios jamacia here we come...

is it may 26th yet?
that's what i was wishing as i was stuck in this mornings blistery snow traffic for an hour on my way to work. (yep it normally takes 20 mins)

on may 26th we will be in ochos rios jamacia here.
i was asked to shoot a wedding for michael and crystal in omaha and it has since moved to the o' so gorgeous jamacia...when they asked me if that was a problem i said, no porblem mon.
best thing i am taking mr. joel with me to be my assistant. :)
I CANT WAIT!!!!!
this shall be my theme song...

every cupcake...

another reason why i love love love the red cross.
we mention cupcakes in our new psa that features a my favorite new john mayer song.
high five!

happy birthday mr. joel

another year older...and another year sweeter.
love you sir.
xoxo
-danelle