RCCC News 2007

Here are notes from the RCCC Annual Meeting held on Saturday, November 17, 2007.

Lunch was provided courtesy of Chick-fil-A of Rowlett. Excellent food and brownies for dessert.

The meeting started early with a presentation on the new Explorer program by Erik Ernst. Our application is pending the recruitment of the first group of teen for the program. If you have a teen (14 or older) that may be interested in the program, please contact Erik as soon as possible to discuss the application.

1. Whitney Laning, RCCC President spoke on highlights of our accomplishments (attached), and on how we as a Citizen Corps Council make Rowlett safer, stronger and better prepared. Each of the three components were discussed and are listed below for your review:

How do we make Rowlett safer, stronger and better prepared for any emergency?

Fire Corps - Vital rehabilitation and support services for public safety personnel while operating at incidents. Round the clock coverage.

Members involved in City of Rowlett Boards, Commissions and even on the City Council

Our program would not exist but for the selfless dedication, commitment and loyalty of our volunteers who tirelessly give of their time and resources to help us continue to be leaders in our field and help make our community a safer place to live. Thank you for your service.

2. Michael Lucas our CERT Administrator spoke about various topics including the following:

5. Erik Ernst spoke about the SaR course and presented graduates with SAR rocker patches for their vests.

6. Robert Lafaye, City of Rowlett Emergency Management Coordinator spoke about grants, his role and our organization's impact on our City.

o Robin Simoneaux, Paul Fontenot, Whitney Laning, Deborah Rose, Leisa Peebles, Ernest Rose, Frank Pilkington, Michael D. Lucas, Ph.D., David McLaughlin, Jeanne Powell, Jeri Fontenot, Cathy Ann Bagwell, Carole Dodd, Barbara Smith, Jack Murphy, Cindy Rushing, Frank Seigler, Erik Ernst

o Whitney P. Laning, Bobbi J. Laning, Gregory L. Peebles, Leisa Peebles, David Sward, Ronald Freeman, Joan Leonard – All Charter Members

· Administrator's Award - Whitney P. Laning for the Green Weenie (fun award presented by Michael Lucas and Robin Simoneaux)

Cindy Rushing spoke regarding the upcoming Severe Weather Awareness Poster Contest and the need for entries from our own members who have children in the K-8 range. More information will be forthcoming.

We closed with a quote: Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in. -- Marjorie Moore, Minds Eye Information Service, Belleville, IL, USA

For questions or more information regarding the meeting or content of reports, please contact Whitney Laning. It's been a great year, thanks for being part of our organization.

Congratulations to Robin, David and Leisa who, by majority vote, retain their leadership positions with the Fire Corps program for another year.

As it neared game time and the stands started to fill at Community Park, all the chatter was “Who will take home this years 2^nd Annual Shoots & Ladders trophy”?

The event began with Troop 1020 Rowlett UMD and Pack 244 Pearson Elementary posted the colors, Ashton DeGroot sang the Nation Anthem and Rowlett Assistant City Manager, George Harris, threw the first pitch. The game was on!

The game was exciting, intense and the crowd cheered with excitement at every crack of the bat. After nine innings and some really close calls, it was the Officers over the Fire Fighters, 24 to 10, to take home the trophy for this year’s softball classic.

Fire Fighter Ladusau took home the 2007 MVP trophy for the “RED” and Officer Baxter took home the 2007 MVP trophy for the “BLUE”.

After the game, the Officers, Fire Fighters, CERT and VIPS volunteers, with their families, enjoyed a hot dog dinner sponsored by the Rowlett Police Department.

Now that the series is tied 1-1, the players are already making plans for the 2008 tie breaker.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Courtney Suhr Attn: Community News Desk Mobile: (512) 496.9387 June 6, 2007 Courtney@OneStarFoundation.org

Governor Rick Perry and OneStar Foundation to Honor Texas Volunteers

Fourteen Texans will receive awards at the 24^th annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards

(Austin, TX) On behalf of Governor Rick Perry, OneStar Foundation is proud to announce the winners of the 24^th annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards. The long standing tradition of the Governor’s Volunteer Awards strives to recognize those who dedicate their talents and skills to help their fellow Texans. Together, this year’s recipients have donated more than 100,000 hours of service to Texas communities valued at $1.87 million. (Figure based on the Independent Sector’s annual estimation of the dollar value of a volunteer hour.)

After a three tiered selection process the following individuals, organizations and corporations were selected for recognition by the Governor.

Jan Tennyson, founder of Dare to Dream Children’s Foundation, Dallas
Kyle Freas, founder of Youth Together, Plano
Rebecca Richard, a community volunteer, Lumberton
Dr. Charleta Guillory, volunteer for March of Dimes, Houston
Kim Schams, founder of Aggieland Pregnancy Outreach, College Station
Collin County Council on Family Violence
Applied Materials: Women’s Professional Development Network of Austin
Rowlett Citizen Corps Council
Houston Hispanic Forum
Dell Foundation, headquartered in Austin
Adopt-A-School-Program, U.S. Army, Fort Hood
Volunteer Healthcare Clinic, Austin
Baker Botts Law Firm, Austin
Dyess We Care Team, Dyess Air Force Base, Abilene

The award recipients will be honored by the Governor tonight during a private ceremony at the Driskill Hotel in Austin.

Descriptions of the award winners’ service will be available on the OneStar Foundation website following the event (www.OneStarFoundation.org).

OneStar Foundation is honored to continue Texas’ 24 year history by hosting the Governor’s Volunteer Awards. Through recognition of the value of an ethic of service, along with grant programs, training and technical assistance services, and research on the nonprofit sector, OneStar seeks to ensure that Texas’ capacity to respond is as strong as it compassion to serve.

For more information about this year’s winners or the awards ceremony, please contact Courtney Suhr at 512.496.9387 or Courtney@OneStarFoundation.org.

OneStar Foundation | 816 Congress Ave., Ste. 900 | Austin, Texas 78701 | Ph: 512.473.2140 | Fax: 512.473.8228 www.onestarfoundation.org

Award Program Profile

Rowlett Citizen Corps Council
Community Capacity Builder - Public/Government

Rowlett Citizen Corps Council

Early in 2001, the City of Rowlett, Texas began cultivating volunteers to assist Public Safety officials in large scale emergencies and disasters. Today, the resulting Rowlett Citizen Corps Council (RCCC) has an active core membership of over 140 volunteers, and co-sponsors four component programs of Citizen Corps: Citizen Emergency Response Teams (CERT); Rowlett Fire Corps; Neighborhood Watch; and Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS). In 2006, the Rowlett Citizen Corps Council produced an award winning Emergency Preparedness Guide that was mailed to each household and business in Rowlett. The resource guide prepares citizens for disasters and emergencies by providing detailed checklists and emergency preparedness information that can be easily accessed. The RCCC is also involved with Keep Rowlett Beautiful where RCCC volunteers can be seen with their CERT helmets and vests cleaning up a three mile stretch of heavily traveled roadway. The Council also works to provide area schools and day care centers with NOAA Public Alert Radios to help keep the community informed about possible hazardous weather conditions. Through its variety of efforts in strengthening the Rowlett community, the organization has become recognized as a regional leader in the field and viewed by many as a model program.

OneStar Foundation President & CEO Susan Weddington and RCCC President Whitney Laning

Winners of the poster contest presented in support of Texas Severe Weather Awareness Week were announced at the Rowlett City Council meeting on March 6. Twelve contest winners from kindergarten to 8^th grade were awarded ribbons and goodie bags full of donated items from area businesses.

“I’m overjoyed at the response from our schools in Rowlett. It’s simply fantastic,” said Whitney Laning, president of the Rowlett Citizen Corps Council. “Every piece deserves recognition. You can tell a lot of time, effort and love went into each one of them. The judges had their hands full.”

The contest, which was sponsored by the City of Rowlett, Rowlett Citizen Corps Council, and Artist ‘Round Texas, had a total of 58 entries. Contest artwork will be on display at the Rowlett Community Centre through the end of March.

As part of an ongoing campaign to have citizens prepare and be ready for the severe weather season, the poster contest follows a proclamation from the Rowlett City Council, and a program to place NOAA Public Alert radios in 15 private schools and daycare centers in Rowlett. The radio program, funded by Capital One Bank, provides early warning for weather and other emergencies to an additional 3,100 children in Rowlett.

“Recent severe weather events in Alabama and around the country underscore the need to be prepared and ready to act in an emergency. There is no time like the present to get ready,” said Laning.

Complete details about severe weather safety and emergency preparedness can be found at www.rowlett.com and www.rowlettcitizencorps.org. If you have additional questions, please contact the City of Rowlett’s Emergency Management Coordinator Robert Lafaye at rlafaye@rowlett.com.

Congratulations to our VIPS graduates who recently took their official oath and are now certified to hit the streets!

Congratulations to Robin Simoneaux who was recognized as the 2006 Volunteer of the Year by the City of Rowlett.