Teaching the Munchkins: A*NRRC has been giving presentations to several elementary schools in the area. The topics that are discussed during these presentations include fire safety, winter storms, disaster supply kits, and volunteerism. Through these presentations, the children learn how they can help to prepare for and respond to disasters. In addition, they learn how becoming involved in their community benefits all people.

"Operation Support": As part of A*NRRC's commitment to military personnel and their families, A*NRRC provides information on the services that the American Red Cross provides. This information is a cornerstone to helping these dedicated Americans know that the Red Cross is there to support them as they continue to serve and protect our nation.

Servicios de Lenguajes: In order to better serve Greenwich, A*NRRC spends a great deal of time recruiting people for the language bank. This group is made up of people who are fluent in a language other than English, who can be used in an emergency for translation services.

Opening the Gates: Hoping to inspire youth to prepare for their future, A*NRRC is beginning to implement the KEYS program. KEYS stands for "Keep Enabling, Encouraging, and Energizing Youth". This program is dedicated to showing teenagers their potential, helping them to set reachable goals, and inspiring them to strive for greatness. These weekly presentations help to prepare the next generation for service to the community, to the nation, and most importantly to themselves.

Running for the Hills, Red Cross style: In keeping with the idea of disaster preparation, A*NRRC conducts shelter surveys with local schools and churches. This is done so that in case the need arises for a shelter to be opened all the preparations will have already been made. This requires not only a written agreement between the facility and the American Red Cross, but also a general inspection of the grounds to see what kind of opportunity is available.

Midnight Providers: All the members of A*NRRC are active in Greenwich's Disaster Action Team (DAT). This group is made up of volunteers within the disaster services division of the Greenwich chapter.

AFES: A*NRRC is also active in responding to AFES calls. AFES stands for Armed Forces Emergency Services. These calls can include verification of births in the family or of deaths that have occurred. The American Red Cross also provides messaging services to help family members stay in contact with their loved ones in the services. These messages can also be used for welfare inquiries that provide verification for family members about the medical condition and whereabouts of the service member in their family.

Join the Fun: In order to involve more young people in service, A*NRRC is making a continued effort to inform people about the AmeriCorps program. This recruitment process occurs on the local level at various schools and libraries, as well as on the national level. A*NRRC traveled to Washington D.C. to take part in a job fair for non-profit organizations. Through these efforts, hundreds of people have come to learn about what AmeriCorps is and about the opportunity they have to serve.

Disaster Club: A*NRRC conducted a six week program for middle school students in which they were able to learn more about disasters. During the program the students learned of disasters that were most likely to

Helping Hands: Part of the overall emphasis of A*NRRC has been to educate the community on how they can prepare for disasters. Part of this focus involved reaching out to the senior community. Presentations were made to various senior organizations and community centers to inform them of how they could be prepared for the oncoming threat of disasters. Through this program, hundreds of seniors were made aware of precautions they could take to prepare for disasters.

Dealing with Floyd: Last fall, Hurricane Floyd ravaged the eastern coast of the United States. One of the cities that was hit hard was Danbury, Connecticut. A*NRRC was sent to help with the relief efforts that stemmed from the flooding in Danbury. The corps was able to assist with both staffing and mass care. This relief effort was an eye opener for the corps as they had only been activated for two weeks.

NRRC to the Rescue: In February, A*NRRC traveled to Passaic, New Jersey to assist with a continued recovery effort from a level 2 fire. This provided a substantial opportunity for service in that the people being served were from various ethnic groups, financial levels, and native tongues. While there A*NRRC was able to serve in various functions including family services, mass care, and logistics.

Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your Mind?: In March, a pair of tornadoes ripped through the communities of Ft. Worth and Arlington, Texas. A*NRRC responded to DR#324 North Texas Tornadoes and Floods. Their responsibilities included coordinating the local disaster volunteers in order to provide for the best service and relief effort possible. This allowed the Corps to be part of the behind the scenes activities that are so crucial in times of disaster.

Pet Crossing 101: In cooperation with several local animal hospitals, veterinarians, and pet supply stores, A*NRRC provided information to pet owners on how they can be prepared for disaster. This information included what precautions could be taken for the pet, where the pets can stay during a disaster, as well as other useful information. This has assisted the local community in the area of awareness and preparedness in regards to their family pets.

Guarding Against Gas: A*NRRC was able to join a forum of local disaster response organizations to work on a town plan of how to respond to the threat of terrorism. This provided A*NRRC with the chance to work in cooperation with other groups to determine what should be done in preparation for such a disaster. Part of the process was also determining the appropriate response to such an incident. Because of these crucial meetings the town is now better prepared for just such an emergency.

2000 Blues: In the months proceeding the turn of the millennium, A*NRRC worked to make sure the town of Greenwich was as prepared as possible for any disruptions. Even though there was no immediate problems as a result of the New Year, the work that was done was helpful in preparing the people for any disaster that might occur.

Coming Together: As part of their commitment to the community, A*NRRC was active in meetings with other groups that aid in times of disaster. This sense of cooperation provided insight into how the needs of disaster victims can be better served. This also gave A*NRRC the chance to be an active ingredient into the betterment of Greenwich.