Red Cross Chapter Seeks

Professional Volunteers

The American Red Cross Cape Cod and Islands Chapter wants to cross-train nurses, paramedics, licensed practical nurses, emergency medical technicians and retired physicians for volunteer roles at the Red Cross.

Red Cross health services volunteers provide essential and preventive health services to ensure the highest quality of care to disaster victims in their time of need.

Disability Services Program

Adds Activity Coordinator

Martha’s Vineyard Community Services is adding an activity and volunteer coordinator position that would address the need for enhanced services to older adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities.

The coordinator will plan and implement social outings and recreational activities for the target population. A pool of qualified volunteers will be recruited and trained to assist on outings.

Cape Cod Healthcare Community Benefits recently awarded the Cape and Islands chapter of the American Red Cross a $7,694 grant towards the development of its training initiative for Brazilians in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillators.

This latest grant will help the chapter recruit and train five Brazilian and bilingual instructors and subsequently to train 150 Brazilians who are interested in receiving the training.

Red Cross Receives Grant

The Edward Bangs and Elza Bangs Kelley Foundation Inc. has provided a $7,500 grant to the Cape Cod and Islands Chapter of the American Red Cross to support the Training For Life Program.

The program is aimed at developing American Red Cross community scholarships to train high school students in first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

More information is available by calling 508-775-1540 or visiting capecodandislandsredcross.org.

Mosquito Survey

A joint effort is planned for the Vineyard in July, August and part of September to trap and collect mosquitoes that may be vectors for Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus.

The Island boards of health, Dukes County, the state Bureau of Laboratory and Enviromental Science, and the Massachusetts State Laboratory Institute are cooperating in the effort. More information is available by calling T.J. Hegarty at 508-696-4888 or individual town health agents.

The Island’s surviving home health care agency has a full plate.

The Vineyard Nursing Association is moving quickly to absorb a 50 per cent increase in patients and a 20 per cent increase in employees while expanding its services and stepping up professional training for its employees, said Robert Tonti, chief executive officer of the association.

And Mr. Tonti has started the process of finding larger space to accommodate the unexpected growth.