The Tornadoes in Indiana

You have probably seen in the news over the past few days about the tornadoes that moved across the Midwest and South...

Many of my extended family live in southern Indiana/northern Kentucky.  My parents both grew up in Henryville, the small town which was devastated by two tornadoes, one an F4 which is defined as having winds up to 200 mph.  Aunts and uncles and cousins of mine live in Henryville.  Time.com has a piece here with a few of the stories coming out.  Elaine Dietrich Thoms is my cousin..  her house was leveled by the tornado, as was her parents' home (my aunt and uncle) and her brother John and his family's home.  Everyone survived with no injuries except for Martin (my cousin John's son-in-law mentioned later in the Time article) who has a broken shoulder but is doing well.  They all say they feel grateful they are alive.

We hear the news through another cousin of mine who lives in Louisville...   "Houses have been rented, and we will rebuild!"

Donations to the American Red Cross would be much appreciated.

Get CPR Certified

Every December I renew my CPR/AED certification.  I've never had to use it, but having to take it every year to keep my coaching and training certifications, I have gotten pretty good at knowing what to do in an emergency situation.

As my family ages on one end (parents, aunts, uncles, siblings, friends, John, and myself) and the little ones start to accumulate on the other (the grandchildren), I have come to realize the importance of EVERYONE knowing CPR and basic first aid.
So, as one of my gifts to my family this past Christmas, I gave each member a Red Cross CPR keychain (which contains a one-way valve breathing barrier and a pair of vinyl gloves) and money toward getting certified.

Go to www.redcross.org, find out where your local Red Cross is and sign up for a class.  Take your spouse with you, and your parents. 

You'll be glad you did.