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Evacuees Get Warm Red Cross Welcome
Red Crossers greet flights of evacuees from Lebanon arriving at BWI Airport
Linnea Anderson, Special to RedCross.org
Monday, July 31, 2006 — BALTIMORE — “Boogie to the way other end of the airport,” is what Baltimore Sun reporter Chris Yakaitis reported hearing American Red Cross volunteer Pat Ash say as she pointed down the terminal for two new arrivals.
On July 21, 2006, Red Cross volunteer Deborah Oliver-Davis shares a lighter moment with Alex Hamdan and his son Alexander, who were evacuated from Lebanon. The Hamdan family spent the first two weeks of their vacation enjoying the world cup games. After the fighting started, the family fled to the hills where they could hear helicopters and the echo of bombs. "Every time someone slams a door, it reminds me of the sounds of those bombs," said Alexander, 11.
(Photo Credit: Hector Emanuel/American Red Cross)
Photo ID: 35967-059
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In the lead of his July 27 story, he captured the Red Cross reception of Hussein Taleb, 32, and his 70-year-old mother Nazmie Taleb, two of the many evacuees arriving in the United States from Lebanon.
According to Yakaitis, the two were rushed from the international arrival terminal at Baltimore-Washington International Airport to a terminal at the opposite end of the airport for a connecting flight to Hartford, Conn. They were accompanied by Red Cross volunteer Sal Culotta, who pushed Nazmie Taleb in a wheelchair, and an interpreter.
Although they raced to the Southwest Airlines ticketing counter “at the way other end” as Ash had indicated, the 9:50 flight was departing as they reached it.
“Well, we tried,” Yakaitis quoted Culotta of Catonsville, Md., as saying. “At least we can walk back.”
This newspaper account is just one example of the dedication exhibited by Red Cross volunteers, who have worked for weeks to create a warm welcome in Baltimore and Philadelphia area airports for those fleeing conflict in the Middle East. As they returned home from a war zone, thousands of weary, traumatized American passengers have been met by the Red Cross.
At BWI Airport in Baltimore Red Cross volunteers greet evacuees arriving from Lebanon at all hours and pass out food, toiletries and other supplies, July 21, 2006.
(Photo Credit: Hector Emanuel/American Red Cross)
Photo ID: 35967-275
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Red Cross disaster mental health workers have been on hand offering hugs and listening ears. Red Cross nurses have staffed triage centers checking out everything from stiff necks to chest pains. Families were offered food, drinks and toiletries, as well as stuffed toys and coloring books for the children.
“I wanted to be at the airport for the first plane—then I just signed up for the rest of the week,” said Ash, who like other volunteers had reported for duty at all hours of the day and night days. The retired oncology nurse normally responds to fires in the Baltimore area, 40 of them to date.
Sue Recker, another disaster action team volunteer, said that she enjoyed giving plush toys to kids during the repatriation.
“This is a happy time—it’s not like fires,” said Recker. “Here we’re seeing reunions; people have tears of joy running down their faces to be home safe.”
Linnea Anderson is the Public Relations Director with the Central Maryland chapter of the American Red Cross.
Every day people around the world are suffering from disasters, like the cyclone in Myanmar. You can help those affected by this crisis and countless others around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation by either contacting 1-800-HELP NOW or mailing your donation, with the designation, to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013.
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