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6 | OHCC LIVING | NOVEMBER 2022 | Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and I want to take this opportunity to thank all our SERT Club members for their continuing support. Our membership is near 400, and we have 14 lifetime members! Many thanks also go to the social clubs and individuals who have donated money to support SERT's efforts to be prepared in case of a natural disaster. This year, we purchased numerous medical related supplies, and five SERT members will complete the American Red Cross Instructor Course for First Aid/CPR/AED. In 2023, this will enable SERT to provide hands-on training to SERT members and other residents of OHCC. Details of this program will be announced during the Do Dues Day event in January. We have a core group of volunteers who keep SERT moving forward. At the October General Meeting & Election, the SERT Membership re-elected me as President and John Slayton as Vice President, both for a second term, and Jill Lemons, Club Secretary, and Gary Baur, Treasurer, to third terms. The Board re-appointed Ellen Baur as a director. While we all enjoy serving, we do need others within SERT to step up and serve on the Board and to also fill key leadership positions. Open Board positions: • Director of Communications (website and publication oversight) • Director of Education (coordination of American Red Cross training, Emergency Response Team certification) Currently, these positions are being handled by your existing board members. So, as we don't "burn out," please consider stepping up to be actively involved in SERT. I guarantee that you will have full backing from the SERT leadership! We added seven new Emergency Response Team (ERT) members in 2022. These 37 individuals include Command Staff, Leadership, First Aid, and Tactical members and are OHCC's "first responders" until state, county, and city emergency personnel can arrive. With a total population in OHCC of over 2,500 residents that is a ratio of over 67:1! SERT would like to maintain an ERT force of 50 members. If you are ready, willing, and able to be trained as an Emergency Response Team member, please contact John Slayton or myself. A SPECIAL THANK YOU goes out to all ERT members for their dedication in making OHCC a safer place to live. The Neighbor-Helping-Neighbor program continues to evolve with about 50 members serving as Safety Coordinators. Only about half the streets in OHCC have Safety Coordinators. Being a Safety Coordinator is a self-satisfying job and your neighbors will be very appreciative, too. This past year we learned that residents prefer informal neighborhood street events so they can directly connect with their neighbors and share information that is critical in an emergency. SERT is actively looking for additional Safety Coordinators who would be willing to host a street event. Please contact Annie Gandomi, gandomi19@gmail.com. The Family Care Givers program was new to SERT this year, and it is filling an important niche. It is amazing how quickly a loved one's health can deteriorate, and their partner or family member are thrown into the role of caregiver for which they have no experience. This support group meets the third Thursday of every month in the Clubhouse from 7 to 8 pm. The group is open to all SERT members. SERT is most grateful for your support! Please stay safe out there! Thank you to a our members

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