The Mill City Times Interview: Lynette Nyman, Communications and Marketing Manager for American Red Cross, Minnesota and Dakotas Region

Article by Becky Fillinger

On your walks along the river, I’ll bet you’ve passed the American Red Cross building on West River Parkway and wondered about the activities taking place within that facility. We spoke to Lynette Nyman, Communications and Marketing Manager for the American Red Cross Minnesota and Dakotas Region, to get a historical and current perspective on our neighbor, the American Red Cross, and how we can get involved.

Lynette Nyman

Q:  What areas are served by the Red Cross office on West River Parkway? 

A:  The Red Cross facility on West River Parkway serves as our regional and metro-area hub for all five lines of service that we offer: Disaster Cycle Services, Biomedical Services, Training Services, Service to the Armed Forces and International Services. Our Red Cross region is comprised of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. This amounts to serving more than 7.5 million people across a vast geographic range.

Q:  Tell us about your initiatives - blood drives, disaster relief? Where? How? 

A:  In a nutshell, our humanitarian work includes providing relief for people affected by disasters, mostly home fires; sending emergency communications for military service members and their families; restoring communications between loved ones separated by war and conflict; teaching lifesaving skills such as CPR and first aid; and collecting and distributing lifesaving blood and platelets. People who like a 'room with a view' can take advantage of our Minneapolis Blood Donation Center, which looks west to the Mill District and  the Stone Arch Bridge.

During this fall's busy disaster season, our region supported more than 200 deployments of trained disaster workers to help people affected by wildfires, hurricanes, multi-family fires and a derecho. These were on the ground and virtual deployments. The disaster workers are 90 percent volunteers. We deeply appreciate our region’s 2,000 active volunteers. Their tireless efforts, generosity and commitment make our response possible.

Lynette and Oregon wildfire evacuee KathieSome, for example, help those who've lost everything in a home fire in Minnesota or in a hurricane in Louisiana. Others help people who need to send a verified emergency communication to a family member serving in the military when a crisis happens. Still others transport lifesaving blood to local hospitals or start the international search process for a loved one living in a refugee camp.  

Red Cross volunteers Greg and Renee GrayMany of us based in the Minneapolis office deploy into the field for disaster and relief services. I worked at the Red Cross shelter at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland in September. I’ve shared a photo of me and evacuee Kathie. We were able to celebrate good news - Kathie's home was spared, and she was able to return.

Our volunteers also travel to help with disaster relief. Our volunteers Greg and Renee Gray were in Louisiana in late August, helping people affected by Hurricane Laura. In the picture, they're sitting on the back of an emergency response vehicle that's used to distribute relief supplies like clean-up kits to people who need them.

Q:  What’s the history of the Red Cross and Minnesota?

A:  We’ve been here for a long time. For more than 100 years, the Red Cross in Minnesota has served millions of people. During the American Civil War, The First Minnesota Volunteer Regiment fought in the Battle of Antietam in 1862 – Clara Barton tended to the wounded hours after the battle. In 1898, a group calling itself the “German-American Red Cross Society of Minnesota” organized in St. Paul. The group’s goal was to gather support, such as hospital supplies, entertainment, and other relief items, that the government did not provide for sick and wounded soldiers in the Spanish-American War.

Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross in 1881

Also in 1898, the “Minnesota Red Cross Society” is established in Minneapolis. The group sought approval from the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army to send nurses to care for soldiers in the Spanish-American War. The offer is declined multiple times as the Surgeon General does not see military field hospitals appropriate places for women nurses. In October, 1918, a fire, driven by fuel and tornadic winds, becomes a firestorm, with flames four and half miles in the sky. People as far away as Iowa think the fire was close by. The flames engulf Cloquet and Moose Lake. Nearly 20,000 people lose their homes and more than 450 people die. This remains among the largest natural disasters in U.S. history. The Red Cross plays a vital role in the response and recovery. The St. Paul chapter sent 16 cars worth of furniture, clothes, and other relief supplies.

Also in 1918, the Spanish flu epidemic sweeps around the world, killing millions. In Minnesota, schools and public places close to prevent spread of the deadly disease. The Red Cross supports families through its Home Service program. Volunteers deliver cots and masks, cook for families and furnish transportation.

These historical stories are just a few of the very rich timeline we have in Minnesota and the region. Please see our website for more interesting information.

Q:  How can we stay up to date with the Red Cross?

A:  Our main news channels include our regional website, our blog, and our Facebook and Twitter feeds. You can find all of them via our home page. You can also volunteer with us and donate on Give to the Max Day, November 19 to ensure we’re here for another hundred years.