Red Cross announces severe weather poster contest

01.17.2012

Just a week after a major storm system moved through Burke County, destroying 22 homes and damaging many more, emergency managers from the Unifour counties, in partnership with the American Red Cross, are sponsoring the 2012 Severe Weather Awareness Poster Contest for fourth- and fifth-graders. 

The purpose of the project is to encourage students to learn more about severe weather and how to keep themselves safe.

“We just witnessed what a tornado and high winds can do to a community,” said Suzan Anderson, local Red Cross community executive. “This is the perfect time for our local students to know those life-saving safety tips.”

One poster from each county and one overall winner from all entries will be chosen as the winners of the Unifour Area Severe Weather Awareness Week Poster Contest.  The winners’ artwork is scheduled to be displayed March 4-10 during North Carolina Severe Weather Awareness Week. Prizes will include tickets to Carowinds, weather radios and more.

Mark Pitts, Burke County Emergency Manager, emphasized the importance of local students understanding the types of emergencies that can affect them.

“What happened last week was a reminder to all of us that regardless of the type of incident that occurs everyone needs to be prepared to take all weather alerts very seriously and be ready to be isolated, on their own for up to three days. This contest helps our young people learn what can affect them,” Pitts said.

CONTEST INFORMATION

ELIGIBILITY:  Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba county students currently in the fourth or fifth grades

CONTENT:  The poster drawing must relate to the theme “Severe Weather Awareness” and should illustrate an example of a natural hazard that affects North Carolina.
The finished poster must be no larger than 11” x 14.” Designs should be submitted on quality poster illustration board or heavy paper. Entries must utilize crayons, magic markers, colored pencils or watercolor/acrylic paint. Posters with stencils, traced, computer-generated or commercially manufactured stick-on lettering or images will not be accepted.

Each poster must include the following information clearly printed or attached to the back of the poster to be eligible: contestant’s name, age, grade level, school name and address, parent/guardian’s name, address, and telephone number.

DEADLINE:  All entries MUST arrive at one of the American Red Cross county offices no later than 5 p.m. MONDAY, FEB. 6.

Judges will reward creativity and the extent to which the poster expresses the contest theme: Severe Weather Awareness. The winners will be notified by telephone no later than February 28, 2012.

Posters may be mailed to: Catawba Valley Chapter American Red Cross, PO Box 389, Hickory, NC 28603

OR posters may be delivered to following locations:

Alexander County
81 Liledoun Rd.
Taylorsville, NC 28681
Telephone: (828)632-1990

Burke County
305A W. Union St.
Morganton, NC 28655
Telephone: (828) 438-8844

Caldwell County
1144 Morganton Blvd. SW
Lenoir, NC 28645
Telephone: (828) 754-4161

Catawba County
1375 Lenoir Rhyne Blvd., Piedmont Ctr. Suite #119
Hickory, NC 28602
Telephone: (828) 322-4151