As reported in the Mad River Union, Arcata CERT member Saroj Gilbert will be giving a talk titled "Are You Prepared?" to the Humboldt Branch of the American Association of University Women on November 3 at 11 a.m. at the Red Lion Hotel, 1929 Fourth Street in Eureka.

Gilbert's interest in emergency preparedness arose out of her experience in Southwest Virginia in the aftermath of Hurricane Isabel in 2004.

A very large triple-trunk oak tree fell into the attic of her mother's house in Virginia, piercing the ceiling in a few places.

She had no dependable cell phone service for a week; no landline phone service for two weeks; no power for 10 days; and spent five months sawing up tree limbs and trying to find a builder to repair the roof.

Following the Katrina disaster the next year, she decided to find out how to be resilient in the face of earth changes.

She is trained to teach community disaster preparedness to adults and children (kids 8 through 11).  Her primary volunteer role is managing debit cards given to families to take care of their immediate needs after a house fire or other individual disaster.

The meeting at the Red Lion Hotel Dining Room starts at 11 a.m. with Registration and a brief social time.  The luncheon, "A Taste of Italy," includes several main (including vegetarian) dishes, delightful accompaniments and beverages.  The fee for the luncheon is $20, with a beverage only option for $6.

Members of the area's local communities are invited to attend, but a reservation must be made by calling (707) 442-4643 by the end of the day, October 31.

For additional information about the coming meeting or the organization call (707) 443-1291.