Kaywyn J. Beswick, R.N./Morrison Community ARC Blood Program Leader, submitted the report.
The first Morrison Community American Red Cross Blood Drive of 2024 was held on Thursday, January 11, from noon to 6:00 p.m., at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 13320 Garden Plain Road, Morrison, IL. Thanks to the church for allowing the ARC to have their blood drives in the church hall. We are indebted to Knights of Columbus Knight Terry Hoehn, for faithfully clearing the hall out the evening before, and returning the next day at the end of the drive to put everything back. We appreciate you! I am grateful for the Ebenezer Reformed Church Women and Ebenezer Ladies Aid, who have sponsored the canteen for the last two January blood drives; we appreciate your sponsorship! The wonderful ladies who purchased, prepared, and bagged up all the sandwiches and cookies for the donors and staff are, from left-to-right, Karen Landheer, Joyce Ottens, Darlene Hook, Mary Vos, Jane Haan, and Barb Domdey. Praises to you, terrific ladies!
Appreciativeness to my tremendously dependable volunteers; we could not have such smoothly-run drives without them assisting us! The ARC Certified Volunteers who come help us at the registration desk are Pat Pendgraft and Irma Russell; you two are so valuable! Acknowledgement to my other two volunteers, who helped post-escort donors from the lounge chair where they gave blood, to the canteen area chairs for a water bottle and goodies. They were Rick Barr and another guy who offered to help on his day off. This mystery volunteer also donates blood but does not like his name published. I’m much obliged to them.
We had 60 incredible people come through our doors to help save up to three lives each. The fantastic whole blood donors were Barb Imel, Marsha Geerts, Kelly Smith, Kelsie Lowery, Bryan Vogel, Jill Harmston, Joan Vander Bleek, Philip Olt IV, Randy Kuehl, Ken Gooley, Bill Kuehl, Jenna Landheer, Jackie Damhoff, Deb Adolph, Ava Valdez, Renee Vanderlaan, Pam Jones, Stephen Sippel, Penny Milnes, Martha Kophamer, Chris Hawkins, Tim Vegter, Connie Tegeler, Larry Tichler, Kevin Hook, Kaywyn Beswick, Pam Shank, Dale Beswick, Amy Oudekerk, Cheryl Geiger, Beth Wroble, Brad Bielema, Bryan Wollesen, Carl E. Bushar, Kari Forster, Sarah Bull, Tim West, Joe R. Bielema, Dave Temple, Brooke Newman, Valerie Pell, Susan Gomez, Dale Belt, and three women and five men who did not want their names published.
Eight outstanding double red cell/Power Red donors were Craig Brady, Duane Imel, Jack Jones, Harvey Tegeler, Chad Abell, Joe Screnock, Dale Belt, and one gentleman who did not want his name published. There was one First-Time” donor; we are thankful that John C. “Jack” Fritz came to join the donor ranks! Five donors reached pin milestones. They were Jenna Landheer earning a 1-gallon pin; Philip Olt IV and Valerie Pell meriting 2-gallon pins; Chad Abell attaining a 6-gallon pin; Dave Temple acquiring a 9-gallom pin! These five donors alone have helped 240 patients in need of blood products!
With 60 potential donors and only six deferrals, that is 10%; which is not really bad for a winter blood drive. January drives rarely reach goal: so many “snowbirds” on my eligible donor list are gone, and cold, dreary, and gloomy weather depletes vitamin D and hemoglobin levels. What really impacts a drive’s success is the cancellations and “no shows,” that were scheduled, but no blood products to show. We had five cancellations, and ten who did not show up. Fifteen people that do not come in, results in us being down 25% of the drive’s potential total. I have a few donors who I text message a reminder to, so that they don’t forget to come in. I personally set reminder alarms on my phone all the time, because I am getting so forgetful! I would be happy to message anyone with a blood drive remender.
Several of those who did not make it in contacted me and rescheduled for the next drive, which is awesome.
I noticed while typing this report that we have a lot of husband-and-wife-couples that donate together; what a great thing! Make it a “day date;” come give blood together.
Our next drive will be Thursday, March 21, the first day of Spring. It will run from noon until 5:45 p.m., and the sponsor will be Bethesda Lutheran Church Women. Please make your 2024 Resolution to save up to three lives. Donating blood is easy, quick, and fun, with good food, great music, and lots of socializing. We really are like a family.
Contact me for an appointment; call or text my cell number 815-718-5117; message me on Facebook and Messenger. I hope you all can attend March 21, to give of yourselves to others in need. You will never be sorry for that service.