This report and photograph were submitted by Morrison ARC Blood Drive Coordinator Kaywyn J. Beswick, R.N.
The American Red Cross Northwest Illinois Territory Newsletter announced some great National and Regional awards, given at the quarterly meeting of the Heart of America and Badger Hawkeye regions. Our region is the Top Producer of Blood Products in our Nation! For that, the ARC is grateful for the Coordinators and the faithful donors! It was also announced that our Morrison blood drives qualified us to be in the “President’s Club,” because we have
- served 12 months or more in Donor Recruitment
- achieved our annual goal
- maintained at least 92% or higher efficiency, obtaining the Excellence Goal Achievement Award!
We are so proud to be able to make these achievements public during January, which is “National Blood Donor Month.” Because we could not have donors without phlebotomists, I bought the staff dinner from China House.
It was a cold Thursday, January 24, when Morrison United Methodist Church not only provided the facility for the first American Red Cross Blood Drive of 2019, but also the Methodist Missions Group was the sponsor for the drive canteen. The church so graciously houses the ARC each time that we have a blood drive; they are very accommodating. Thank you, Morrison United Methodist Church. Appreciation goes to Jean TIchler and Mary Vos for their terrific expertise in purchasing the groceries, preparing and serving the sandwiches, beverages, cookies/bars, and snacks, as well as running the kitchen. They are a great team! Gratitude is expressed to the Rotary members who came to help unload the ARC truck when it arrived. They were Mark Schuler, Father James Brzezinski, Jim Camp, and Dan Vandermyde. They were wonderful helpers assisting the ARC staff with getting all the equipment off the truck and into the building. I am always very grateful for my volunteers who rarely say no whenever I ask for their help to man the different stations throughout the drive room. They were Marian Dykema, Joanne Kilgus, Sandy Schroeder, and Bridie Bartnicke. Special thanks to Ron Wiersema, who pulled a double shift, and Maisie Renkes and Marilyn Akker, who both manned two stations at the same time! We have the best volunteers around!
The ARC issued an emergency alert to all donors of the critical need for all blood types right now. Once again, our fantastic donors came out to answer the call. Due to the severe winter weather, numerous drives around the Country have had to be cancelled, decreasing the number of units acquired to help those patients in medical need of blood products for survival.
We now will always have three double-red-cell machines at our drives. We have quite a few donors who donate Power Reds/DRC’s. Twelve people gave DRC’s: Cal Vandermyde, Tom DeMay, Thomas Rosenbaum, Harvey “Bud” Tegeler, Kelly Smith, Keith Wiersema, Ron Shank, and five gentleman who did not want their name published in the newspaper or thecity1.com website. These 12 donors alone saved 24 lives! Pictured front-to-back are Tom DeMay, Cal Vandermyde, and Thomas Rosenbaum.
The rest of the generous whole-blood donors who came in to help save three lives each were Lynn Reimer, Randy Kuehl, Lyle Bush, Luke Vander Bleek, Bill Kuehl, Mark Schuler, Lisa Nice, Chris Hawkins, Ken Gooley, Joe Sage, Stephanie Vavra, Derek Kennedy, Renee Vanderlaan, Keith Hamstra, Margaret Barr, Virginia Ewurs, Sarah Bull, Beth Wroble, Alice Beveroth, Susan Noble, Nancy Shank, Tim West, Brittany Slater, Brad Bielema, Natasha Peppers, Brooke Newman, Pam Shank, Ava Valdez, Kaywyn Beswick, Carolyn Aiken, Connie Swanson-DeSpain, and 13 others that declined having their names printed in the Sentinel or on thecity1.com website. (I know each and every one who does not like their name disclosed, and although you are humble and modest, I appreciate your life-saving efforts as a donor.)
The ARC goal was 54 donors, and we had 58 donors come in! That is 107.4% efficiency, saving 174 lives!
The next drive will be Thursday, March 21, from noon to 6:00 p.m., at Morrison United Methodist Church, 200 W. Lincolnway, Morrison, IL. The March sponsor will be the Bethesda Lutheran Church. Bring your spouse, coworker, neighbor, or friend.