Editor’s note: This report and photograph were submitted by Kaywyn J. Beswick, R.N./Morrison ARC Blood Drive Coordinator.
The Morrison American Red Cross Blood Drive was held on Thursday, July 19, 2018, at Morrison United Methodist Church, 200 W. Lincolnway, Morrison, IL, from noon to 6:00 p.m., on its usual eight-week schedule. Kunes Country Auto Group of Morrison was the sponsor. Special thanks to Kunes Service Manager Joe R. Bielema for arranging sponsorship. Morrison United Methodist is always so gracious, letting us use their Heritage Hall for blood drives; we appreciate their dependability. The kitchen was managed for the first time by MUMC member Carole Patton. Great job, Carole! Her helpers, preparing beverages, making sandwiches, and readying cookies and snacks, were Mary Jo Gooley, Vicki Carroll, and Richard Swanson. Thanks to the volunteers who manned the stations around the room: Marian Dykema, Marcia Haag, Ron Wiersema, Maisie Renkes, Deb Wikoff, Sandy Schroeder, Bridie Bartnicki, and Marilyn Akker. These fine people are always willing to assist me, whenever I ask.
The ARC goal for the drive was 54 “good units” going to Peoria,IL, and we just made goal! We had 53 people come through the doors to donate blood, with some being deferred due to elevated blood pressures and heart rates too fast to be eligible to donate. Thanks to Father James Brzezinski, representing the Rotary, for coming to help unload the truck, and for Richard Swanson helping unload, too. We appreciate their muscles to help the ARC staff get all their equipment into the building.
We had four first-time donors: Richard Swanson, Levi Wheelock, Ashley (Huebner) Wheelock, and Megan Little. I am grateful that you came in to help save lives! I hope that you have begun a new habit of donating blood every eight-ten weeks; we greatly appreciate your sacrifice. There were nine double-red-cell donors: Keith Wiersema, Tom DeMay, Vaughn Maxfield, Cal Vandermyde, Harvey “Bud” Tegeler, Levi Wheelock, and three other gentlemen who didn’t want their names published.
The rest of the terrific donors who gave their time and blood products were Dale Beswick, Mary Latwesen, Randy Kuehl, Lynn Reimer, Vicki Carroll, Renee Vanderlaan, Ken Gooley, Steve Geerts, Luke Vander Bleek, Nan Carlson, Joe R. Bielema, Jack Bland, Bill Anderson, Chris Hawkins, Mark Schuler, Evan Haag, Kristine Honeykutt, Sally Trimble, Julie Damhoff, Susan Noble, Dick Wieneke, Brad Bielema, Stephanie Vavra, James Brzezinski, Beth Wroble, Susan Gomez, Brooke Newman, Pam Shank, Amy Oudekerk, Connie Swanson-DeSpain, Kari Forster, Kaywyn Beswick, and 12 other men and women who did not want their names printed as a blood donor on www.thecity1.com website and/or in the Sentinel newspaper.
We had 14 walk-ins, which is about 18%, which helps even out those who had appointments, but could not make it in, for various reasons (having colds, being on antibiotics or on other medications which are on the deferral list, like blood thinners.) We are so lucky to have such generous donors in the Morrison area. And I do have to commend those who were there waiting, as the Red Cross staff were short two people working that day. The Charge Nurse, Shannon, reported to me that all the donors were so patient and gracious, with no complaints for having to wait. Shannon said that their staff always love to come to Morrison, because our donors are always so polite and courteous, never grumbling or complaining.
That makes me so proud to know that we have such gracious, pleasant, and friendly donors and volunteers, here in the best little town in the U.S.A.! Also, one of the reasons that I have been a coordinator all these years is because the awesome donors and volunteers and sponsors are almost always in good spirits, fun, lighthearted, and generally happy people. That’s part of why I do this.
It is also because there is no replacement for blood products. Nothing man-made or synthetic can do what blood, packed red cells, platelets, and plasma do for patients! It is a sad fact that about 37% of the U. S. population is eligible to donate blood products, but only about seven percent give blood regularly. That is a very disheartening statistic, especially nowadays when most people want to help their fellow humankind. If you cannot give blood, volunteer. I have several volunteers that help out at the drives, giving us their time, because they can no longer give blood, due to certain medications and/or medical conditions. Just let me know if you would like to be on the volunteer list. Blood drives are held every eight to ten weeks, from noon to 6:00 p.m., on a Thursday or Friday.
The next two ARC blood drives of 2018, September 21, and November 16, will be on Fridays, then back to Thursdays in 2019. The location is Morrison United Methodist Church.
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S.A. receives a blood product transfusion; 30 each minute, 1800 each hour, and 43,200 persons each day! That is nearly 16 million transfusions a year. Please help be a part of the solution! For every pint you donate, you will save up to three lives.
Wa-Tan-Ye will be the sponsor at the next ARC blood drive, Friday, September 21, from noon to 6:00 p.m.