Editor’s note: This report was submitted by Kaywyn J. Beswick, R.N., C.A.P.A./Morrison ARC Blood Drive Coordinator.
The ARC staff and Beswick surrounded donor Leon VanKampen, who was in the process of giving a “double-red-cell” unit. Left-to-right are, front row, Kyle Hamm and Kaywyn Beswick; back row, Nkeyah Taylor, Brittany Chasteen, Nicole Hendrix, VanKampen, Kaya Boyd, Robin Langenfield, and Collection Supervisor Wendy Dugger.
Apologies right up front for the long delay in getting this out. My computer had a virus lock it all up, with my letter all typed, and it just had to be emailed out. But I was unable to get into my Word to retrieve it. The September Blood Drive was held on Friday, September 21, 2018, at Morrison United Methodist Church. We greatly appreciate MUMC for giving the ARC blood drives a “home” facility.
The Wa-Tan-Ye women were the sponsor, as they have faithfully taken the month of September for several years. The terrific women who purchased, prepared, and served the donors were Jonni Thomson, Monica Anderson, Dee Janssen, Jane Wimer, Jan Horberg, Clarita Vandermyde, Nancy Usterbowski, Dorothy DeMay, and Ann Camp. They served excellent sandwiches, cookies, and beverages; we are grateful for all their hard work managing the kitchen for the day. Thank you to the ladies for serving the donors, staff, and volunteers.
We want to acknowledge the Rotary for helping unload the truck in the morning; extra hands make lighter work. My regular volunteers who come whenever I ask to man the stations in the drive room were Ron Wiersema, Marian Dykema, Marcia Haag, Deb Wikoff, Sandy Schroeder, Bridie Bartnicke, and Marilyn Akker (who did two or three jobs at once.) This town has wonderful volunteers!
There were six donors who gave “double-red-cell” units, which count as two units. They were Tom Rosenbaum, Father James Brzezinski from St. Anne’s Episcopal Church (pictured at left), Jack Bland, Dale Belt, Ron Shank, and one gentleman who did not want his name published.
The remainder of the generous donors were Renee Vanderlaan, Richard Swanson, Lyle Bush, Lynn Reimer, Randy Kuehl, Susan Ottens, Luke Vander Bleek, Craig Brady, Stephanie Vavra, Bill Kuehl, Joyce Hamstra, Chris Hawkins, Brad Bielema, Mary Black, Lisa Nice, Jamie Dauphin, Brittany Slater, Mark Schuler, Kristine Honeycutt, Margaret Barr, Marian Dykema, Deb Wikoff, Lori Ploenzke, Julie Brown, Jim Prombo, Susan Noble, Tim West, Pat Pendgraft, Pam Shank, Ava Valdez, Megan Little, Janet Manchester, Nan Carlson, Joe R. Bielema, Ken Stewart, Robyn Stewart, Nancy Shank, Dave Temple, Connie Swanson-DeSpain, Kaywyn Beswick, and ten people (two women and eight men) who did not want their names printed in the newspaper or on www.thecity1.com website. (I know who you are, and we appreciate you.)
There were only two deferrals, which is great; the ARC plans on about 7% of donors to be deferred. We again reached goal and were actually over goal.
The next ARC at the MUMC will be on Friday, November 16, from noon to 6:00 p.m. Every donor who comes through the door will receiving a free pumpkin pie, compliments of Sullivan’s Foods.
In November, bring a spouse, friend, neighbor, or coworker with you. The sponsor for the drive will be St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
One more Friday drive, then we will be back to Thursdays in 2019. Happy Autumn, everyone!