Twenty-four new or renewed donors gave at the blood drive on November 7 and 8. Mason Breitling, Martina Kittelson-Caviness, Carter Kindle, Nathan Kolda, Nick Ortmeier and Paul Waring were the six new high school donors. The eighteen new or renewed adult donors were Darielyn Tutt, Casey Cremer, Katie Langel, Casey Gates, Sara Gates, Carolyn Rosemore, Pastor Max Miller, Adam Wagner, Tolby Walker, Ray VanZee, Matt VanZee, Ruth Hoyle, Renee Clement, Jarod Fisher, Jim Baker, Dustin Moser, Kurt Schulz, and Chris Stevens. Each donor at this drive received a T-shirt and Ashley Aymar, Jake Fremark, Brooke Joy, Christopher Kaufman and Riley Mullaney were high school students who donated for the second time and received an additional T-shirt or back pack
On Thursday, 65 people gave whole blood and 23 tried for 2 RBCs and 110 units were collected while 11 individuals were deferred. On Friday, 37 gave whole blood and 15 gave 2 RBCs for a total of 67 units and two were deferred for a total of 177 units of blood for the two days.
Several persons reached gallon levels. Arlene Batin, Kevin Blachford, Tonna Hughes, and BJ Hughes and Lloyd Schwartz are at one gallon; Gayle Vrooman and Patti Werdel are at three gallons; Rosemary Moeller, Mike Ruth, Bruce Tucker, and Phyllis Yearous are at five gallons; Steve Simons is at six gallons; Zane Wulf at seven gallons; and Diane Moncur at eight gallons. That is a lot of lives that have benefited!
United Blood Services conducted the drive, which was sponsored by the Avera Hand County Hospital Auxiliary and held at Trinity Lutheran Church. Cookies were furnished by members of the hospital auxiliary: Phyllis Testerman,Avis Chipman, May Lou Oakley and Verna Becker; Vernon and JoDean made doughnuts and the cups and napkins were donated by American Bank and Trust, American Family Insurance and Quoin Financial.
Sitting at the registration table were JoDean Joy, drive coordinator, Marilyn Johnson, Janice Manning, Charlotte Taylor, Delores Ames and Arlette Heitzman. Ruth Roeber made the reminder calls to the donors.
Mark your 2014 calendar for the drive on January 9 and 10.
If you would be interested in donating at the January drive you can contact JoDean Joy and she will add your name to the list of people she calls. Information on whether you would be eligible to donate can be obtained by calling United Blood Services at 1-800-996-3688. Perhaps there can be more than 24 new or renewed donors in January. Our community is the greatest!
Ruth A. Moller|The Miller Press
SCHOOL DONORS received shirts at the blood drive. Pictured are, bottom left: Mike Ruth, Courtney Bertsch, Carter Kindle, and Riley Mullaney. Kneeling: Nathan Kolda, Arlene Batin, Laela Van Zee, Pam Van Zee, Kassie Beckett, Sara Gates, Taisa Blasdell, Martina Kittelson-Caviness. Standing, Gayle Vrooman, Renee Clement, Jake Fremark, Chris Kaufman, Tre Blasdell, Dee Rogers, Karen Gesinger and Ruth Hoyle. Donating but not pictured were Ashley Aymar, Lexy Gimbel, Matthew Van Zee, Nick Ortmeier, Brooke Joy, Beau Keeter and Mason Breitling.