Kettering Unity Blood Drives Comes At Midsummer Of Great Need
KETTERING, Ohio – The annual “Kettering Unity in the Community” blood drive on July 14 at Trent Arena came with the stakes much higher than the usual mid-summer slump in collections. The need this summer has been great, and the unified effort by donors was timely.
Community Blood Center entered Friday with a critical shortage of type O and low supply of nearly all blood types. The Unity blood drive topped 119 donors, with 99 donations and 35 first time donors. Across CBC’s region Friday, 388 donors responded to the call for critical need, helping boost the blood supply through another difficult summer weekend.
The “Kettering Challenge” began as a friendly competition between neighboring Fairmont and Archbishop Alter High Schools to help replenish the blood supply after the July 4th holiday.
It became the Kettering Unity Blood Drive in 2015 as Universal 1 Credit Union partnered with CBC. The rival high schools hold blood drives in the fall and alternate choosing a local charity to receive the $1,000 Unity Award sponsored by Universal 1.
Kings Island donated free tickets to encourage more young donors, City Barbeque donated free sandwich coupons, and Ashley’s Pastry Shop donated cookies.
Alter and Fairmont are among the eight high schools that participate annually in the Unity Campaign. “We’ve given away $24,000 since we started Unity in the Community,” said U1 Marketing Manager Sam McLain. “We love it! It’s one of our favorite sponsorships.”
The high schools send alerts to students to remind them of the mid-summer opportunity to donate.
“I think it’s going to be good,” said Fairmont’s Erica Rogers who coordinates the blood drives with Student Activities Coordinator Corey Miller. “I see a lot of kids I know and a lot of new kids, and that’s always good.”
Fairmont class of 2023 graduate Madie Peppo also answered the call to donate. She earned the CBC Red Cord for donating three times during her high school years and will attend Miami University in the fall. “It was a perk,” Madie said of the lure of a free Kings Island ticket, “but I would have done it regardless.”
News of the blood drive also went out to City of Kettering workers, including Vice Mayor Jacque Fisher who made her 86th lifetime donation Friday. “My example is my father,” she said. “He gave multiple donations. He’s my shining star. That’s how I got started.”
Donors Marquis and Tiffany Moore made plans to use the Kings Island tickets. “They’re for my wife and son,” said Marquis. “It will be a vacation day for me. Send them to Kings Island and that gives me the house by myself!
“He thinks so,” said Tiffany. “But I’m going to have a honey-do list for him!”
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Make an appointment online at www.DonorTime.com, call (937) 461-3220, or use the Donor Time app.
Blood donation requirements: Donors are required to provide a photo ID that includes their full name. Past CBC donors are also asked to bring their CBC donor ID card. Donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 years old with parental consent: form available at www.givingblood.org or at the Dayton CBC and mobile blood drive locations), weigh a minimum of 110 pounds (you may have to weigh more depending on your height), and be in good physical health. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changes blood donor eligibility guidelines periodically. Individuals with eligibility questions can email canidonate@cbccts.org or call (937) 461-3220. Make an appointment at www.DonorTime.com.
Community Blood Center/Community Tissue Services® is an independent, not-for-profit organization. Community Blood Center provides blood products to partner hospitals and health centers within its 15-county service area of western Ohio and eastern Indiana and to select hospitals and blood centers outside the region. For more information visit www.givingblood.org.
Community Blood Center / Community Tissue Services | July 17, 2023
Mark Pompilio
Public Relations / Marketing Manager
CBC/CTS
p: 937-461-3412
w: www.cbccts.org
e: mpompilio@cbccts.org
a: 2900 College Drive, Kettering, Ohio 45420
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