Newsletter Article
Media contact: Brian Gomez, 608-298-6071, @RedCrossBloodBH redcrossblood.org
50th Anniversary of One-A-Week Blood Donor Club
Red Cross program has netted 438K pints of blood
During National Volunteer Week, the American Red Cross Badger-Hawkeye Blood Services Region is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its One-A-Week Blood Donor Club Program.
The program was founded in 1964 by a Red Cross volunteer in Dane County as a way of involving community sponsors in the recruitment of blood donors for the Red Cross. Last year, One-A-Week Blood Donor Club members contributed 19,121 pints of blood, accounting for 45 percent of the blood that was collected by the Red Cross in Dane County. In the past 50 years, One-A-Week Blood Donor Club members have contributed 438,644 pints of blood – the equivalent of the amount of blood that’s collected by the Red Cross nationwide over 29 days.
There are 196 One-A-Week clubs in Dane County, 85 of which sponsor on-site Red Cross blood drives. The clubs areassociated with businesses, churches, state departments, University of Wisconsin-Madison departments, service clubs and other organizations. Each club has a coordinator to educate the group about the need for blood donations, and each club makes a commitment – as a group – to give a minimum of 52 donations in a calendar year.
To make a blood donation appointment, please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org. For information on sponsoring a One-A-Week Blood Donor Club in Dane County, contactDebbie Bormann at 608-298-6179 or .
How to donate blood
Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
###
The need is constant. The gratification is instant. Give blood.™