Blood drive in Murray fills a community need

December is a traditional month of giving, and more than 500 people showed up at the American Red Cross Donor Center in Murray to give the gift of life. The 12^th annual Reach Out Utah Blood Drive was held the Tuesday before Christmas to encourage donors to supply blood and blood products to 31 hospitals in Utah.

“It’s a constant need and we always want to stay ahead of it,” American Red Cross of Utah CEO Julia Wulf said. “We need 440 units per day to fill these needs.”

Murray resident Melissa Yenny has been donating blood on a regular basis for more than two years. She was one of the 554 donors who showed up during the holiday blood drive to help fill the quota for the ARC. With only three out of every 100 people in the country donating blood, each donor is valuable.

“I donate as often as I can, and I’ve been donating about every two months,” Yenny said. “It’s not as scary as you think it is. But I still can’t talk my husband into it.”

Each donor during the holiday drive was given a T-shirt, a $5 gift certificate to Iggy’s Sports Grill, sandwiches from Subway and early morning refreshments from Dan’s Groceries. Donors were also entered to win Red Cross gift packages and other giveaways during a prize drawing. Free babysitters were enlisted so parents could donate without worrying about their small children. Sponsors of the event included Fox 13 TV, 97.1 ZHT radio, Subway and Dan’s. The Knights of Columbus provided volunteers to help the ARC staff during the drive.

January is National Blood Donor Month, with all presenting donors through Jan. 31 becoming eligible to win a month’s mortgage payment (not to exceed $1,500). Donations can be made at the Murray center, located at 6616 South 900 East.

Although some people get squeamish with the idea of donating blood, Wulf said the trained staff at the donor center makes the process simple.

“It’s very easy to do,” Wulf said. “You have the opportunity to save someone’s life. And they really appreciate it.”

To be a blood donor, a person must be at least 16 years old, be in good health, weigh at least 110 pounds and comply with international travel restrictions. Wulf said people taking medications are usually accepted, and every blood sample is tested for hepatitis and HIV. Donation time usually takes less than one hour, and Wulf suggests volunteers schedule an appointment by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.