"We've been together ever since": Red Crossers find love & laughter at local blood drive

When Tony Addotta first signed on to volunteer with the American Red Cross of Western New York, the retired truck driver was looking for something new to utilize his talents. Little did he know that his new volunteer role with the Red Cross would also lead him to the love of his life.

“It was my first volunteer position. Channel 17 had a volunteer fair. I went downtown and there were a lot of different tables. The Red Cross had a sign in table, and I guess five people signed up and I was the only one who showed up the next Monday. Shawn O’Hargan [Regional Market Manager, American Red Cross Blood Services] had her pastries and stuff like that, so I started driving with blood services and you know, it was nice. I was retired, so I was just playing golf and taking naps.”

Seated next to him on a sunny afternoon, Nancy Despard laughed. “Oh, he’s good at naps!”

That was nearly 17 years ago. Roughly one year after Tony signed on as a volunteer, Nancy found herself in a similar position.

“I actually saw it in the paper to volunteer,” she explains. “My parents were actually blood donor ambassadors here and then they moved to Myrtle Beach and did it down there, too. I thought, ‘Oh Mom and Dad did this, so I can do it, too.’  Then we met at a blood drive.”

“Oh, did we?” Tony laughs.

“You came in – he was a usurper. He came in and was supposed to be getting people to sign up to donate double reds and I’m like, why is this guy from Buffalo honing in on our drive? So, he didn’t talk much to me,” Nancy recalls.

With a sly smile, Tony is quick to explain, “I was out in the hallway, recruiting double reds – that was my job!”

Although it would be months before the pair would ultimately meet again, Nancy shares that she knew early on there were sparks.

“I love joking around and stuff and I thought, why couldn’t I have met him before?”

Their shared love of helping others would bring them together again when Tony, ever the gentleman, volunteered to drive a group of Red Crossers from Buffalo to the Greater Rochester chapter to tour the West Henrietta Blood, Platelet and Plasma Donation and Processing Center

“Well, Tony drove the van. And he makes anybody in the backseat wear a seatbelt.”

Tony interrupts with a big laugh, “Well, yeah! Wherever they’re sitting!”

“So, he climbs over the backseat, because I’m behind the driver’s side, to hook up my seatbelt for me.””

“You looked like you needed help!”

“So, we went down to West Henrietta and had lunch, and the group stopped at a rest stop and when I came out of the restroom, and he was waiting out there for me. So, he’s walking me out and he said, that he was membership chairman for the American Legion post and hands me his card for that and says, ‘Here, give me a call.’ Now, I’m like, not young – I don’t if know he’s hitting on me. I call my sister, and asked her, do you think he needs a volunteer there or something? That’s the only thing I could think of that he would need me to call him. Finally, after a few days, I call him and we’re talking and that and I realize, I guess he doesn’t want a volunteer! That was October 2010. We’ve been together ever since.”

In that time, the pair have continued to volunteer with the Red Cross. Nancy now works to schedule volunteers for blood drives across four counties within the Buffalo area. Tony serves as a transportation specialist for biomedical services in the Buffalo district and was one of several volunteers who drove through an historic and deadly blizzard to ensure that blood products were delivered to area hospitals in December, 2022.

“We were just driving,” he explains. “That was [Transportation Specialist] Rachel Elzufon Couch’s leadership. We may have won an award, but it was her leadership that made it happen. We were just doing our job.”

“The first time I was ever driving with him, I looked at all the blood in the back and I realize, we’re saving people’s lives by doing this,” Nancy remarks. “It was really – it really meant something to me that what we’re doing is really saving people’s lives.”

While his fellow volunteers received the Blood Services Hero award at the 2023 Western New York Real Heroes luncheon, Tony accepted the award while awaiting open heart surgery at a local hospital with Nancy at his side. Just a few days prior to the event, doctors discovered a large aneurysm in his aortic valve.

“I was a walk-in. They couldn’t believe I was a walk-in,” he explains. “I only went to the hospital because I couldn’t sleep for two days.”

Nancy immediately takes on a more serious tone: “He is a miracle walking. The doctor said they’d never seen one that big before ever. It could have broken like that.”

But their playful banter quickly returns.

“Well then It’s a good thing you don’t hit me!”

The couple shares that Tony’s surgery and recovery helped put things into perspective, both in their personal lives and their roles at the Red Cross.

“I’m on a crusade,” Tony says. “I stood up one day and said to the other drivers that I know that sometimes you think this might be nothing, but all you guys helped me to survive because the blood had to be there, and it all takes all the people. People can take it for granted and I thanked them all, because as you know, it’s the blood donated today that helps tomorrow. I’m one of those people that you’re donating for. It takes a village.”

That’s the message the couple shares with fellow and prospective volunteers – and even blood donors alike.

“Sometimes at the end of my drives, I will stop into a blood drive and tell a blood donor, ‘I just drove hundreds of miles to say thank you!’ And then it gets everybody laughing. It’s very rewarding. It becomes a place where you go in now and you get to see your friends. I still have my naps!”

Nancy agrees, “I tell volunteers, this is the easiest way that you can save somebody’s life.”

As for their secret to making it work as a couple, Tony says it’s simple:

“You have to have a sense of humor. It keeps things in perspective, I think. She has a good soul and a soft heart.”

Meg Rossman, Regional Communications Manager, American Red Cross of Western New York

Trauma Awareness Month: 2x Blood Recipient & Long-Time Donor Inspiring a New Generation of Donors

May signals the beginning of a busy time for celebrations and summer holidays, including Mother’s Day. But the month of May is also Trauma Awareness Month, a time where the American Red Cross reminds donors that it’s the blood already on the shelves that helps to save lives during emergencies. 

Few people may understand that better than Paula Pimm.

The Canisteo resident first found herself in need of a lifesaving blood transfusion when she was just hours old.

“My first blood transfusion was when I was born,” she explains. “I couldn’t reproduce my own blood cells. I was jaundiced and transferred to Rochester. As the youngest of five kids, it was hard for my parents, and I needed transfusions until my body was able to work like it needed to.”

Years later, the elementary school counselor, wife and proud mother of two daughters would find herself in need of a transfusion again due to complications in childbirth.

“I was bleeding so much, and they couldn’t stop it. My doctor was a very calm man, nothing really ruffled his feathers, but he told me that I was going to deal with some difficulties because it was serious. They made my husband stay in the room with me my whole stay, and those things didn’t happen as much 22 years ago. By the time they stitched me up three hours later, I was white as a ghost.”

For Pimm, much of the experience itself was a blur and she credits her faith in helping her to pull through. But in recounting her story more than two decades later, she recalls one detail in particular that stood out to her husband.

“One of the things that my husband remembers is that my doctor actually called for two units of blood, and literally the blood bank at the hospital asked, ‘Are you sure you need two?’ It was the month of May, heading into the summer months, and I’m sure they were probably thinking that things might be low and maybe had to question whether to send two even with the circumstance that was happening.”

Thankfully, Mom and baby were healthy and continue to be to this day. Pimm shares that both her daughters got married in the last 18 months. It was at her daughter’s wedding that she also got to share a special dance with her father, John, her inspiration for donating lifesaving blood to fellow patients in need since she was just 17 years old.

“Whenever he could he donated. He was up to three gallons when I was a kid. When I was in fifth grade, he had a massive heart attack and in his open-heart surgery he needed a blood transfusion. So, as soon as I turned 17 and was able to donate, I started.”

As a regular donor at Red Cross blood drives at her school, it’s a story that Pimm proudly shares with fellow staff and many first-time donors, particularly high school seniors, because the blood on the shelves that could go to help a friend or loved one – might very well be their own.

“People were willing to do it for me and my Dad, so I want to help other people and give back to them in those times. I am so thankful for whoever it was that donated for me, and my Dad. He’s still alive today. As a baby, I could not have made it but then, as a new mom with a toddler and a newborn, my husband could have been raising them alone. I am a counselor and I like to help people! It’s a small way to help, but what an easy way to give back.”

While no one can predict when an emergency or accident might happen, donors can help hospitals stay prepared and stocked with blood products this spring and year-round. Donors of all types – especially those giving type O blood or platelets – are vital to patients counting on blood products for critical medical procedures. During this busy time of year especially, every single donation can help keep the blood supply stable for patients in need. You can make an appointment to help provide lifesaving care by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor app or calling 1-800-RED CROSS today.

Written by: Meg Rossman, Regional Communications Manager, American Red Cross of WNY

"Take it from someone who has been there": Local blood drive host shares full circle moment

“Please give blood, you never know when you or one of yours will need it”. I’ve written those words many times over the past couple years in an effort to have people sign up for our Red Cross blood drive at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cohocton, NY. My time came on November 9, 2023 when I had a heart attack that required bypass surgery. One of the last things I had to do prior to going into surgery was to be tested and to sign off on accepting blood transfusion if needed. It was at this point I was so glad that the American Red Cross does those drives.

If you’re lucky enough to have crossed paths with Carl Drum, it’s likely you received the message above late last week. Despite a lifechanging heart attack last fall, the president of the congregation at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church has been hard at work hoping to encourage others to roll up a sleeve in the midst of an ongoing blood shortage nationwide.

“I’ve always said on Facebook and anywhere that I contact people, ‘you never know when it might be you.’ And then all of a sudden, that happened. It was me. One of the last things I did in the pre-op room was sign papers saying that if I needed blood that I was willing to take your blood – actually, my blood!”

It was a full circle moment for Drum, who worked with the American Red Cross of Western New York to begin hosting regular blood drives at St. Paul’s two years ago.

“We’ve had some successful drives and we’ve had some that weren’t quite so successful,” Drum explained. “I’d previously given as frequently as I can until now. I’ll be honest, I don’t know if I needed blood or not during surgery, and I don’t care. I sincerely believe now more than ever, the life you might be saving through blood donation may be your own.”

Currently, the American Red Cross is facing an emergency blood shortage as the nation faces the lowest number of people giving blood in 20 years. As a result, the number of people donating blood to the Red Cross has fallen by more than 40 percent due to challenges like winter weather, seasonal illnesses and the COVID-19 pandemic which made it difficult to reach blood donors with community drives like those hosted by St. Paul’s.

Up until November, Drum was a steady donor and received his One Gallon Donor pin this past summer. He is recovering well from the surgery and looking forward to celebrating another year of life on January 15, while encouraging others to share theirs.   

“Take it from someone who has been there. Never in a million years did I think I would be in a circumstance where it would be my turn. Well, it was my turn. You just never know.”

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church is scheduled to hold its next regularly scheduled blood drive on January 23. You can find a list of upcoming blood drives in your area by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800 RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor app on your smartphone.

In their own words: Horseheads mother who required 33 units of blood following labor complications shares her story

Every two seconds someone is in need of blood.

So often we talk about that need – and the ongoing national blood shortage – in terms of our hospital partners and what that it could mean in the event of an emergency. Its significance is another matter entirely, when you’re able to see it in action or hear from those patients and their families who’ve directly benefitted from blood donations thanks to the generosity of volunteer donors.

Last week, I had the opportunity to speak with Jason and Kristina Harris about the traumatic events that followed the birth of their daughter Eva in December that would have cost Kristina her life had it not been for multiple volunteer blood donors.

Below is a portion of that interview.

MR: I want to thank you guys for speaking with me this afternoon and for sharing your story with us. First and foremost, how are you all doing? How are you adjusting with your little one?

Kristina Harris: Well, other than adjusting to life with a newborn and getting less sleep and not being able to control our schedules, we're doing really well. We are happy to have these problems, so these are the these are good problems to have. Healing is going well!

MR: Absolutely and we’re glad to hear it. Talk to me about that day back in December and take me through what happened.

KH: Sure, so I'll start. I was out for a lot of the day so Jason can fill in the gaps. The facts just before we get into the experience of it, I went in to be induced for my second child and we have a 3-year-old who's just really terrific. She's bright and joyful and precocious. Really loving. And so we love being parents and were really excited to add to our family. Our three-year-old was thrilled to have her wish of having a little sister come true. She came up with the name Eva when we first told her that she was going to have a sister.

And so we went in to be induced, and things were going fine. I was sleeping around 4:00 o'clock in the morning, and I sat up and I felt really big pain. I felt like three big kicks to my left side and then like blinding pain across my ribs and a lot of difficulty breathing, and I assume that's when the placental abruption happened. Which means that the placenta detached completely in my case, which is really dangerous for me and for the baby because the baby can’t get the oxygen and other things she needs. But I didn't know that. I just felt the pain and I thought this is really bad.

Thirteen years before my parents had me, they lost a full-term baby because of a cord accident. She wanted to be induced. The cord came out and the doctor pushed it back and she felt a big kick, and then that was it. So when I felt three big kicks and pain, I didn't necessarily think that was a problem, but I thought this reminded me of my mom’s situation and I thought this is really scary and bad.

My memories after that point are few and far between. I remember when I was being prepped for the C-section, the emergency C-section, I asked the doctor if my daughter and I were going to be OK and he said he would do his best. And I had this thought that this is it for me, and that was before the real trouble began. So that's when I went out and Jason can pick up the story from there.

JASON HARRIS: So, they took Kristina back for the emergency C-section pretty quickly. I’d gotten word that Eva had been born and they were sewing up Kristina, so I thought we were in the clear at that point. A few minutes later the doctor came out to talk to me. Kristina’s body had used up all of its coagulation factors and basically there is nothing stopping the blood from pouring out of Kristina.

I could see the hallway that went into the emergency room, and I nervously watched as things had gotten worse and worse. The first thing I saw was the cart. I knew that the cart had a lot of blood products, I think it was red and white and then you know, I knew it was serious. I knew that there was a lot of bleeding and I saw a lot of other people coming through with different size coolers. I knew that she was bleeding a lot and I knew that, you know, there’s a finite supply of blood even in the best of circumstances and just thinking that I hope they had enough for her. What we later heard was that they actually had to bring in some blood products from the hospital in Elmira.

Kristina was later transported by helicopter from Corning Guthrie Hospital to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre. Nearly 8 hours after suffering a placental abruption, doctors completed surgery and relayed to Jason that Kristina was doing well.

JH: It was a little tough to see Kristina in that kind of situation. She did a really great job recovering and you know, all the doctors that I talked with were very professional, very considerate but very honest. They were very clear that Kristina’s condition was extremely critical. But something changed and it started to work, and they did a great job, both surgical teams and we’re happy to have her here today.

MR: Absolutely. Kristina, what was going through your head when you woke up and started to realize the gravity of the situation?

KH: You know, I don’t remember too much. I wasn’t really surprised when I found out that it was not good. When I heard that they wanted to transfer me by helicopter to a hospital that was only a half hour away, I thought that was, you know, pretty serious. It was very strange to wake up knowing that I had had a baby and not be able to see her.

I didn’t know that Jason was trying to sort of shield me from any negative information about the baby, he just sort of said that she was doing OK. We later found out that she might have some problems. So she was in the NICU at Arnot Hospital and then was transferred to Rochester to another NICU. So I was in Pennsylvania and my baby was two hours north in a different hospital.

I was in a lot of pain, but I couldn’t really embrace the emotions. I’m an emotional person, but I had to shut that down anytime I would start to cry. The pain was unbearable, so I was very relieved to have my husband there. I was relieved to have my Dad there, and I was so grateful. I didn’t really learn until later the magnitude of the blood transfusion and that it took 33 people to donate for me to live. It felt and still feels surreal. I know that that happened, but I was out for a lot of it. I remember a couple of times being scared for my life and for my babies and now when I’m holding my baby and feeding her and doing all the things and dancing with my three-year-old and playing with her – I just feel overwhelming gratitude. 

That I’m here and that my daughters have a mother, and I’m so grateful that my husband has his wife. And hopefully, you know, we have a long future in front of us.

Kristina, Jason and their daughters are all doing well and settling into life as a family of four, with baby Eva growing two inches in her first month. The events of that day and the impact of blood donation on patients in need, as well as their loved ones is not lost on either Kristina or Jason. Both are planning to become blood donors themselves and, in the meantime, are encouraging others to make an appointment.

KH: You know, I feel really bad for my husband and for our families that they went through most of that day, thinking that they were going to lose me. For my husband to sign the birth certificate not knowing what was going to happen to either one of us, he had to do that alone. And you know, and my dad, having lost a baby himself, he almost lost my mother after that. For him to see me that way. I know he told my mother that when he saw me before my third surgery, he thought that was going to be the last time he would see me alive.

One thing that really strikes me about blood donation is that you think about saving one person or helping one person to be healthier, but really, I would have been gone. I'm very glad that I'm here. I would have been gone and everybody else would have been left with a hole and grief. I don’t know what life would have been like for my husband and my daughters. If anyone could raise two daughters, it would be my husband, but I’m glad he didn’t have to figure that out and all the difficulties that would come with that.

A full length version of our taped interview can be found here. 

You can make an appointment to donate and help support patients in need like Kristina by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor app.

Meg Rossman, Regional Communications Manager, American Red Cross of Western New York

Finger Lakes Couple Estimates They've Donated Blood 180 Times - Each

As the sun has set on another Red Cross month, it is important to reflect on the people and connections that allow the Red Cross to fulfill its lifesaving mission. 

It's likely you've heard the story. In a tradition first begun in 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, presidents ever since have declared March as American Red Cross Month. It is a time when the Red Cross honors the volunteers who make up 90% of its workforce in order to fulfill a wide range of routine as well as sudden needs that are each in their own way very important to those the Red Cross serves.   

But so often we forget that carrying out such tasks involve a number of partnerships.  

Some of the partnerships are formal, like those surrounding agreements with facilities that can be counted on for setting up emergency shelters when severe emergencies leave people without a place to sleep or something to eat as they plan out their next steps. Others are less formal like those agreements with clubs or churches that provide space where a blood drive can be held.

In a way, the partnership Jay and Joan Hohmann have combines some of these features in a rare and very special way. For not only are they life partners, but when they’re not traveling or enjoying outdoor activities like hiking, biking, or skiing, for well over 40 years they have also made it a point to donate blood together.

As we mark National Volunteer month this April, it is fitting that we spotlight heroes like the Hohmann's who truly embody the spirit of volunteerism and the mission of the Red Cross all year long.

So much so that Jay estimates that they have now each donated blood 180 times.

Longtime residents of the Finger Lakes region, the Hohmann’s have further connections to Red Cross blood services beyond just being champion donors. A former employer of Mr. Hohmann was known to hold blood drives twice a year, and in addition to being active with Honeoye Community blood drives, Mrs. Hohmann went on to chair their blood drive herself for many years. Remarkably, Mrs. Hohmann confides that as both her sister and she have received blood transfusions she knows firsthand how critically important Red Cross blood services really are.

It's important to remember that the need for blood is constant, and volunteer donors like the Hohmann's are the only source for those in need. This National Volunteer Month, the Red Cross recognizes volunteers like the Hohmann's who help to fulfill its lifesaving mission and invite others to get involved.

Each year, nearly 2.6 million people donate blood and platelets through the Red Cross. Donating is a simple way to volunteer and help make a life-changing difference right here in our community. 

But it doesn't end there. 

You can support the Red Cross by volunteering at a blood drive, teaching lifesaving skills like first aid and CPR, responding to an emergency like a home fire, volunteering at our local VA hospital and more. However you feel called to serve, it's likely you'll find a home at the Red Cross. 

Story by: Robert Eurich, Red Cross of WNY Communications Volunteer

Red Cross team member shares ‘full circle’ experiences that inspire her to give back

Sarah Judkins says she didn’t fully appreciate the constant need for blood donors – even when she began working for the American Red Cross.

It wasn’t until a year later when she was called away from work at a blood drive due to a family emergency. She learned that her brother was experiencing complications from a planned surgical procedure, and upon arriving at the hospital still wearing her scrubs from the blood drive, the first thing she saw hanging over his bed was a unit of donated blood.

It was at that moment Sarah made a deep-rooted connection. “This is what I do every day, and now it has touched my family personally,” she recalled thinking at the time. She says her brother would’ve lost his life that day had he not received multiple blood transfusions made possible by volunteer blood donors.

Sarah experienced additional “full circle” moments years later when her mother, Jane, who suffered from a degenerative bone disease, went to the hospital for a seventh hip surgery and needed platelets in order to move forward with the procedure. Eight months later, Jane again received donor blood in the form of plasma, platelets and red cells when she underwent open heart surgery.

A regular donor herself, Sarah currently gives platelets and plasma and has rolled up her sleeves 14 times already this year alone in order to make a difference for others facing the unexpected.

This summer, Sarah honored the anniversary of her mother’s passing by donating blood, accompanied by an unusual guest, “Phyllis the Flamingo” (pictured). Phyllis was a gift from Sarah’s mother – renowned for practical jokes – and ended up being the last gift her mother ever gave her. Around the time Sarah received Phyllis, her mother was unable to join the family on a summer vacation, so Phyllis came along for the journey instead.  Sarah documented it all in a special photo album that was gifted back to Jane to help lift her spirits on the morning of her cardiac surgery.

Today, Sarah says she looks at Phyllis and smiles not only remembering her mother, but also celebrating the precious gift of time that blood donors gave her family for the eight months between her mother’s surgeries.

She finds meaning working with Red Cross collections team because it places her close to the organization’s mission and allows her to help ensure donors have a great experience and return for future donations. During this uncertain time, the Red Cross needs healthy, eligible individuals to give blood or platelets for patients battling disease and facing the unexpected, now and in the weeks and months to come. 

Appointments can be scheduled through the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 800-RED-CROSS.

"Not every family is touched by the need for blood and my family was impacted by blood donors more than once,” Sarah remarked. “Next time it may be someone else’s family who has that critical need and I want to be sure I am doing my part to be there for them.”

Story by: Katie Potter, American Red Cross 

Western New York Region Remembers John "Jack" Miller

 

Jack Miller: December 13, 1928 - July 22, 2020

"Take an hour to save a life." That was the self-proclaimed motto of Jack Miller, an Auburn resident and lifelong American Red Cross blood donor and volunteer. Jack passed away in July, leaving behind his loving wife and family, and an incredible legacy of community giving.  

Jack started donating blood in 1949 while attending the University of Pennsylvania. By the time he retired from Sylvania Electronics Corporation, Jack had donated 104 pints of blood, an impressive 13 gallons! In his retirement, Jack began to dedicate even more time to the Red Cross by becoming a volunteer with the Cayuga County blood services team. 

He began his support of the organization phoning donors, coordinating blood drives, and transporting donations, all while continuing to roll up his own sleeve to give the gift of life anytime he was eligible. In June 2000, after 52 years and 340 units donated (120 whole blood, 143 platelet, and 77 plasma), Jack was deferred indefinitely due to a condition that required he take blood thinning medication.

Jack viewed his inability to continue to give blood as simply “another door opening.” That same year, he turned his time and tireless efforts each and every month toward managing a regular blood drive held at the United Methodist Church in Auburn. This special drive soon became known as “Jack’s Drive,” the output of which he proudly grew by more than double, consistently averaging 100 donors or more and impacting tens of thousands of lives over the years.

Jack knew how important his drive was to our blood supply, and in turn he was known to run a tight ship. Each month, he made over 300 calls to area donors – some multiple times – to ensure his drive would be a success. He ran registration and would make sure there were copies of the local paper on hand just in case of a wait. After each month’s drive, Jack sent personal thank you letters and recognized milestone donations.

“When I think about Jack, it brings a smile to my face. I can still see him with one of his many Red Cross T-shirts on, which he wore with such pride,” said Roberta Kryk, a Red Cross Account Manager in Rochester.

As time passed and Jack began stepping back from his 110% hands-on approach, he would still stop in each month with his wife, Dot, to ensure things were running to his expectations (and collect his favorite Cheez-Its from the refreshment area).

“Jack’s commitment to the local blood donors and hospital recipients is well-known and respected by many. His personal touch and sense of caring paired with a tenacious spirit made him a shining star in our Red Cross family, and he will be greatly missed” said Shawn O’Hargan, Regional Market Manager, American Red Cross Blood Services.

Over the years, he built a resume of accolades including Volunteer of the Year (2001-2002), Individual Outstanding Contributions Award (2004), Blood Services Volunteer Award and Real Heroes Blood Donor Award (2013).

The Red Cross will hold a blood drive in Jack’s memory in the coming months at the Auburn United Methodist Church where his monthly drive took place, honoring his more than two decades stewarding the Red Cross’ lifesaving mission.

The Miller family has asked that any contributions in Jack’s memory be made to the American Red Cross, 825 John Street, West Henrietta, NY 14586 (Memo: In Memory of Jack Miller).

Story by: Katie Potter, American Red Cross 

Providing Customer Service as a Blood Services Volunteer

“I bring to my job, whatever I do, the customer service I learned at Wegmans,” says Red Cross volunteer, Sue Kirkland. “Treat customers the way I would hope they would treat me.”

Sue Kirkland and her canine companion Susie

After retiring from Wegmans in 2018, Kirkland immediately restarted an old habit that dated back to her high school days: donating blood every two months. While donating on February 6, she mentioned to one of the Red Cross team members that she’d be interested in becoming a volunteer as well.

“I came on board just in time for COVID!”, Kirkland said. She was scheduled to work in her initial role as a Blood Donor Ambassador at Kenmore West High School in Western New York the first day the Red Cross began requiring health screenings for staff and donors prior to entering a blood drive to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. She stepped in as Blood Drive Screener that day, asking health questions, taking temperatures and providing hand sanitizer for everyone as they entered the drive.

“Baptism by fire,” Kirkland says. “I just did it, then it became the norm.” Of course, there is very little normal about these uncertain times, and additional precautions have since been added to ensure the safety of everyone entering any Red Cross facility or community blood drive, including wearing face masks. Kirkland says everyone has been grateful for the safety measures the Red Cross has implemented, including herself.

“At one of the first drives, someone pointed out that I’m in a higher risk group being over 60, and asked if I felt comfortable,” she says. “I feel confident in what I’ve been doing to keep myself safe so that I can keep others safe.”

Kirkland also says she’s comfortable in knowing that the Red Cross staff, especially her supervisor, Aaron Wilson, will be there to support her if she ever does have a question or concern. She says the staff and her fellow volunteers have been phenomenal during this outbreak, and on the rare times during her 1-2 volunteer shifts a week when a team member or donor is having a bad day, her customer service background kicks in.

“We’re all feeling a little lost, isolated,” Kirkland says. “I keep in mind that people are coming out trying to help, so I’ll bend over backwards and try to meet them where they are.”

If you’re looking for a way to help, and get out of the house during this coronavirus outbreak, consider joining Sue Kirkland as a Blood Drive or Facilities Screener, asking health questions and taking temperatures with an infrared thermometer as people enter Red Cross facilities or blood drives. There are shifts available across the Western New York region, click this link for more information. And thanks to the efforts of volunteers like Sue, you can also safely make a donation appointment for the weeks ahead to ensure a stable blood supply throughout this pandemic at redcrossblood.org

Story by: Jay Bonafede, Chief Communications Officer

American Red Cross, Western New York Region

Donating In Honor of Natalie and Lauren

Natalie and Lauren Wolniewicz received 30
blood transfusions.

On April 1, a very special blood drive took place in Springville, about half an hour south of Buffalo. The community turned out to show their support at a time when blood donations are urgently needed. 

It was in honor of Natalie and Lauren Wolniewicz: Now 2 years old, the twins were born 16 weeks early.  During the five months Natalie and Lauren spent in newborn intensive care, they received a total of 30 blood transfusions from donors.

The twins’ mother, Julie Wolniewicz, is new to volunteering with the American Red Cross.

“I’d donated blood in the past,” Julie told me, “but I’d never really considered that blood transfusions were for babies too.”

After a nurse mentioned Red Cross blood drives this February, Julie sprang into action. Setting up a blood drive, she reasoned, was the perfect opportunity to help out the community during a time of need.

Photos courtesy: Julie Wolniewicz

She dived in, organizing the upcoming drive with Mary Lattimer and Andrew Chung from Western New York’s Red Cross. One month later, and the Springville blood drive was fully booked.

Julie found that setting up the blood drive was an easy experience. Resources were simple to find and Red Cross staff were enthusiastic to help. Even more eager than usual, perhaps — nearly 10,000 blood drives have been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak, representing 300,000 fewer donations collected.  In order to ensure blood products are available to all who need them, maintaining supply is crucial.

Safety and infection control are the highest priorities of the Red Cross at blood drives. Everyone’s temperatures are checked before the drive, social distancing guidelines are observed, hand sanitizer is readily available, and surfaces are regularly disinfected. With a blood transfusion needed every two seconds in the U.S, blood donations remain a constant necessity.

Root 39 Event Center in Springville, NY

Julie’s blood drive was already fully booked by the weekend before. In spite of the outbreak, Springville’s community came together, while still keeping their distance. They filtered into Root 39 — a refurbished barn that makes for a beautiful event space — to give back a little in honor of Lauren and Natalie.

And now, at two years old, the twins are growing fast. The future looks bright for Lauren and Natalie Wolniewicz, and Julie reckons they’ll start causing trouble soon enough.

You can help kids like Natalie and Lauren by donating blood. Make an appointment for your next donation with the Red Cross today.

-Tim Snedden
American Red Cross Communications Volunteer

In Memoriam - John Allard, Blood Services Volunteer Extraordinaire

John Allard

For almost five decades, anyone visiting the Red Cross blood collection center in Western New York would likely see the smiling face of John Allard.

Allard began his Red Cross volunteer career in 1970, and over the next 48 years dedicated over 50,000 hours to supporting this lifesaving mission. For over a hundred hours a month, John would tuck himself into a corner workroom of the Union Road Blood Donation Center in Cheektowaga, making the many road signs used to promote blood drives across the NY-Penn region. He took great pride in his work, always cleaning and repairing the signs before adding the updated information.

John Allard and District
Director Vicki Smith

John’s positive attitude could not be confined to a corner office, however. He was also one of the first people to sign up and volunteer as a donor ambassador. John greeted blood donors at five to ten drives each month, making sure those giving that lifesaving gift were treated with kindness and respect. After he was hospitalized following a serious accident in December 2018, donors often asked other staff and volunteers, “Where’s John?” John was also a donor himself, starting in 1963 at the age of 17 and donating over 40 gallons of blood during his lifetime.

Regional Disaster Officer Ken Turner (l)
and Volunteer Driver Program
Coordinator Rachel Elzufon-Couch
present John Allard with the WNY
Chapter 2018 Clara Barton Award

For his efforts, the Western New York Chapter twice recognized John Allard with its highest local volunteer honor, the Clara Barton Award, most recently in August 2018. While in the hospital and rehab facilities following his accident last December, John would light up when members of his Red Cross family would visit to show our love and support.

John Allard, a United States Air Force veteran and avid fisherman, passed away on April 13, 2019, at the age of 72. The son of the late Clayton and Marian Allard, and brother to Kathy, Tom, Bill, Rich, Susan, Dave, the late Clayton Jr., and the late Michael Allard, he is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Memorial services are scheduled to take place this week. The Western New York Chapter and the NY-Penn Blood region send our thoughts and prayers to John’s family and friends, as we are working to honor his amazing Red Cross legacy for years to come.

-Jay Bonafede, Regional Communications Officer
American Red Cross, Western and Central New York Region

Still #BostonStrong

My Boston Marathon response service pin

As April 15, 2014 approached, media outlets and others began looking back at what happened in Boston, MA one year ago. The one that really got me was when I saw Leighton Jones, the Chief Disaster Officer for the Red Cross in Massachusetts and the job director for Boston Marathon bombing response, post a picture of his service pin online. I immediately put on my pin.

My memories of those tragic events started much like those of anyone who was not there. I followed the news of the bombings at the finish line on social media, and immediately reached out to a friend running the race to make sure she was okay. Four days later, though, I was on a plane to Boston to join in the Red Cross response, landing while the city was locked down during the manhunt for one of the suspects.

That flight was an experience I'll never forget, but what I'm really thinking about one year later is the people. First, the Red Crossers I was privileged to work with. Many of the Boston staff and volunteers were a part of the race, either running or supporting first aid stations during the Marathon, but they all put their personal grief aside to help the community. I remember how much everyone there appreciated the work of our own Disaster Mental Health lead volunteer, Tara Hughes, who helped set up the Family Support Center and used her experience to share vital tips for coping with the tragedy to the entire community. Another Western New York Disaster Mental Health volunteer, Dominic DiGirolamo, was my roommate in Boston and even though we cannot share the details, I will never forget the stories of the incredible work he did for the family of fallen M.I.T. officer Sean Collier.

Probably my greatest memory, though, is how resilient the Boston people were, and how thankful they were for our support. Two images really stick in my head. First, at a vigil at the scene of the bombing one week later, seeing a woman wearing a Boston Marathon shirt crying in the arms of a friend, and silently handing them tissues. The other is walking back to the Chapter following the memorial service for Officer Collier. Not once, but twice, an officer directing traffic noticed my Red Cross shirt and thanked me for being there. Each time I responded, "No, thank you," but those moments are why I am still so proud to have been a small part of our response.

That response continues one year later, as mental health volunteers share tips for dealing with the emotions this anniversary might stir up. Fleet Feet Sports and the American Red Cross will hold a special blood drive in commemoration of the Boston Marathon Bombings on Tuesday, April 15 from 2pm-7pm at Fleet Feet Sports at The Armory, 155 Culver Road in Rochester. If you can't make it there, consider donating blood at another drive to help hospital patients in need as a healing moment. Personally, I'm marking this solemn occasion by remembering everyone that makes #BostonStrong a reality.

Thanks and good luck, "Senator!"

It's not every morning that my daily media search for Red Cross mentions leads me to the sports section. So I was a little surprised this morning that entering "Red Cross" into the Buffalo News search engine led me to the article on the Buffalo Bills releasing Nick Barnett and George Wilson. But I shouldn't have been.

First, some quick background. In my previous career as a television sports producer, we called George Wilson "The Senator" because of his speaking skills. The safety was always one of our "go-to guys" in the Bills locker room because we know he would always answer our questions thoughtfully and respectfully. There are a number of sports reporters and broadcasters in Western New York whose jobs got a little more difficult now that Wilson is gone.

Former Bills safety George Wilson with Communications
Coordinator Jay Bonafede at Ralph Wilson Stadium
blood drive in December

But the media aren't the only people in town that will miss George Wilson. As the article above points out, he was named the team's Walter Payton Man of the Year twice for his work in the community. That work included serving as a spokesman for Red Cross blood drives at Ralph Wilson Stadium. I spoke with him at the drive in December, which brought in over 350 units of blood, and he could not have been more gracious.

Change is constant in the world of sports, and new players will come in to fill these spots on the Bills roster. But George Wilson (and Nick Barnett, whom we never dealt with but by all accounts is also a great guy) will be missed here in Western New York. We thank you for all you've done, and wish you luck in the future!

You didn't want to cook this Saturday anyway!

Do you really want to take the time out of your busy weekend to make dinner?  Since you'll probably be out and about tomorrow anyway, why not let somebody else do the cooking for you?  And here's the best part--you can support the American Red Cross by doing nothing more than enjoying a delicious meal that you didn't have to cook!!

The American Red Cross, Serving Erie & Niagara Counties is teaming up with the Bob Evans Restaurant at 6543 Niagara Falls Boulevard this Saturday for a delicious opportunity.  Between 11am-4pm on Saturday, October 15th, the Red Cross Bloodmobile will be in the parking lot.  So on your way into the restaurant, stop in and roll up your sleeves!  Walk-in appointments are always welcome, and the need for blood is constant.

Of course, after giving blood you may be a little hungry.  Once you're done saving a life, you can still support the Red Cross inside the restaurant tomorrow.  Between 6am-10pm, Bob Evans Niagara Falls location will donate 15% of your food to the American Red Cross, Serving Erie & Niagara Counties.  Just pick up a flyer in the Bloodmobile and hand it to your server. 

If you can't give blood, don't worry.  You can still help the Red Cross be there for our WNY neighbors in need--just print the photo below and hand it to your server tomorrow!

So come on out, get yourself some home-cooking without actually having to do the work, and support the lifesaving mission of the American Red Cross, Serving Erie & Niagara Counties!

Take a break and smell the chocolate!

The summer months are upon us, which means we’re traveling, spending time with the family, and being busy busy busy!! 

Need a reason to slow down? How about a box filled with 6 pieces of chocolate covered fruit?! 

Thanks to Edible Arrangements, when you come in to donate blood at the American Red Cross in August, you will receive a coupon for just that! 

Plus, you’ll be getting something tasty to snack on and drink after you donate and feel great knowing that your donation could help save up to 3 individual's lives.  

So, be sure to stop in to your local Red Cross blood drives or call 1-800-RED-CROSS or click to schedule an appointment for this month!