With the number of blood donations dwindling nationwide and locally, officials with the nonprofit Bloodworks Northwest needed a way to tell people about the demand for donors.
The group shared its problem with Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt, and put one of his suggestions to use Sunday by hosting its first-ever community picnic and blood drive, said Andrea Chiller, regional director for the organization’s Portland area.
In the parking lot of Bloodwork’s Vancouver donation center, volunteers set up tables and chairs, lawn games and a barbecue stand. Music played, and one volunteer made balloon animals.
Earlier in the day, “the barbecue was a big hit,” Chiller said, but then the rain came. “We thought we were pretty safe doing a summer barbecue,” she said from inside the donation center as a downpour fell outside.
But the donors still came.
By about 3 p.m., more than 30 people had given blood at the event. Three of those people were first-time donors. Donations typically equal one pint of blood, which when divided into platelets, plasma and red blood cells, has the potential to save three lives.
At the donation center’s canteen, those who had just given blood sat and consumed snacks to regain their strength. They could have as much food as they needed before leaving the donation center.
After Caroline Williams, 17, of Portland finished giving blood, she requested a slice of cake with lots of frosting.
“I can fix you up with frosting — honey, I have frosting,” volunteer Pat Wolleburg of Vancouver told Williams. She piled a slice of cake on a plate and served it to the girl.
Williams began volunteering for Bloodworks at the suggestion of her co-worker, Sofia Penrose, 17, of Portland. Penrose has organized blood drives at her school and has donated blood about seven times. For Williams, it was her third blood donation.
“It’s easy to do, and it’s necessary,” Williams said.
The number of donors who showed up Sunday put a smile on volunteer Roger Flagan’s face. The retired teacher from Battle Ground has driven more than 7,000 miles to help at mobile donation spots around the region since April of last year. He said he had a steady line for donors on Sunday, which isn’t typical at the center.
“I wish it was commonplace,” he said.
Bloodworks Northwest, formerly known as the Puget Sound Blood Center or locally as the Oregon and Southwest Washington Blood Program, serves nearly 90 hospitals in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. It supplies 100 percent of the blood used in Clark County hospitals and about half of the blood used in Portland hospitals, Chiller said.
“I don’t think people realize how much of a need there is,” she said. On average, Clark County hospitals use more than 750 pints of blood each month, according to Bloodworks Northwest.
For those who might be squeamish about donating blood, donors on Sunday had some suggestions. Things should go more smoothly if you drink plenty of water and eat a protein-filled meal before the donation, and take advantage of the juice and snacks provided after you give blood, they said.
Seventy-one-year-old blood donor Lynn Alfsen of Vancouver said there’s nothing to worry about, and the staff does a good job drawing blood.
“It really isn’t any problem,” said Alfsen, who had just given his 17th blood donation to the organization. “I would encourage everybody to give blood.”
Flagan, one of the volunteers, added: “It is the least expensive gift that they can give anyone.”
