FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"Donor Party" to Swim Lake Washington In Show of Support for Blood Donors

SEPTEMBER 14, 2001, SEATTLE — Dozens of blood donors will swim the waters of Lake Washington on September 15th to boost Puget Sound's blood supply in the fourth annual "Donor Party Crossing." The event challenges the community to make an appointment to give blood this November.

• What: "Donor Party Crossing" across Lake Washington
• When: Saturday, September 15, 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. (approximately)
• Where: O.O. Denny Park (north of Juanita, NOT the Seattle Denny Park), 12032 Holmes Point Drive NE, Juanita

"There are easier ways to recruit blood donors than swimming across Lake Washington,” said Blood Center spokesperson Keith Warnack. "But the organizers of this event always go above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to blood donation."

In the wake of the terrorist activities on the East coast, thousands of western Washington residents gave blood. Blood can only be stored for 42 days and donors must wait 56 days between donations. Puget Sound Blood Center officials are concerned about a serious blood shortage this fall, when the current stockpile of blood is no longer available and many donors are not yet eligible to give.

It Started as a Dare
Microsoft employees Scott Leopold and Bob Forgrave started the event as a way to encourage their colleagues to give blood. “Many people assume there’s always enough blood for our hospitals. Bob and I are always prodding our co-workers to give blood when the bloodmobile comes to our office,” said Leopold. “A few years ago some friends said they wanted to give blood, but they were scared. We told them we would swim across Lake Washington if they donated. They gave, so Bob and I swam.”

The following year Leopold and Forgrave decided to use the stunt to encourage the public at large to give blood.

Guided by a fleet of canoes and kayaks, The current Donor Party of swimmers has donated a total of hundreds of times. The challenge to the community is to get more people to give by calling the Puget Sound Blood Center to make an appointment to give blood this November. The challenge begins when the first swimmer enters the water at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15 and ends at 11:00 a.m. on Sept. 22, after the community has had exactly one week to respond to the challenge.

How to Participate
When donating or making an appointment to give next week, donors are asked to say they are challenging the Donor Party. The remaining total that the community has to beat will be posted daily at the Donor Party Crossing web site at www.forgrave.com/donor/.

If you want to join the Donor Party Crossing and swim, canoe, or kayak across Lake Washington, contact Scott Leopold at scottleo@microsoft.com or Bob Forgrave at bob@forgrave.com.

For more information about blood or platelet donation or the local blood supply, contact the Puget Sound Blood Center at (206)292-6500, or visit the Blood Center's Web site at www.psbc.org.

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