News & Events | Press Release: Blood Center Honors Clallam County ‘Partners in Life’

Puget Sound Blood Center holds luncheon to recognize local residents' contribution to the stability of the community blood supply

OCTOBER 25, 2004, PORT ANGELES, WA — Puget Sound Blood Center will recognize significant contributions by Clallam County residents during “Partners in Life,” an award ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel Crabhouse Restaurant in Port Angeles. Partners in Life celebrates the many ways blood donors and volunteers support patients in the 14-county region served by the Blood Center.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Crescent High School and local residents Renae Meyers, Betty White and David McCoy will be presented with the Blood Center’s annual Community Service Awards – in tribute to the many ways they have helped the non profit organization maintain a stable regional blood supply for thousands. Olympic Medical Center’s customer service supervisor, Gail Loerlein, MT (ASCP), will be a special guest speaker.

Maria Elena Geyer, director of the Blood Center’s Donor and Volunteer Resources department, and Dr. Richard Counts, Blood Center president and CEO, will lead the ceremony, thanking Clallum County’s residents for their years of support. Both will present the award winners a unique hand-blown glass vase, created by local glass artist Ginger Kelly.

“Nearly 168,000 units of blood were transfused last year,” said Geyer. “Each unit of blood collected in our community can save up to three lives. The number of people impacted every year simply wouldn’t be possible without the help of donors and blood drive coordinators like the ones we are recognizing today. The Blood Center recognizes the contributions of these individuals and are honored to present these awards.”

The Blood Center will present the Community Service Award for donor groups to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church for their outstanding efforts in collecting blood. Accepting the award on behalf of the organization will be Bill Klover a member of the Knights of Columbus. The Knights volunteer for church drives, assisting mobile staff before, during and after drives by contacting donors, setting up, registering donors, providing canteen services and overseeing post-drive clean up. From their first drive in 2000 to the present date, the church has held 16 drives, registered over 800 donors and averages 50 donors per drive.

Starting with the Blood Center nine years ago, Renae Meyers embodies the spirit of dedication. From the role she played in creating the Sequim Blood Drive Council, to her steady hand in keeping the automated donor calling system updated, Renae has truly earned the Community Service Award for donor group coordinators. Due to her invaluable contributions, more than 3,400 donors have been registered since 1997.

This year’s Community Service Award for volunteers will be presented to Betty White. Volunteering at blood drive canteens since 1993, Betty’s smiling face and pleasant manner have graced drives in Port Angeles including Port Angeles High School and the library, as well as community drives at the Vern Burton Center. Not content to simply volunteer in the canteen, Betty has, over the past 5 years, begun calling donors for special drives in the community.

The Volunteer Achievement Award for donation will be presented to a gentleman who has, over his lifetime, donated nearly 19 gallons of platelets -- David McCoy. Inspired by a leukemia patient to make his first donation in 1983, David has been a committed and impassioned donor ever since, driving 90 minutes every four weeks to donate platelets at the Silverdale Center.

The Blood Center’s High School Partnership campaign has generated significant donations from the region’s high schools. Each year, high schools contribute nearly 20 percent of the community’s blood supply! Puget Sound Blood Center will recognize the contributions of one of the bright stars of this group -- Crescent High School. For the third consecutive year, Crescent achieved the highest percentage of donors registered per school population, enlisting 289 percent of their high school’s population. For this outstanding and inspiring achievement, Mr. Dave Bingham will accept the Blood Center’s recognition.

Note: If members of the press are interested in attending the event, please contact Steve McLean, Public Information Manager by phone, 206-292-6511 or pager, 206-680-2610.

About Puget Sound Blood Center
Celebrating 60 years in the community, the Blood Center is internationally recognized for groundbreaking research in transfusion and transplantation medicine. The nonprofit Blood Center is the resource for patients in Western Washington who need blood, tissue and specialized laboratory services. Founded in 1944, the Blood Center has a long and unique tradition of blending community volunteerism, medical science and research to improve patients’ lives. The organization directly affects the lives of over a half million patients annually in more than 70 hospitals and clinics in 14 counties of Washington State and provides tissue and transplantation support to 185 hospitals across the Northwest. For more information, visit www.psbc.org.