Plymouth Church Steps Up To Help Address Critical Blood Shortage
Giving back to those in need can take on many different forms, and at Plymouth’s Messiah United Methodist Church, people like Brad Caron are taking time out of their busy summer to give the gift of life.
“I’ve been doing this for many, many years,” said Caron as he sat and donated blood. “And as an O negative, I’m one of the major contributors to cancer centers and infants.”
O negative blood is often called the “universal donor” blood type because people of any blood type can receive it.
Caron is one of several dozen people who signed up to donate blood at the church on Tuesday, which hosts Red Cross donor drives almost every month.
Brad Caron of Plymouth donated blood at Messiah United Methodist Church on July 8.
“Our facility’s like the perfect facility to do it in, we’re in a really centrally-located area,” said Pastor Tami Luckhardt of Messiah United Methodist Church.
She says the church started doing the donor drives three years ago as a way to give back, and the congregation and community responded.
“Being able to host it here and to invite our own folks to be part of the donating community is an opportunity that we just feel like is something that we can and should do,” she said.
‘Critical need’ for blood
This particular drive comes at a convenient time for the Red Cross.
“Every summer, there’s a dip in blood donations,” said Lynette Nyman, the regional communications manager for the Red Cross.
Nyman said the Red Cross needs to collect around 13,000 units of blood every day to help meet needs around the country, but that becomes more difficult around the Fourth of July.
“They’re just not thinking about it this time of year,” Nyman said of potential donors. “Schools are out, we have summer holiday, disasters across the country.”
It’s all the more reason why she’s thankful to the church for keeping these drives going.
Meanwhile, the donors don’t leave empty-handed. As an extra added bonus, anyone who donates blood between now and July 14 will get a free pair of Goodr sunglasses.
Yet for folks like Caron, he’s not donating for the freebies or style points.
“Everybody should be doing this because it’s of vital importance when you’re in the hospital,” he said.
Related: New Maple Grove Blood Donation Center Aims To Increase Giving
