OUR NEXT GARCO BLOOD DRIVE IS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 FROM 7:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Blood donations are needed now more than ever with the current COVID-19 healthcare impacts. Sign up today to secure your donation time. (Sign up online here or contact Joy.)
There is a dire shortage right now that if not corrected soon could result in an even more challenging situation. See the new story from KHQ here.
Since December 2019, the Garco blood drives have had 90 successful donations and collected 141 units of blood, thus impacting more than 300 lives!
CONVALESCENT PLASMA DONORS NEEDED
Did you know Vitalant is collecting plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19. Called “convalescent plasma,” it contains antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which can be given to patients currently fighting COVID-19.
To be eligible to donate you must have had COVID-19 symptoms plus:
- A prior laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19, either by a positive nasal/oral swab test OR a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies
requested by your health care provider - Complete resolution of symptoms for at least 28 days
- All other donor eligibility for an automated plasma donation
Right now, CCP donations are collected at Vitalant centers around town, and they are working on being able to collect CCP donation at mobile blood drives as well for the future.
MORE ABOUT BLOOD DONATIONS
Did you know that someone needs blood every two seconds? According to the Red Cross, one blood donation can help save the lives of three people. Donating blood is an easy and important way to give back to your community! In the current coronavirus pandemic, blood donations are needed now more than ever as medical facilities are facing an urgent shortage. All those who are healthy and able should consider donating at this critical time.
Garco Construction has been holding office blood drives since 2012 (nine years!) and in that time our team has provided 502 successful donations and collected 569 units of blood – which has had the ability to impact 1,700 lives.
We’re proud of the community-minded and giving spirit our staff displays. Office Manager Kathy Webley (pictured to the left) says, “I donate blood because I want there to be a good supply in our community. I think about the fact if something were to happen to someone in my family … I’d be devastated if there wasn’t enough to help them. I don’t want that to happen to someone else either. I want to do my part to make sure we have a healthy supply.”
Our blood drives are coordinated and collected by Vitalant, which serves more than 20 Inland Northwest medical facilities. No matter your blood type, donations are important. However, people with O negative type blood are universal donors and their blood can be given to people of all blood types. In fact, type O negative blood is often used in emergencies before the patient’s blood type is known, and with newborns who need blood. Fun fact: the average adult has 10 pints of blood in their body, accounting for about 10% of their body weight.
There are a few general things to remember for donating blood (a full list is available from Vitalant):
- Be in general good health, including free of any cold or flu virus symptoms
- In Washington state, tattoos are acceptable if the tattoo was applied in a state-regulated shop, using sterile needles and single-use ink, within in the last 12 months
- Ear/body piercing/branding is acceptable if the piercing or branding was performed using single-use equipment (otherwise, you’ll need to wait 12 months before donating)
- Wait one day following the completion of last dose of antibiotics
Garco Project Administrator Deborah Seagle shares, “I started donating blood almost 30 years ago when I lived in my hometown of Las Vegas and I continued to do so when I relocated here to the Inland Northwest. It’s important to me to give back to my community and help others. This has always been an easy and fulfilling way for me to do that.”
It can be hard to fully grasp the life-saving benefits since people don’t always know how or when their blood gets used, which is why Vitalant loves being able to share stories from those who receive donations like Maureen in the video above or like Janelle La Chaux, an artist who dives into her art as a way to share her journey with Sickle Cell Anemia and other parts of her life. (Pictured below right.)
Janelle was diagnosed as an infant but her disease intensified and progressed when she was in her young twenties. Today, at 41 years old, Janelle receives monthly blood transfusions and endures
excruciating pain due to her blood disease. “Even those who look perfectly healthy may need blood because of a health condition you can’t see,” Janelle explains, then adds, “Blood helps with everything in the body – your brain, tissues, organs. It’s the oxygen of the body, the gasoline of the body and allows it to function and work correctly.”
Janelle thinks about blood and the people who have donated to help her. “I want to say to them that their selfless act of donating is much appreciated. Today, I hear about all the older people who have passed away from COVID-19 and sometimes I wonder if they were part of the blood donor community and if they were, will others will step up to take their place? People wait for others to take action,” Janelle reflects. “It is my hope that by sharing my story and my art, that people realize they are needed to donate blood – to take action, to not wait and to make a difference today.” You can see Janelle’s art at burningroseartistry.com
Garco President Clancy Welsh notes, “We are proud of the commitment our employees have made over the years in supporting Vitalant. I personally enjoy receiving a text notifying me that my donation has been utilized to help another. In the turbulent times that we are currently facing, this is just one way our team at Garco can support our community.”
We encourage all our staff who are healthy and able to donate to consider participating in our next blood drive! Your donation matters.
Garco Construction Blood Drive
Monday, September 20 | 7:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at the Garco Office
We are hoping for 20 life-saving donors to participate
(We also welcome Garco staff friends or family to come participate in our blood drive as well. They just need to sign up using the link like the rest of the staff.)
