Mercer County Residents and Organization Honored

Red Cross Distributes Awards for Outstanding Support

On Friday, Oct. 2, the American Red Cross Blood Services, Indiana-Ohio Region, hosted its annual meeting and recognition luncheon at the Orthopaedic Capital Center in Winona Lake, Ind. Many awards were given out, including the Outstanding Blood Donor, Creative Genius, Outstanding Volunteer Service, Lifesaver and Faithful Friend Awards.

The Outstanding Blood Donor Award recognizes the individual in each county served by the Indiana-Ohio Region who had the highest donation frequency in Fiscal Year 2009. If there was a tie for highest frequency in a county, the donor with a combination of highest donation frequency and highest lifetime donations was recognized. Celina resident Walter Fleck, who has donated 162 units in his lifetime and six times in the past year, was recognized for his commitment.

The Outstanding Volunteer Service Award recognizes the countless Red Cross volunteers who serve the community at blood drives, donation centers and local Red Cross chapters. This award was presented to Jerry and Rita Siefring of Burkettsville for their involvement with the Red Cross and other community organizations.

 Coldwater High School along with coordinator, Pete Lisi, were the recipients of the Creative Genius Award. This award is presented to successful blood drive sponsors who developed creative promotions which raised awareness of their particular drive or increased their donor base.

The Faithful Friend Award recognizes the sponsors who have been loyal supporters of the American Red Cross. This year’s Faithful Friends agreed to have blood drives during inclement weather or holiday periods, secured volunteers to help provide excellent customer service and could be counted on to meet goals. The Mercer County Chapter of the American Red Cross was recognized for its hard work to spread the word in the community about blood donation. The Mercer County Chapter also received the Lifesaver Award for being especially accommodating to the Red Cross during times of need.

The Red Cross wishes to thank the communities of Mercer County for their support of blood donation.

How to Donate Blood

Individuals who are at least 17 years old (16 with parental permission in Indiana), meet height and weight requirements (at least 110 pounds based on height) and are in general good health may be eligible to donate blood. Red Cross donor card or positive ID required. Call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (1-800-448-3543) or log on IndianaOhioRedCross.org for more information.

About the American Red Cross

The Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region serves northern and central Indiana and northwestern Ohio, and needs to collect about 500 units of blood a day to meet patient need in more than 60 hospitals.  In addition to providing blood to our community, the American Red Cross also provides relief to victims of disaster, trains millions in lifesaving skills, serves as a communication link between U.S. military members and their families, and assists victims of international disasters or conflicts.

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The need is constant. The gratification is instant. Give blood.^™