Morning Exchange holds Red Cross blood drive

The Morning Exchange Club kept up its tradition of holding a Red Cross blood drive on the Tuesday before Christmas at Grace United Methodist Church.

 

Kipp Miller and Harry Ide, both Exchange Club volunteers, along with Nelson Schulze of GUMC, were some of the ones who were on hand to check donors in to the five-hour event.

 

“This is something we do every eight weeks,” Miller said. Usually the blood donation day is the third Monday of the month, but December is the only exception to that on their calendar. Miller was grateful for GUMC partnering with them in hosting the event at the church’s fellowship hall, which had been transformed into a blood donation center, complete with private consultation and registration areas, along with cushioned lounges that donors could recline on while donating blood.

 

In addition to helping check in donors, the Exchange Club and GUMC volunteers provided juice and snacks to donors who’d finished giving their pints.

 

The area Red Cross blood drive team comes from the Dallas area, and travels throughout Central Texas stopping at communities like Copperas Cove, Lampasas to the west, and as far east as Bryan-College Station.

 

Tuesday’s goal was 22 donors, and the count reached 24 by around 5:30 p.m.

 

Miller said working with the Red Cross makes it very easy for donors to find out about blood donation events like the one held Tuesday, via email and a phone app.

 

Also, features like the Rapid Pass streamline the process for regular donors, like Raymond and Rebecca Payne, to check in by presenting a printed pass. However, Raymond didn’t get the chance to print out his Rapid Pass before coming to the church. He went to a private area to provide his information to one of the Red Cross workers.

 

The Paynes say they make the Exchange Club’s blood donation day part of their schedule, whenever it comes up on the calendar.

 

Another donor said the Red Cross’ app made it easy for him to find the location here in Copperas Cove, a convenient stop on the way home from his job on West Fort Hood.

 

The next blood donation event held by the Morning Exchange Club will be on Monday, Feb. 15, 2016, at GUMC.