Red Cross blood drive honors local military hero Gary Beikirch

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The American Red Cross held a blood drive on Saturday in memory of a local decorated military veteran, Gary Beikirch.

At the Northwest Family YMCA, organizers say there were many walk-ins at the blood drive to honor Beikirch through a cause he held close— donating to aid in keeping the national blood supply from falling to shortage levels and saving lives.

Beikirch was a U.S. Special Forces combat medic in the Vietnam War. In April of 1970, Beikirch was severely wounded after being hit by North Vietnamese fire, including a shrapnel wound to his spine. Despite his injuries, he helped defend the camp and aid the wounded.

After two years of intensive rehabilitation, Beikirch received his Medal of Honor in 1973 and continued serving others throughout his life as a counselor for the Greece Central School District and as an ordained minister, and worked as the executive director of the Veterans Outreach Center.

Now, his family says causes such as the blood drive keep his legacy alive after he passed away in 2021.

Stephanie, Beikirch’s oldest daughter, says, “This cause was very special to him,” and through his experience in the military as a medic, “he really understood what it meant to have blood on hand.”

“We started last year,” she said, adding, “We decided to make it an annual event, my family and I. It’s very important for us to keep my dad’s memory alive and his legacy and this is a living memorial, you know, it’s giving life, and it’s what my dad was all about, so this is just another way for him to continue to give back.”

The blood drive is planned to return in Beikirch’s honor next year, and in the meantime, interested donors can schedule an appointment to give by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

All who give blood with the Red Cross throughout August will get a $10 e-gift card to a movie merchant of their choice. Details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Movie.