30 Pints Collected During Clarkton Lions Club Blood Drive on Saturday

A Staff Report

The Clarkton Fire Department was abuzz Saturday with people reaching out to save lives.

It wasn’t a group of firefighters doing what they do best, although a fire call did come in about 8:30 that morning and the department volunteers were in the trucks and quickly rolling to the scene.

This group of Bladen County folks willingly had a needle stuck in the bend in their arm to fill a bag with potentially lifesaving fluid.

The Clarkton Lions Club sponsored the blood drive. There were 30 pints collected during the five-hour event. At least one donor was heard to say as she waited to be called that she had never seen so many people at a blood drive. A few people left and returned later when the crowd thinned a bit.

“It was amazing,” said Sonny Jones, who served as drive coordinator for the Lions Club. “We are so appreciative of our friends in the Bladen County community to support our drive and grateful to the Clarkton Fire Department for allowing us to use their facility.

“We had 36 people sign in and 30 were able to donate. I was hoping that, maybe, we could collect 20 pints and we blasted right past that. More importantly, the donations can potentially help save 90 lives,” Jones said.

The Blood Connection handled the drive. The Lions Club is compensated for each donor and will use the funds to continue to serve its community.

UPCOMING BLADEN COUNTY BLOOD DRIVES

• Cape Fear Valley-Bladen County Hospital: Thursday, Aug. 17, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 501 South Polar Street, Elizabethtown. Sponsored by Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center. Information and appointment: 910-862-5201.

• Galeed Baptist Church: Thursday, Aug. 17, 1-6 p.m., 571 Galeed Church Road, Bladenboro. Sponsored by Bladenboro Historical Society and American Red Cross. Appointments at redcrossblood.org and sponsor code Historical or call 800-733-2767.

DONOR ELIGIBILITY

• Can donate every 56 days, up to 6 times per year.

• Be in good health and feeling well on day of donation.

• Must be at least 17 years old. Can be 16 years old with parental consent.

• Must weigh at least 110 pounds.

• Potential donors will have their temperature, blood pressure and hemoglobin checked and review of medications and medical history prior to donation.