The 14th annual Kevin Coffey Memorial Blood Drive wrapped up Friday at St. Thomas More Church.
Kevin was a 2009 Manhattan High graduate who died in a bus accident in 2010. His parents, Ray and Maxine Coffey, have hosted this drive in Manhattan annually in November since his untimely passing.
Red Cross Kansas District spokesperson Kristi Ingalls says this year’s drive collected 94 pints of blood Thursday and 65 pints on Friday, for a total of 159 pints during the two-day drive.
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Ingalls says the timing of this drive is beneficial since winter months tend to put a strain on the local blood supply.
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One pint of blood can save potentially up to three lives, meaning the 159 pints collected this week could potentially save up to 477 lives.
Over the 14 year history of the Kevin Coffey Memorial Blood Drive in Manhattan and on the campus of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, close to 5,000 pints have been donated.