During services on Nov. 9, Our Lady of Lourdes Church held its annual Veterans Day Blood Drive in the church basement. Parish members are encouraged to participate in the event.
The blood drive honors veteran Peter Zullo, a prominent member of the Malverne community and former commander of the Malverne American Legion Post #44, who passed of leukemia in 2017.
To honor Zullo, blood donated at the OLL blood drive is earmarked to benefit veterans.
Brian Owen, a member of the OLL Parish and Malverenite, is a regular blood donor who always donated to the church’s blood drive. “I had reached out to Sally Schutta, whose been running this event for several years, to see when the blood drive would be held, and found out she wasn’t doing it this year.”
Owen decided he would spearhead the blood drive, reaching out to Schutta’s contacts at the New York Blood Center and getting everything organized.
“I always thought it was a great cause,” Owen said. “It saves lives. It’s a tradition I always really liked at my local church, and I wanted to keep it going.”
In the United States, every two seconds someone is in need of a blood donation, according to the American Red Cross. Because of the high demand, there’s always a shortage of available blood.
“You never know who needs blood,” Greg Small, donor specialist with New York Blood Center, said. “Stuff happens every day and there’s always a blood shortage, so that’s why we always encourage people to donate.”
Donating one-pint of blood could save multiple lives, as plasma, platelet, and red blood cells can be extracted from whole blood donations to help more people.
Before donating, volunteers must meet the basic eligibility requirements — donors must be in good health, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be at least 16 or 17 years old (with parental consent in some states). It’s also important to eat a healthy meal, drink plenty of water, and bring a form of ID.
At the blood drive, donors complete a health screening and answere a few questions about their medical history. “We make sure your blood pressure, your hemoglobin, and your pulse are all in good standing,” Small said. “After that you come sit down, we take a pint of blood from you, and that’s it.”
Afterward, donors enjoy snacks and light refreshments to help replenish nutrients and restore their energy. Most people feel fine and can return to normal activities within a day.
With each donation, donors are potentially saving multiple lives — making it one of the most impactful ways to give back to the community. Donating blood can help patients in need during surgeries, cancer treatments, trauma care, sickle cell treatments and more.
“If you ever have the time and opportunity to come and donate, definitely come in,” Small said. “It will be very beneficial to the people who desperately need it, and you never know, you might need it one day.”
Our Lady of Lourdes hosts this annual blood drive every year on the Sunday before Veterans Day. Organizations like The New York Blood Center offer online tools to help locate nearby events.
