Thurston County's Hidden Sector

Our flag, our blood and more

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You probably are aware that today is Flag Day. (If not go here for your history lesson!)

But did you know that today is also World Blood Donor Day? According to the World Health Organization, countries celebrate World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) every year to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products. They thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their lifesaving gifts of blood. For more information on this day visit the WBDD page

Increased Blood Needs in the Summer

As the former marketing director of the blood bank serving North Texas, I know that one of the primary reasons this date was selected for WBDD is due to the increased need for blood during the summer months.

There are several reasons there is a seasonal blood shortage, including:

  • Many regular blood donors and organizations that schedule blood drives take off the summer months
  • An increased need for blood during the summer due to accidents as well as individuals
  • Many people schedule elective surgeries during the summer.

Since red blood cells can be stored for up to 42 days, a surge in donors around this date – today – can help to secure a safe and ample blood supply for much of the summer.

There is more to blood than blood

Note that I mentioned red blood cells, not blood. That is because when you make a blood donation like at our local nonprofit blood center, Bloodworks Northwest, your blood most likely will be divided into several different blood components: Red Cells, Platelets, Plasma, and Cryoprecipitate, which means you can potentially save the lives of at least four different people with one donation.

Before you finish reading this column, someone will need blood

Contrary to popular belief, those four people who receive your blood are not necessarily people with Hemophilia (an inherited bleeding disorder) or who have been in an accident. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses, and traumatic injuries. Whether a patient receives whole blood, red cells, platelets, cryoprecipitate or plasma, this lifesaving care starts with one person donating.

There is no artificial blood

This brings us to another misperception about blood, that such a thing as artificial blood. The military does have something that can sustain life for a period of time, but nothing can replace the need for real blood, and the only way to get that is by people donating theirs.

Bloodworks Northwest

Our local blood center supports more than 90 hospitals coast to coast. According to Bloodworks Northwest each year Bloodworks helps hundreds of thousands of patients to receive lifesaving transfusions. Founded in 1944, they are local, non-profit, community-based and backed by 230,000 donors and volunteers. To learn how you might become one of those donors or volunteers, go to https://www.bloodworksnw.org

Family-friendly Juneteenth celebrations this weekend

 See events both days in The JOLT’s Community Calendar

 Register to Volunteer at the Next LoveOly CleanUps Day! June 25!

The Olympia Downtown Alliance is hosting a Downtown Cleanup on Saturday, June 25, from 9 to 11 a.m. Volunteers will have the opportunity to participate in a refresh of landscaping, streetscape maintenance (sweeping, trash removal, cleaning, etc.), and painting, working with the LoveOly Painters program on a predetermined paint project. The Alliance will provide cleaning and landscaping tools to volunteers during the cleanup. However, volunteers are encouraged to bring their own gloves, cleaning, and  non-powered landscaping tools to supplement what's provided. Participants will receive a LoveOly Cleanups t-shirt for volunteering! For more information contact Desiree Freeland, Olympia Downtown Alliance Downtown Projects Manager at 360.507.8598 or dfreeland@downtownolympia.org.

Soliciting your ideas

If you know of a nonprofit that is doing something great, celebrating a success, needs some outstanding volunteers, or hosting an event, let me know! This column (aside from a little education) celebrates nonprofits!

Mary Beth Harrington, CVA (Certified Volunteer Administrator) lives in Tumwater. She travels the country speaking at conferences and to individual organizations articulating issues facing nonprofits. Send your ideas to her at  MaryBeth@theJOLTnews.com

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