PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Perhaps it’s no surprise that folks at Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP) decided to kick off their holiday season by saving lives, but that’s just what happened on Wednesday, November 22 when they hosted an American Red Cross blood drive at their Presque Isle offices.
ACAP employees are well-known throughout The County as a caring group of people known for going above and beyond when it comes to helping their friends and neighbors in the community meet their basic needs. Whether it’s working internally within the organization to bring in food donations for the food cupboards in Presque Isle or Houlton, or raising money to help keep homes throughout the winter, ACAP employees can nearly always be found at the front lines of community efforts to support vulnerable populations in Aroostook County. So when American Red Cross first approached the agency about hosting a blood drive during this holiday season, members of ACAP’s Community Development Committee set right to work to make it happen.
“Blood saves lives, everybody is going to need blood at some point in their lives,” said Shane Babcock, Team Lead and Charge Nurse for American Red Cross. “Only 3 percent of the population who is capable of donating blood actually donates blood, so there is always a great need. Winter time tends to be a little harsher for the northern New England areas because of the weather, but we always make it work.”
The ACAP event, which took place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the day before Thanksgiving, when so many people were busy running last minute errands for their holiday feast, produced 17 units of donated blood. Initially, ACAP organizers were concerned that hosting the blood drive so close to the holiday may keep many people from finding the time to donate, however, that concern was quickly alleviated as weeks prior to the event, community member had booked all 27 time slots for donating in advance.
“People of Aroostook County are extremely generous and caring with their time and apparently even with their blood. I am so pleased at the turnout today of all days when so many are focused on baking and meal preparations for tomorrow,” said event organizer Jo-Ellen Kelley, who works as a Community Education Specialist for ACAP.
One bag of blood can save up to three lives. Some donations, called “power reds,” which is collected by a process where the red cells are separated from the platelets and plasma, can potentially save up to two lives per bag. With those numbers in mind, ACAP’s hosted blood drive may impact as many as 50 people directly, and countless other family members and friends of individuals who receive donations that potentially save their lives.
Once the blood is collected, Babcock says it is sent to Dedham, Mass., where it is processed and tested to ensure the safety of recipients. They also verify the blood type and then send it out to wherever the blood is needed in the entire United States. Interested donors can actually track where their blood donation goes and access other health information associated with their donations with The Red Cross Blood App, which can be found on iTunes or in Google Play Store. The app can also be used to register for the donor rewards program and to schedule future donation appointments.
