St. Charles Hospital, 200 Belle Terre Road, Port Jefferson will host a blood drive on Wednesday, March 17 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Wisdom Conference Center. Every donation helps. To register, call 800-933-2566. For more information, call Tina at 631-474-6251.
As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, the need for blood donations has hit a crisis level due to the lack of donors. To help assist the New York Blood Center (NYBC) increase their blood supply, Senator Mario R. Mattera (2nd Senate District) is sponsoring a blood drive on Sunday, February 14, at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove. This donation drive will take place from noon to 6 p.m. in the mall’s Center Court.
With nearly 2,000 donations needed every day in New York and New Jersey alone, the current shortage has the potential to have a real effect on those who need blood transfusions. Every single donation can save up to three lives.
Those most in need of blood include cancer patients, accident, burn, or trauma victims, newborn babies as well as mothers delivering babies, transplant recipients, surgery patients, chronically transfused patients suffering from sickle cell disease or thalassemia, and many more.
Potential donors are required to meet certain criteria including:
• Bring NYBC Blood Donor Card or ID with signature or photo.
• Minimum weight 110 lbs. or more.
• Eligible ages are 16 to 75. Anyone donating who is 16 years old must have parental permission and anyone who is age 76 and over is required to supply a doctor’s note.
• No tattoos for past 3 months
All donors will receive a New York Blood Center t-shirt and a coupon for Auntie Annie’s pretzels. Additionally, the NYBC will be doing free COVID anti-body testing for anyone who participates in the blood drive with results being provided via mail.
The entire donation process takes less than an hour and appointments are recommended to ensure minimal waiting time. To schedule an appointment or for more information, residents should visit Senator Mattera’s website at mattera.nysenate.gov and click on the link on the home page or call the NYBC at 800-933-2566.
Donors with O-negative blood type, or “universal donors,” are especially encouraged to donate, as their blood is essential in emergency situations. Any potential donor with questions concerning medical eligibility is asked to call 1-800-688-0900. It is recommended that those donating eat well and drink plenty of fluids prior to their appointment.
“The ongoing crisis is causing a very real and extremely serious shortage of blood supply and it is my hope that all residents who are eligible to donate will join us on Valentine’s Day to show some heart for their fellow Long Islanders. Each donation has potential to save three lives and all donors will be a Valentine’s Day hero to everyone in our community in need of life saving assistance,” stated Senator Mattera.
Residents are urged to visit Senator Mattera’s website at mattera.nysenate.gov for more information and to make an appointment.
Almost five years after his death, an ex-captain of the Sound Beach Fire Department’s memory is still helping to save others.
Jim Ford passed away on June 2016 after serving in the department for more than two decades. A beloved member of not only the department, but also within the Sound Beach community, Ford always was there to help. His wife, Nancy, still participates and volunteers with the auxiliary.
“Jim filled many shoes out of the office and in the office,” said Bill Rosasco, first assistant chief. “He loved it. He loved doing it. He loved being here at the firehouse.”
On top of his many roles, he founded and ran the department’s January blood drive, so it was only fitting to name it after him in 2018 — the first drive after his passing.
And on Saturday, Jan. 16, his memory was brought back at the firehouse at 152 Sound Beach Blvd., getting people together for something good.
Ever since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, blood donations have been at an all-time low, according to the New York Blood Center. Schools, businesses and community centers halted blood drives early on, in fear of too many gatherings and the uneasiness of the virus.
The Sound Beach Fire Department usually hosts two blood drives in honor of their own. January is dedicated to Ford, while July memorializes Ex-Capt. John Drews Jr. But because of the pandemic, the July drive was canceled.
The drive this past weekend was the first since the pandemic began.
“We wanted to still run this blood drive,” said Chief Darran Handshaw. “Even though we shut the department down for all the other meetings, we still wanted to do this because we know how important it is.”
Handshaw said that everyone on the board wanted to make sure the January drive went on, despite the department shutdown.
“This is an emergency,” he added. “We need to get blood out there.”
He said that to make this month’s blood drive work, they took precautions including temperature monitoring, social distancing and a fogger machine that can decontaminate the room before the event and after.
But the drive wouldn’t be happening without Ford’s spirit.
“This would be something that Captain Ford would be here helping out with, even during [the pandemic],” Handshaw said. “It’s an honorable effort for an honorable man, so we’re going to do something honorable that serves the community for him and his death.”
Saturday’s event had more than 20 appointments, a dozen walk-ins and 31 pints of blood were collected, according to Margaret DeTurris, president of the department. Each pint of blood can help up to three people — so these 31 pints will impact 93 lives.
“Jim was a great example of wisdom and honor,” Handshaw said. “In my eyes, that inspired a lot of us to behave well and do the right thing for the community. He’s missed every day.”
The Sound Beach Fire Department is actively seeking volunteers to serve as firefighters and emergency medical technicians. The department provides free training for those positions. To join contact the chief’s office at 631-744-2294.
VFW Post 5796 hosts a blood drive in the Main Hall, 40 Church Road, Kings Park on Tuesday, Jan. 19 from 1:30 to 7:30 p.m. All presenting donors will receive a T-shirt. Appointments preferred; walk-ins allowed if capacity permits. To schedule an appointment, please call Michelle at 646-983-0661.
The Sound Beach Fire Department, 152 Sound Beach Blvd., Sound Beach hosts a community blood drive by the New York Blood Center on Saturday, Jan. 16 in the Meeting Room from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information or to register for a specific time, please call 631-744-2151.
The Greenlawn Fire Department, 23 Boulevard Avenue, Greenlawn hosts its first blood drive of the year on Monday, Jan. 4 in the Meeting Room from 2:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Blood Donors are essential. The public health crisis and events across the county will continue to impact the blood supply. If you’re healthy and able to visit a donor center or blood drive, we are urging you to make an immediate appointment to help keep the blood supply strong.
Appointments are required – no walk-ins will be permitted.
CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT
Questions? Call 631-261-9103.
The Mother Teresa Council Knights of Columbus will hold a blood drive at St. James R.C. Church, 429 Route 25A, E. Setauket on Thursday, March 12. The drive will be held from 3 to 8:30 p.m. in the Parish Center. For appointments or informaion, please call John at 631-474-1937 or email [email protected].
The Town of Smithtown, in collaboration with the New York Blood Center, will host a community blood drive at the Smithtown Landing Country Club, 495 Landing Ave., Smithtown on Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donors will receive a coupon for a sandwich or salad from McDonalds. Refreshments and snacks will be provided as well. To register, call 631-360-7626.
By David Luces
Hundreds lined up and waited to donate blood during the 9th annual Glen Ciano Blood Drive Feb. 9. The event, hosted by the Commack Fire Department and Suffolk County Police Department, is held in honor of a police officer and volunteer firefighter who died in the line of duty 10 years ago this month.
Ciano, who served for more than 20 years as a police officer at the 2nd Precinct in Huntington, died while assisting another officer at a traffic stop Feb. 22, 2009. While at the intersection of Vanderbilt Motor Parkway and Commack Road in Commack, his vehicle was struck by a 2007 Dodge Magnum and burst into flames upon hitting a nearby telephone pole. Commack firefighters responded to the scene.
Ciano is survived by his wife, Sue, and two children, Samantha and Daniel.
“The Suffolk Police Department will never forget Glen and the dedicated service he provided to our communities,” Suffolk Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said. “Though I didn’t have the honor of working alongside Glen — I’ve heard stories about the type of officer he was and his presence is missed to this day.”
Since 2011, a total of 1,084 donations have been accepted in Ciano’s honor, according to the New York Blood Center. These pints of blood have helped save the lives of more than 3,000 people, Yadira Navarro, business development manager for the blood center, said.
Due to unstable winter temperatures, the flu season and other challenges, blood donations Saturday were vital as the NY Blood Center said it’s in the midst of an emergency blood appeal, according to Navarro. Before the blood drive, the center’s blood had only enough pints in the storage to get through three to four days of standard operations — a healthy blood supply level is about 6 to 7 days.
“You are honoring such a wonderful officer who really served his community and this is one way where we can be a hero and save lives,” Navarro said.
“Every year it means a little more.”
— Sue Ciano
Patrick Fazio, commissioner of the Commack Fire Department, said there’s no better way to honor Ciano’s life than donating blood. Smithtown resident Brian Moore who was among the hundreds who showed up Saturday, said giving blood can help so many lives.
A total of 234 pints of blood were donated at this year’s event, exceeding last year’s number of donations at 222.
“Every year it means a little more,” said Ciano’s wife, Sue. “I see friends, family — I meet new people every year.”
Sue Ciano said she stays at the blood drive for the whole day, talking to as many people as she can, and says events like these means her husband won’t be forgotten.
Prev
