July 23, 2020 at 4:24 p.m.
The gift of giving: Annual Hodag M*A*S*H Blood Drive draws a crowd
The gift of giving: Annual Hodag M*A*S*H Blood Drive draws a crowd
By Stephanie Kuski-
CBC Marketing and Communications Manager Rachel Sonnentag said this is one of the CBC's larger donation events and expected between 175 and 200 donors throughout the day-long drive .
"We are just so thrilled with the turnout and the response we've seen," Sonnentag commented. "The Rhinelander community is just so fantastic. We look forward to this blood drive every year, so we're excited to be back again for the eleventh year."
Although the blood supply is currently stable, thanks to donors who have donated blood throughout the pandemic, the need to continue that cycle of donation is necessary, especially given the current state of COVID-19, she noted.
"Summer is always a challenging time for blood donations, and that's because people are out and about, they're on vacations or they have a non-traditional schedule," Sonnentag explained. "Not only do we have the typical challenges summer presents, but we also have the challenges that COVID-19 presents as well. So this is an especially important year for blood donations."
COVID-19 also prompted CBC staff to implement even more rigorous sanitation procedures than they already had in place prior to the pandemic.
Donors were also pre-screened with temperature checks upon arrival, masks were a requirement for both staff and donors and the layout of the donation stations allowed for plenty of social distance. In addition, appointments were required and staff was limited to essential personnel in order to manage the number of people congregating inside the Lakeside Center.
Although the seriousness of the pandemic and the need for blood was palpable, the M*A*S*H Blood Drive also provided a fun atmosphere for donors.
"This is a really fun blood drive," Sonnentag said. "We love the Hodag M*A*S*H Blood Drive because we make it more than your typical blood drive."
"The M*A*S*H theme got started as a result of that popular TV show that talked about the importance of things like blood donation," she continued. "So that makes it extra fun for us."
Each participating donor received a special M*A*S*H T-shirt as a token of appreciation. In addition, food and refreshments were provided to donors throughout the event, as well as a hot dog and brat grill-out.
The Lakeside Center provided a picturesque setting for donors to enjoy a snack and refreshments with a lake view after donating.
Every donor was also submitted into a raffle for a chance to win an outdoor gas grill valued at $500.
"The food, the T-shirts and some of the giveaways that we do are really an opportunity for us to say 'thank you' to our donors, because we really couldn't do the work that we do without them," Sonnentag explained. "It's a small token of our appreciation to be able to do some fun stuff like this as part of the blood donation process."
"Blood donors are just so incredible, they're such passionate people and they want to ensure that we do have that reliable blood supply for the patients who rely on transfusions," she added.
One such donor was Chad Blumenschein, said this was his first M*A*S*H Blood Drive, although he's been donating blood for several years.
A tragic incident in 2014 prompted him to become a donor, he explained.
"The reason why I started coming was because a few years back, my sister had an incident," Blumenschein explained. "She needed to be hospitalized and lost a lot of blood. If it wouldn't have been for the transfusions that she received while at the hospital, she would've died."
"Prior to that, I never donated; I've always been deathly afraid of needles," he continued. "But it moved me, that incident... It moved me to donate, and here I am. If it hadn't been for that horrible incident where my sister almost died, I probably wouldn't be here donating and saving lives."
Indeed, the special opportunity to give that gift of life through blood donation is likely a compelling reason for many to donate. But perhaps one of the biggest reasons why blood donation is so vital is because there's simply no substitute for human donors - blood must be given from one person to another, so blood banks like the CBC rely on the generosity of blood donors.
"It's truly this incredible act of unselfishness and compassion that is just so incredible to be a part of," Sonnentag commented.
"We have great support from Rhinelander community members, and today is a great example of that."
"While there's a lot of things that we've had to postpone or cancel... blood donation is that important and we can't stop having these blood drives to ensure that we keep that blood supply at a reliable place," she added.
As a means to ensure a stable blood supply in response to the pandemic, in April the CBC revised its blood donor qualifications in conjunction with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand eligibility for prospective donors.
While many of these issues were already on the table for discussion, COVID-19 accelerated that conversation, Sonnentag explained.
"It's a great thing," she said, "not only for ensuring a reliable blood supply, but really to work with donors who have wanted to do it but have had some restrictions previously."
She added that the CBC always welcomes first-time donors and blood donations stay within the local community.
The CBC supports close to 30 hospitals in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula, Sonnentag said. This includes local hospitals such as Ascension St. Marys in Rhinelander, Ascension Sacred Heart in Tomahawk and Ascension Eagle River in Eagle River.
CBC hosts a weekly blood drive from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Quality Inn in Rhinelander.
In addition, a number of other blood donation opportunities will be offered through the CBC in the coming months: on July 24 at the VFW in Eagle River, July 29 at Ascension St. Mary's Hospital in Rhinelander, Aug. 13 at Ascension Eagle River in Eagle River, Aug. 19 at the Oneida County Courthouse, Sept. 10 at WJFW TV-12 in Rhinelander, Sept. 15 in the Sugar Camp community and Sept. 23 again at Ascension St. Mary's Hospital in Rhinelander.
For more information on donating blood, or to schedule a donation appointment to give, call (800) 280-1402 or visit communityblood.org.
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