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Austintown library hosts blood drive
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Neighbors | Elise McKeow Skolnick.Brian Antal donated blood at the American Red Cross blood drive Sept. 19.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Volunteer Carmela Lemme got the snacks ready at the American Red Cross blood drive Sept. 19.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Bob Johnson volunteered at the blood drive at the Austintown library Sept. 19.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Tracee Dennison helped set up for the Red Cross blood drive at the Austintown library Sept. 19.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Krysta McQueen (left), Mary Ann Bee (middle) and Rosa Carpenter prepared the meeting room at the Austintown library for the Red Cross blood drive.
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
Members of the community came to the Austintown library for something other than books Sept. 19. They were there to donate blood at a drive offered by the American Red Cross.
“We come periodically,” said Penny Graft, team supervisor. “It’s a community location. The library is nice enough to let us use their facility, so we come in and open it up to the public.”
The blood collected will be used in 19 counties in north east Ohio, Graft said.
Brian Antal of Poland stopped in to donate. He has donated in the past, as well. It’s not painful, he said.
“It just takes 45 minutes and you can help a lot of people by doing it,” he said.
He was given information to read about the process and his medical history was taken.
After giving blood, the donors are given snacks and water or soda. Red Cross workers set up the equipment needed, checked donors in, took medical histories, and performed the procedure. But volunteers were also present to help out. Carmela Lemme helped with the snacks and Bob Johnson helped with labeling.
Lemme said she has volunteered with the Red Cross since she retired. Johnson has been volunteering for about 12 years.
It gives him something to do, he said.
“I think we need that. You need to do something and have time to help out a little bit,” Johnson said.