In last week’s newspaper, we shared a story of Dean Choitz, who recently hit the 20-gallon mark for blood donation with the Red Cross. Also mentioned were Keith Bruning and Charles Huslig. Each are regular blood donors.

We applaud these gentlemen for their dedication to donating blood.

According to the Red Cross, the organization experienced a 10 percent drop in the number of people donating since the beginning of the pandemic. Local, state and national efforts continue to entice donors to make appointments. The organization is getting creative, offering gift cards, bonus gifts and some really splashy prizes.

In July, the Red Cross awarded a trip to Graceland. In August, a winner was gifted Shark Week-related merchandise. In September, three donors were gifted free gas for a year. In November, a donor was given a VIP NASCAR racing experience.

As cold and flu season kick into overdrive, the Red Cross typically experiences a dip in donations. In January the organization declared its first-ever blood crisis. They supply 40 percent of the nation’s blood to hospitals.

While as Americans, it’s easy to want to throw money at a perceived problem to yield the solution, the cold, stark reality is that money can’t fix this. Donors give out of the goodness of their hearts; blood donations cannot be forced.

If you are able, please consider giving the gift of live via a blood donation. Upcoming blood drives in Ellsworth include Dec. 6 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church; Jan. 18 at Ellsworth Jr./Sr. High School; Feb. 3 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church and Feb. 15 at the Ellsworth County Health Department.

Karen Bonar Publisher