On July 19, 2023

Thanks for donating blood

 

Dear Editor,

Despite the storm, Pete Giancola Gift-of-Life Mini Marathon on Tuesday, July 12 turned out to be quite amazing! Thanks to the Red Cross staff, volunteers, and the many, many people who turned out despite the challenges, we had a remarkable day.

After an incredible push in the final 48 hours before the drive, we filled our appointment slots and were on pace to do around 250 pints. Unfortunately, numerous Red Cross staff from Burlington got stranded by flood waters Monday night in Barre, and New Hampshire staff who were supposed to come over and help were also unable to get to Rutland because of all the east-west roads being flooded and damaged.

As a result, the drive’s goal was slashed to just 55 pints, which was especially disappointing, given the need this time of year. We had to cancel the portion of the drive at the Elks Club.

Despite that, Red Cross staff and dozens of volunteers banded together and vastly exceeded our expectations. They were able to collect 120 pints of blood, more than twice our goal at that point. This is a testament to Rutland and Rutland County, which always comes through in the clutch.

Given the loss of the Elks Club drive, the Red Cross has scheduled several more drives in Rutland County in the coming weeks. Donors whose appointments were canceled, and other donors, can make appointments at  redcrossblood.org or by calling 800-Red-Cross.

This drive is a success thanks to great support from Green Mountain Power, WJJR, the Red Cross, volunteers, donors, and the Giancola family. We’re already planning the 2023 Gift-of-Life Marathon in December, which will mark the 10th anniversary of the national-record-setting drive in 2013. The record of 2,360 pints in one day still stands.

Steve Costello, Rutland

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

Closing schools doesn’t fix Vermont’s education affordibility problems

October 30, 2024
By Margaret MacLean Editor’s note: Margaret MacLean, of Peacham, is a retired Vermont teacher and award-winning principal. She is the founding executive director of the Vermont Rural Education Collaborative, a past employee of the Rural School and Community Trust, and served on the Vermont State Board of Education.  Roxbury parents can meet most of the…

Making Vermont a place working families want to call home

October 30, 2024
By Rebecca Holcombe Editor’s note: Rebecca Holcombe is a Vermont Representative from Windsor-Orange 2 who served as the Vermont Secretary of Education from 2014 to 2018. Vermonters suffer from unsustainable increases in the cost of everything from property taxes to healthcare. Too many people are working hard and stretching Social Security checks but still worry…

Don’t be fooled by false promises

October 30, 2024
Dear Editor,  There is no simple solution to the challenges that Vermonters face. There needs to be a delicate balance between what, on the surface, seems like appealing short-term solutions to the cost of living for all Vermonters versus the vision for long-term planning that creates financial stability and growth into the future.  Do not…

Context matters

October 30, 2024
Dear Editor, In an October 23 letter to the Mountain Times, Steve Berry wrote, “John Kerry stated at a World Economic Forum panel, ‘Our First Amendment stands as a major block (to getting things done).’”  You may wonder why Mr. Berry uses such odd syntax, placing part of the quote in parentheses. Maybe it’s because…