by Dana Willard, Media Specialist, Round Rock East Stake
GEORGETOWN, Texas — Preparing for potential demands, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Round Rock Texas East Stake participated in a blood drive in Georgetown.
The church community acted in response to a plea from United States Surgeon General Jerome Adams, urging healthy Americans to donate blood.
“We’re worried about potential blood shortages in the future (due to COVID-19). Social distancing does not have to mean social disengagement,” Adams said.
On March 17, Nancy Comacho, public affairs specialist from the Serenada ward began organizing. The following day, the event was listed on the Red Cross website. A day later, 33 people had signed up.
Since Williamson County is under an order to prevent having 10 or more people in a gathering due to the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus, it was a logistical challenge to have donors, workers and volunteers in a room at the same time. Organizers worked with the Red Cross and made plans to space the donors to not exceed 10, while many people waited in their cars until space became available.
Donors willingly accommodated strategic timing in order to seize the opportunity to serve and give, after which many thanked Red Cross workers for their time.
At the end of the day, 34 pints of blood were collected, which could potentially result in thirty-four lives being saved, for listening to a call and acting upon it.
Another blood drive will be held on Tuesday, March 24, in Round Rock. Contact the Red Cross or the We Are Blood organization https://weareblood.org for more information.
(PHOTOS/Dana Willard)