In recognition of April as National Volunteer Month, we asked our four Community Development Account Managers to select volunteers to recognize for their ongoing service to Houchin Community Blood Bank. Meet their choices:
Pat and Pastor Scott Pearson
Scott Pearson for Publicizing Our Mobile Drives in Taft, by Tracy Hunter
Scott Pearson is the Pastor of the First Baptist Church and has long been committed to promoting the Taft Community Blood Drives. Scott has been instrumental in distributing posters and flyers throughout the Taft community, including to his congregation. He never fails to provide the Taft Independent with the drive dates and follow up information on the drive results as well. He has been a vital contributor to the success of our Taft Community drives for many years. His contribution has surely made the difference in each life touched by a single blood donation. Thank you Pastor Scott Pearson!
Claire Frisch greets a student
Claire Frisch for Work with High School Drives, by Stephanie Gibbons
Claire Frisch started volunteering with Houchin about 7 years ago. She was a faithful donor for many years, donating from 1991 until she was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. That didn’t stop Claire from volunteering at our High School mobiles. She only took off a few months and was back to assist at the high schools. Claire’s mission during her retirement is to stay busy, and being involved with the blood bank promotes her passion for blood donation. Besides her work with Houchin, Claire is also a dedicated volunteer with the Guild House and Mercy Learning Center. Her faithfulness and reliability can’t be measured. Claire is a huge asset to us and always gives her best each time she volunteers. Thanks Claire!
Joe and Mimi Audelo
Mimi Audelo and Sean Collins for Boots & Badges, by Hania Jakyma
Mimi Audelo, Event Director at Adventist Health, wrapped her arms and heart around the idea of holding regular scheduled blood drives as San Joaquin Community Hospital for all staff members as well the public. She continues to spearhead those drives, but before long, Mimi had a vision of a friendly competition between Kern County Firefighters and Bakersfield City Firefighters to be held during National Burn Awareness Week.
Sean Collins and Ray Pruitt at Boots & Badges 2013
Mimi contacted Sean Collins, Public Information Officer and Fire Captain with the Kern County Fire Department. They both came to the table to develop the idea of holding a county wide week long blood drive competition to include all public agencies for National Burn Awareness Week. This developed into a competition between Fire / Emergency Medical Services vs. Law Enforcement, and the annual drive is now known as Boots & Badges. Their collective vision and connections in Kern County made it happen in February 2012, and we look forward to the third annual drive in 2014. Thank you Mimi and Sean for all you do to ensure Kern County has a healthy blood supply. You are truly LIFESAVERS!
Amy Covert greets donor Jeffery Nagels
Amy Covert for Ridgecrest Mobile Support, by Christina Scrivner
We take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank Amy Covert, one of our special volunteers in Ridgecrest! For those who donate there, Amy is a very familiar and always smiling face at the local blood drives. Amy has volunteered for almost 100 blood drives in the last 4 years! Although Amy is a busy mom, and SSUSD Board Member, she continues to contribute to our effort. At our Ridgecrest blood drives, she can be seen handing out t-shirts and water, taking donors out to the bloodmobile, and posting to Facebook to encourage all of her friends to come in to donate. Amy is instrumental in keeping our busy blood drives flowing smoothly. Thank you Amy for making such a difference with our Ridgecrest mobile drives!
We appreciate ALL the volunteers who make our work possible throughout Kern County. Thank you for your service to our community.
The Open House on March 23, 2013 to introduce the public to our new Bolthouse Donor Center was a tremendous success, with about 600 people in attendance. During a brief program, Congressman Kevin McCarthy, Senator Jean Fuller and Mayor Harvey L. Hall all spoke glowingly of what the new building means to our community. We thank former Kern County Supervisor Karen Goh for the excellent 
During the event, staff members led groups of the public through on tours, including “behind-the-scenes” where blood is manufactured into various components for transfusion, and stored for distribution to local hospitals, cancer centers and similar transfusion providers. “I enjoyed explaining how our computer network supports the work Houchin does in our community,” says Tyler Stafford, Network Administrator. “I was very pleased that the community supported us with their attendance. All who toured seemed very interested in what we do,” said Rick Roberts, Lead CLS & General Laboratory Supervisor. Michele Burris, who recently joined us as Director of Technical Services, really enjoyed the event and adds: “The tours seemed to open the public’s eyes to what happens to their blood after they give it.”
The first Thursday of April each year is National Burrito Day, and 
To encourage young people to consider blood donation as a community service action, we will be celebrating the annual Global Youth Service Day from Friday, April 26 to Sunday, April 28, 2013. According to its website, 
“On behalf of YSA, our partner organizations, and the millions of young people preparing for Global Youth Service Day, I extend my sincerest appreciation to the First Lady for serving as the honorary chair of Global Youth Service Day. She and the entire Administration are making young people and national service a priority,” said Steven A. Culbertson, President and CEO of YSA. “Mrs. Obama is a role model to so many young people in the United States and around the world, and because of her leadership, more children and teens will step up to begin a lifetime to service on Global Youth Service Day.”To celebrate, we will be encouraging the youth to take part in this event by pledging to give blood twice before September 15, 2013 at either donor center throughout summer. The summer is always a difficult time to keep blood inventories up all over the nation, since high school students provide so much of the supply. Regular donors are also traveling and unavailable to respond. Therefore, we are encouraging the youth to make a commitment during Global Youth Service Day to give blood twice this summer. Pledge to make a difference and save lives by giving. For more information on the event contact Community Development CoordinatorJoy Invina or Community Development Intern Grace Vega at 661-616-2522. To sign up fill out the pledge form below. 
The Bakersfield Black Hole Club is organizing a Blood Bowl for local football fans during the 
Sculptor Betty Younger, and her husband Milt, have donated the “Mending Hearts” sculpture on the west patio adjacent to the canteen at the Bolthouse Donor Center. Mrs. Younger’s sculptures grace our community from the California Living Museum, or CALM, to numerous public locations downtown. ”Mending Hearts” brings her work to a location in Bakersfield’s rapidly growing southwest. The sculpture was dedicated during the Open House at the Bolthouse Donor Center on Saturday, March 23.
You’re invited to come out, bring the family and join Houchin Community Blood Bank for a complimentary BBQ lunch and open house on Saturday, March 23, 2013. This is your opportunity to tour 
The dedication of the “Mending Hearts” sculpture by Betty Younger located on the west patio will also take place as part of the festivities.
