Outdoor Galore

The prize list is amazing for this mobile blood drive!  The grand prize is one chance per day to make a half court basketball shot for $10,000 in cash.  Other raffle prizes include a beautiful patio dining set valued at $2,837 and a $2,649 value fire-pit.  A Big Green Egg barbeque, Margaritaville outdoor bar equipment, and 100 pairs of Angels baseball tickets are also up for raffle. See the full list of raffle prizes and event sponsors.

Outdoor Galore is the only locally owned one-stop-shop for all outdoor living products and services in the greater Bakersfield region. It has a diverse and unique product line for outdoor living. Outdoor Galore also offers start-to-finish design and construction services for outdoor living projects. In short: “There’s no need to go elsewhere when you can get it all at Outdoor Galore!”

 Sign up now for this great blood drive.

Sample Why? Campaign Sign by Jayme Fites

Beginning with National Hospital Week and continuing through the month of May, we will honor our blood donors with a Why? Campaign. Donors will be invited to explain in four words or less “why” they donate blood on a large “campaign sign”.

Donors will complete the phrase: “I give blood because….” Photographs of donors holding their Why? Campaign signs will be displayed in several locations, including at the blood bank, on Facebook, and in a special gallery on this website. CEO and President, Greg Gallion was among the first to complete a sample Why? Campaign sign. His said: “I give blood because it saves lives!!” Read Gallion’s letter to the community about this campaign and our partnership with hospitals.

We hope to collect more than 100 Why? Campaign signs during May 2012.

Nurses Valerie, Carlena, Jeri, and Shelly

Nurse Jeri says that she enjoys the mobiles because of the “different surroundings and variety of people.” Mobile drives are “the place where the team effort needs to kick in,” she adds. To be a blood bank nurse, Jeri believes it takes “the ability to multi-task, compassion and tactfulness.  It involves being flexible, and a sense of humor makes everything better.”  Valerie says that “getting to know donors, having friendships and relationships with people you see time and time again”, makes blood bank nursing rewarding.  She adds it also takes “the ability to be adaptable and make good decisions in a time crunch.” Carla adds “It is nice to work with selfless donors willing to help others.”

All our nurses seem to relish their work with healthy, compassionate people willing to serve those who are ill or injured.  We applaud the service of all our nurses to the mission of the blood bank, our donors, our community, and the patients we serve.

Mother’s Day month is a fitting time to recognize Michelle Martel, because she began donating in honor of her mother, Lynda. Michelle is also the youngest donor to reach our one gallon club to date.

Lynda was a two gallon donor when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010.  Michelle became interested in blood donation when she accompanied her mother to the blood bank before she was old enough to donate. Because Lynda would not be able to donate for some years after her diagnosis, Michelle and her father, Paul, started donating just as soon as Michelle turned 16.  Both Paul and Michelle received their one gallon license plates in December 2011.  Michelle is happy to report her mother is doing fine now.

Although she enjoyed helping with a blood drive at Frontier High School her junior year, Michelle donates at the blood bank so she can give with her father and boy friend.

Michelle will be attending California State University Bakersfield on a golf scholarship this fall.  She plans to become an elementary school teacher with a liberal studies degree.  This summer you may find her working the concession stand at the Bakersfield Blaze games.

Michelle urges everyone to consider donating blood “because it doesn’t take long. Only a little of your time can save someone else’s life.”

To encourage donations during Freedom Week, there will be an ongoing challenge between the branches of the military to see who can get the most participation from donors visiting Houchin Community Blood Bank at 5901 Truxtun Avenue or donating at one of our mobile blood drives throughout Kern County. Last year’s winners were the Marines. Everyone is invited to participate in honor of their own military service or that of a loved one.

At the end of Freedom Week, one lucky donor will be selected to win a trip for two to New York City sponsored by Setton Farms. Throughout the week, donors will receive American flag lapel pins and be encouraged to jot a note to the troops oversees on Freedom Week postcards.

Special activities are also planned. On Saturday, May 19, the Disabled American Veterans and the Wounded Heroes Fund will meet and greet donors who will also be treated to a barbecue lunch from 10 am to 2 pm by the Bread of Life BBQ Ministries. Goin’ Postal will also be collecting tattered flags and replacing them with new ones during the kick off event, with additional flags for donors while supplies last. On Thursday, May 26, Jake’s Tex-Mex will be providing a free barbecue dinner from 4:00 to 8:00 pm.

We hope to see both regular and new volunteers in to donate during Freedom Week to celebrate the men and women who have served, or currently serve, our country in the military.

To celebrate National Hospital Week we are hosting a blood drive sponsored by Mercy and Memorial Hospitals of Bakersfield, Dignity Health Members.  Thanks to these local hospitals we will have a drawing for three $50 gas cards each day of the drive.  What a great way for some lucky blood donors to kick off their summer travels!  All local hospitals require O- and O+ blood supplies for patients with those blood types, as well as for trauma patients whose blood types are unknown.  It is hoped this drive will attract new donors, some of whom will have O- or O+ blood.  Since established donors can only give 6 times a year, it is crucial to keep new donors coming in to meet growing local needs.

“Our hospitals work closely with us to ensure that inventory levels are maintained in a manner that allows us to best manage blood components,” said Patrick Clary, Manager of Materials and Blood Inventory. ”Because of this we seldom lose any components because they are outdated.” We celebrate our hospital partnerships and the resulting miracles of health and life that result through this celebration of National Hospital Week.

Construction of our new consolidated facility on Buena Vista Road is proceeding at a fast and furious pace to meet an opening date in late 2012.  Spaces are beginning to take shape to house the blood bank’s functions presently divided among four separate locations between downtown and southwest Bakersfield  These include manufacturing, storage and distribution, transportation, laboratory and quality assurance operations, telerecruiting, community development, information technology and administration. The present blood draw site on Truxtun will remain a donor center, and donors will also be able to give blood at the new facility.

An exciting building campaign is now underway to complete this state-of-the-art building project which will allow us to serve growing local needs for years to come.

Also on Thursday evening, a JJ’s Legacy volunteer will be available to explain why signing up on the Donate Life registry is crucial for those who wish to offer their organs at death. It is a little known fact that the pink dot alone on a license may not be enough to make one’s wishes known when tragedy strikes.  We will be exploring ways to grow our partnership through youth leadership for this global event in 2013.

This year’s celebration of Global Youth Service Day will continue through Saturday, April 21 at 3:00 pm. The winner of the JJ’s Legacy evening out prize package, as well as the winners of the National Volunteer Week gifts displayed in our canteen, will be notified on Monday, April 23, 2012 .

So let’s do it again in 2012 on Tuesday, April 3, from noon to 7:00 pm. We will bring the blood bank to east Bakersfield in a terrific storefront location in the Gottschalks wing of the East Hills Mall.  Each donor will receive a free pint of Ben & Jerry’s finest ice cream in exchange for their pint of blood, a delicious Chick-fil-A sandwich, and a goodie bag from The Vitamin Shoppe.  Compassionate Dragon will offer soothing massages to donors as well. The Lotus Radio Group is providing marketing support for the event.

We hope to see 150 donors during the drive.  The need for O- and O+ donors in particular continues. This is a great event for new donors to give blood donation a try. Anyone who has a bit of extra time during the spring break should consider giving back to our community during this great event which also raises funds for the good work of the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter.  Mascots, magic shows and more are part of this happening event. We thank Ben & Jerry’s for hosting this terrific day of community service for a second year.