Local American Legion post joins forces with American Red Cross for blood drive

As veterans are honored for their service to the country, WMAR recognizes a group of local vets who organized to support the need for blood donations.

THIS AMERICAN LEGION POST INEDGEWOOD IS READY TO OPEN ITSDOORS TO THE RED CROSS AFTERMANY PLACES WHICH USUALLY HOSTBLOOD DRIVES CLOSED THEIRDOORS TO VISITORS DURINGCOVI━19.

Such as hospitals orschools, especially schoolsand we do a lot of blooddrives at schools in thesummer let's face it, theamerican red cross for as muchas they do for america, theyneed all the support we cangive them HAVING ALREADY GIVENYEARS OF SERVICE TO THEIRCOUNTRY━ AMERICAN LEGIONHARFORD COUNTY COMMANDER EDMCCANN AND EDGEWOOD LION'SCLUB SECRETARY CHUCK EGENDER━ DECIDED TO ORGANIZE A BLOODDRIVE TO GIVE BACK TO THEIRCOMMUNITY DURING THE PANDEMIC.it's community service,brings the community togetherif you've been in long enough,you kind of have it built intoyou to give back, now matthow it is LIKE FELLOW VETERDAVID FORD... I've donatedblood starting in 1966 when Ifirst went into the military,and I've donated blood eversince AMERICAN RED CROSS━CENTRAL MARYLAND EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR━ MISTY BRUCE━DESCRIBES HOW BLOOD DONORS CANEXPECT TO FIND BLOOD DRIVES TOLOOK A LOT DIFFERENT THAN WHATTHEY'RE USED TO DURINGCOVI━19.

Weextra cleaning, weto make sure wedistanced, which can bechallenging to get enoughpeople in a facility to makean impact if you will,everyone has to wear masks,weTHERE ARE A FEW OTHER THINGSTHE CORONAVIRUS HAS CHANGEDFOR PEOPLE WHO DONATE BLOODTHIS YEAR.

We're going toautomatically check eitheryour plasma, your platelets,your blood, depending uponyour donation type, for thoseantibodies from COVI━19WHETHER ITS FOR EMERGENCIES ORELECTIVE SURGERIES━ THE NEEDFOR BLOOD IS ENDLESS━ BUTTHE SUPPLY IS NOT.

AND AFTERSUFFERING A RUPTURED AORTA TENYEARS AGO━ IT'S A FACT FORDKNOWS ALL TOO WELL.

I was inthe hospital for a month, Ireceived over six units ofblood, plus plasma, an othermedications during that timeframe, I wouldn't be here ifthe red cross, americanlegion, and other units hadn'tdonated bloodAND IF YOU'D LIKE TO D