Blood drive honors memory to save lives
Dozens of people took part last week in a combined effort to help save lives during a blood drive held in honor of the memory of Detective Kristen Hearne.
The Polk County Police Department, Blood Assurance and Dr. Mark Wall all came together for the event held at the police department last week where donors were fed, clothed and given a balloon to release in Detective Hearne’s memory.
This was the second blood drive of the year organized by Officer Andy Anderson with the Polk County Police Department, who reported back that 64 units of blood were donated to help 192 lives being saved due to those donations following the Oct. 24 event.
“We believe Kristen would have really appreciated this,” Anderson said. “It is just one way we felt we could give back right now.”
Participants received T- shirts and socks for donating, plus were fed with donations from Bojangle’s and a cookout held at lunchtime, and after the day was done gift cards, and 2 $100 prizes were handed out as well.
The department also sold T-shirts to help raise money for the trust fund for Detective Kristen Hearne’s son Isaac.
The event was a large blood drive according to Blood Assurance’s Brian McDaniel.
“Companywide we have 12 units working five days a week, so we have a lot of blood drives going on at one time,” McDaniel said. “And our greatest challenge is giving blood. When 6 percent of people give blood and 94 percent of people use blood in their lifetime, so we encourage everyone to go out and give blood. You never know when you’re going to need it.