VCSU Blood Drive Brings in 58 Volunteers
Valley City, ND – Valley City State University hosted a blood drive with Vitalant on February 4 at Valley City State University which helped collect a total of 63 units of blood products for patients in need.
A total of 58 individuals volunteered to donate blood and 47 individuals were able to donate at the Vitalant blood drive on February 4. A total of six donors also came forward to donate Power Red Cells (2RBC) which collects two units of red blood cells while returning platelets, plasma and a saline solution back to the donor. There were 12 people who volunteered for the first time.
Vitalant expressed their gratitude to Becky Pfennig, who coordinated the drive, and Student Nurse Organization which sponsored the blood drive, as well as Valley City State University, for providing a location for the drive.
Living through a pandemic can lead to many uncertainties, although one thing we are sure of, is that the need for blood never ceases. Blood is only useable for 42 days, so a constant supply is always needed, no matter the season. Winter has challenges with the threat of weather/travel and planning, but the winter weather is no wonderland for hospital patients who depend on blood to keep them healthy and alive.
Vitalant is currently testing all successful blood, platelet and plasma donations for antibodies to SARSCoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. We are providing an initial test, to help identify donors who could help COVID-19 patients by becoming future convalescent plasma donors. Because antibodies are part of the body's immune response and not the virus itself, antibody testing cannot be used to diagnose current coronavirus infection. Please postpone your donation if you are feeling unwell or suspect you may have COVID-19. Individuals must be symptom free for at least 28 days to be eligible to give blood.
Learn more about eligibility for convalescent plasma donation by visiting vitalant.org/covidfree
Donors can make a convenient appointment to give blood at www. bloodhero.com or by calling 877-25-VITAL. With each donation, donors receive a free total cholesterol test. The next blood drive at this location is planned to be held on: Tuesday, April 27th, 2021.
Blood donation takes about an hour from check-in to refreshments. Donors can save about 20 minutes by completing their Health History Questionnaire the day they donate on www.vitalant.org/health
Alice Lee Roosevelt
February 17, 2020 — This day February 17, 1884, Alice Lee Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt’s first child was christened. Three days earlier, Roosevelt had lost both his wife and mother. To cope with his sorrow, he moved to a ranch in Dakota Territory, leaving Alice in the care of his older sister, Bamie.
Alice was eventually reunited with her father and grew into a strongwilled, politically active woman, who played poker with Warren G. Harding, was a favorite dinner guest of John F. Kennedy and trusted friend of Richard Nixon.
Alice Roosevelt never visited North Dakota, yet she did visit the Maltese Cross cabin. For the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, Theodore Roosevelt’s cabin was moved to Missouri and put on display in the fair’s North Dakota exhibit. While at the fair, Alice Roosevelt visited her father’s old cabin and marked the occasion by placing a silver plaque on the front door.
“Dakota Datebook” is a radio series from Prairie Public in partnership with the State Historical Society of North Dakota and with funding from the North Dakota Humanities Council. See all the Dakota Datebooks
at prairiepublic. org, subscribe to the “Dakota Datebook” podcast, or buy the Dakota Datebook book at shopprairiepublic.org.