News and Events

5 and 6-year-old "Daisies" deliver cookies on May 20 at 4pm

Newark, DE - It's no secret that blood donors love the canteen cookies. And the cookie selection at the Blood Bank just got a little sweeter.

The Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay will be delivering 600 boxes of cookies to the Blood Bank's Christiana Donor Center (100 Hygeia Drive in Newark) on Wednesday, May 20 at 4pm. This comes after they donated and delivered 240 boxes to the Salisbury Center.

Blood Bank of Delmarva was chosen as a recipient of this cookie donation through an annual campaign called "Operation Taste of Home." The campaign allows the public to buy Girl Scout cookies that will be sent to military troops around the world and to local organizations on Delmarva.

"This program is incredibly successful. It's a wonderful way to help our soldiers overseas along with lifesaving organizations here in the Delmarva Peninsula as well," said Liz Farrell, communications and advocacy manager of the Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay Council, Inc.

The cookies will be served to donors at all Blood Bank locations after their blood donation.

Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant in Wilmington

Eighteen of the first 1000 blood donors at the new Wilmington Donor Center were selected randomly for prizes, including one of locally renowned photographer Kevin Fleming's best-selling books, "Wild Delaware" and "Delaware," one of Fleming's framed prints, or an HDTV.

Events held May 11 and 14 to kick off competition to save lives

NEWARK, DE - The 7th annual Summer Blood Challenge (SBC) kicks off on Tuesday, May 26 and continues through Saturday, September 5. The Challenge is a competition among local employers to recruit the most Blood Bank members and donors during the summer months when fewer people typically give blood.

"The theme 'Summertime and the Giving is Easy' sets the tone that despite the current tough economic times, giving blood is still a great way to give back this summer. You can save lives and it won't cost you a dime," said Carrie Aiken, spokesperson for Blood Bank of Delmarva.

SBC participants will earn chances to win exciting prizes, including (4) $50 VISA gift cards awarded weekly throughout the Challenge, a $500 VISA gift card, and an all-inclusive dream vacation for two to Edenh Real Arena & Resort in Punta Cana.

Two SBC kick-off events will be held for representatives from each participating employer to learn more about the competition and hear from local blood recipients about the importance of blood donations. One event will be at Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant on the Riverfront in Wilmington, DE on Monday, May 11 and the other will be at Brew River in Salisbury, MD on Thursday, May 14. Both events are from 5pm - 7pm.

Last year, employees in the Summer Blood Challenge contributed a total of 5,896 blood donations and 2,360 new Blood Bank members.

How employers earn points
- Become a Blood Bank member - ONE POINT
- Give blood - ONE OR TWO POINTS*
*Points vary based on type of donation.
- Sign up for 5K Walk/Run - ONE POINT
- Young Blood (ages 35 and under) - TWO POINTS
(Younger donors are needed to ensure the future blood supply.)

How to get involved
Employers that would like to be involved in the 2009 Summer Blood Challenge should contact Lisa Gravely, Blood Bank Marketing Manager, at (302) 737-8405 ext. 887 or lgravely@bbd.org. To schedule an appointment to donate, call 1 888 8-BLOOD-8 or click here.

There are four convenient donor centers:
- Newark (across from Christiana Hospital)
- Wilmington (913 North Market Street)
- Dover (221 Saulsbury Road)
- Salisbury (1309 Mt. Hermon Road)

There are also 29 mobile sites across Delmarva. For that schedule, click here.

Recognition event to be held May 7 for winners of grand-opening promotion

Wilmington, DE - After just 3 months in the new location, staff at the Wilmington Donor Center reached a significant milestone by processing the center's 1000th donor. This milestone marks the end of the Blood Bank's grand-opening promotion for prizes. Prize winners were selected randomly from among the first 1000 donors at the center for great gifts, including locally renowned photographer Kevin Fleming's best-selling books, autographed and framed versions of his most popular prints, and the grand prize - an HDTV.

There will be a drawing for the distribution of prizes culminating in the grand prize drawing and a recognition ceremony held for all of the winners at the Wilmington Donor Center (913 North Market Street) on Thursday, May 7 at 10am. Kevin Fleming will be on hand to conduct the drawing, sign the books and prints, and present the prizes.

"It's an honor to be able to recognize those who have taken time out of their busy schedules to donate blood downtown," said Robert L. Travis, Blood Bank President and CEO. "Now that we have a much more visible location on Market Street, I'm confident that we'll continue to see an increase in blood donors."

Prizes for this promotion were donated by Kevin Fleming and Digital Technologies.

About the New Wilmington Donor Center
Wilmington Center donors enjoy "perks." It has free WiFi, a gourmet coffee bar, and validated parking for blood donors (a new parking garage is located directly across the street on Shipley Street). The Wilmington center is open Monday to Friday and has alternating day and evening hours. Blood Bank of Delmarva has three other permanent donor centers (Newark and Dover, DE and Salisbury, MD) and 29 mobile locations throughout Delmarva.