BLOOD DONATIONS INCREASE 20% IN RECORD-BREAKING SUMMER BLOOD CHALLENGE COMPETITION
Awards Parties to be held on September 27 & 28 to honor winners, feature local teenager alive today because of blood donors
Newark, DE - The 9th annual Summer Blood Challenge (SBC), a competition among local employers to recruit the most Blood Bank members and donors during the summer, just ended on September 11 and has had record-breaking results. This year, 186 local employers participated in the competition, bringing in 8,611 blood donations and 1,691 new Blood Bank members. That's a blood donation increase of 20% over last year's SBC.
"The growth that we've seen with this competition has been phenomenal. The SBC helps raise awareness of the need for blood at a time when many potential donors are away on vacation and there are no school blood drives, which provide about 11% of the local blood supply," said Roy Roper, President and CEO of Blood Bank of Delmarva. "We're so proud to have such a dedicated, loyal legion of blood donors who take time out of their busy schedules to donate blood and ensure that local hospitals have what they need to save lives."
Because of the summer competition and a high level of support from local employers, Blood Bank of Delmarva has been able to avoid serious summer blood shortages that often affect other areas of the country.
Top Lifesaving Employers and Donors to be honored on September 27 & 28
Representatives from participating SBC businesses and organizations will be recognized at Awards Parties in Newark, DE and Salisbury, MD. The Awards Party in Newark will take place on Tuesday, September 27 from 6pm to 8pm at Deerfield Country Club (507 Thompson Station Road). The Salisbury event will be on Wednesday, September 28 from Noon to 1:30pm at The Fountains Wedding & Conference Center (1800 Sweetbay Drive).
17-year-old Lee Lee Jones of Delmar, DE will be the featured speaker at both events. Lee Lee credits blood donors for giving her a second chance at life after she was involved in a near-fatal car accident last summer. She lost more than a third of her blood volume before she was airlifted to the hospital, and it took multiple surgeries and blood transfusions to save her life. Lee Lee and her family will share their story and thank SBC participants for their commitment to the cause.
In addition to recognizing participants and top employers and donors at the two Awards Parties, there will also be winners named in the competition's Grand Prize Giveaway. Seven SBC participants have been randomly selected as finalists and have been invited to the Awards Parties to find out what they've won. Prizes include Fusion Fitness Gift Packs, two NASCAR tickets to the October race in Dover, a $500 VISA gift card, a trip for two to New York City and an Alaskan Cruise.
