OGLETOWN, Del. – The second annual Love for Lisa Blood Drive booked 41 donors at the Delaware Saungerbund & Library Association near Christiana on Sunday, October 20, and an additional 18 walk-ins resulted in an outstanding 52 units collected.
It was an outstanding performance for the second effort by organizers, led by Dean Dyer, Manager, Enterprise Collaboration Systems for New York Blood Center Enterprises, parent company of Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD).
Once again, the blood drive was a touching tribute to the memory of the late Lisa Schmalbach Boyer, who left an indelible mark on many before she passed away of leukemia on October 15, 2022.
Dyer thanked all those who donated as well as Peter Boyer, Judy Ariganello, Gretchen Loose, and Kim Huggins Habbert, who helped get the word out to make this blood drive a success.
“We celebrate Lisa Schmalbach Boyer‘s life today and all she gave to so many in need,” he said. “We gave blood today so those who need it will have it at those critical moments in their life, as Lisa did during her treatments.”
Boyer was an athletic trainer who previously worked with Dean and his wife, Rebecca, at ATI Physical Therapy. She was one of those larger-than-life, gregarious people who was always laughing and was always fun to be around. Lisa also worked with a number of local high schools. Tragically, she passed away after a battle with leukemia.
Her widower, Peter Boyer, and her daughter, Emma, were at the blood drive. Emma plans to attend Padua Academy, where her mother worked as an athletic trainer.
After Peter donated double red cells, he told Dyer how impressed he was with this event, which they both hope will be held on an annual basis.
“I know at least 10 people who came last year and had never given blood,” he said.
Jane Boudart returned to this blood drive for the second straight year, and this time she brought her daughter, Abby, whose athletic trainer at Padua was Boyer.
Habbert, who is the Wilmington University women’s volleyball coach, brought her team to volunteer in the café for the second straight year. About half a dozen of them also donated. This falls in line with the mandate the team has to do community service every year, Habbert said.
“They were definitely excited to do it,” she said. “Most of them came last year; they enjoyed engaging people for a good cause. Obviously, for some of them, this was their first time donating blood. They knew it was something personal for me, but it was something they enjoyed being part of last year, and they wanted to be part of it again.”
Among the Wilmington University women’s volleyball players volunteering were Ally Jonika,
Krystal Creek, Claudia Melendez, Brady Hrivnak, Eliza Schneider, Kaiya Medina, and Alex Serna.
In addition, Melendez donated blood for the first time, while Serna donated for the second time, among other WU volleyball players.