EASTON, Md. – As Blood Bank of Delmarva culminates its 70th anniversary celebration, it’s worth noting that the town of Easton, Maryland has a long, storied history with Blood Bank of Delmarva that goes back 34 years.
Nestled in the center of rural Talbot County, Easton was home to the Blood Bank of the Eastern Shore before its merger with the then-Blood Bank of Delaware in 1990. Fourteen years later, in 2004, Blood Bank of Delaware-Eastern Shore was renamed to the less cumbersome Blood Bank of Delmarva.
Fast-forward to today, Easton remains a crucial part of BBD’s operations, with big numbers that convey BBD’s strong ties to Talbot County. In fact, thanks to the city’s outstanding turnout over the past year, Easton will be the “king of blood drives” for 2024.
Consider the latest blood drive held at the Easton Volunteer Fire Department on Tuesday, December 10. Account Manager Ralph Groves booked more than 90 donors, and Mobile Operations ended up collecting 88 units.
Easton Volunteer Fire Department has the biggest numbers among blood drives held in the Delmarva Peninsula with 1,097 total for the year. Lewes Senior Center, 965, and Milford Elks Lodge, 678, are currently second and third, respectively.
Indeed, Jill Poe remembers the old Blood Bank of the Eastern Shore.
“The center used to be in Easton behind the Acme,” Poe said. “I remember, as a little girl, going with my grandmother and thinking it was a really cool thing to do. I’ve always donated since I was able.”
Poe donated double red cells with her diabetic alert dog, Festus Haggen, as her husband Bill waited with his service dog, Pippa.
Kim Shellem also illustrates the strong sense of civic duty that Easton residents have.
“I was born prematurely, and I wasn’t supposed to live back in ‘52,” Shellem said. “I was given my last rites. Without people volunteering to go get mother’s milk from Buffalo down to Long Island [New York], I don’t think I would have survived. I’m here for a reason.
“I think it’s your duty to donate blood,” she added.
Donating blood in Easton is also fun in the rural, small-town setting. For instance, Suzanne Jones loves the camaraderie.
“It’s the convenience and the fellowship,” Jones said. “I always see somebody I know. I love being able to socialize while I’m donating blood, and Liv has been amazing,” she added, referring to Blood Collection Tech Liv Starling.
Rhonda Miller, an O positive donor, also appreciates BBD’s customer service.
“I pretty much do it every time they call me,” Miller said. “Whoever does the phone calls are always so kind; they make you want to come in.”
Howard Townsend is another resident who enjoys the convenience of the Easton Volunteer Fire Department. He donated double reds with Supervisor, Collections Daisy Tannen.
“It’s about two blocks from my house,” Townsend said. “I recently started donating blood again; I got back into the swing of things. I’m O positive, and you’re always after my blood.”
Sara O’Neil can attest to the Easton Fire Department Blood Drive’s popularity.
“I was excited to get the email that you had some cancelations; that’s what brought me in here,” O’Neil said. “This is where I always donate.”
As a young donor, Ann Marie Carroll is a relative newcomer to the Easton blood drives. But, the convenience makes it easy to juggle life’s strains on time and donate her O positive blood.
“I live in Easton. This is only my third time actually being able to donate blood,” Carroll said. “Previously, I got tattoos too often. So, now I donate as often as I can.”
Last, but not least, volunteer Sherrye Nickerson took care of donors in the café. Her passion for blood banking, inspired by her nephew, has led her to encourage several Rotary Clubs to host blood drives.
“They call me the Rotary vampire,” Nickerson said.
