GLASGOW, Del. – The Gamma Mu Nu Foundation and the Blood Bank of Delmarva will hold the second annual Dr. Charles R. Drew Memorial Blood Drive and Community Health Fair on Saturday, August 19 at the Greater Newark Boys and Girls Club.
The inaugural Dr. Charles R. Drew Memorial Blood Drive and Community Health Fair brought in 36 donors last year. This event is organized by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.’s Gamma Mu Nu Foundation, an historically African American organization.
Organizers named the event after Dr. Drew, a renown African American surgeon and researcher, who was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He was a pioneer of blood transfusion research and the storage of blood plasma during World War II. His groundbreaking work led to the development of modern blood banking in the U.S.
The blood drive is open to the public and we are encouraging donors of diverse backgrounds to participate. In 2022, the latest data available, 5% of BBD’s donors were African American, compared to African Americans being 22 percent of the State of Delaware’s population and 30 percent of the State of Maryland’s population – per the 2020 U.S. Census.
Blood drive coordinator William “Bill” Garrett hopes this becomes an annual tradition for years to come. “It’s an opportunity to educate our community on the importance of donating blood and the importance of healthcare overall,” Garrett said. “Our entire platform is service.”
Mr. Garrett can be reached at [email protected]. He is working with Blood Bank of Delmarva Account Manager Mary Moore and Director, Donor Resources Nicole Pineault to bring in more than 30 lifesaving donors once again at this year’s draw.
“We value our partnership with Omega Psi Phi and we commend the fraternity’s outreach to the local community,” Nicole Pineault said. “Every donation counts.”
This year’s blood drive is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, August 19 at the Greater Newark Boys and Girls Club. Click here to sign up or call 1-888-8-BLOOD-8.