Sixty years strong. This is what a lifetime of dedication looks like
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When they began volunteering, the two didn’t know each other but met when they both started volunteering at blood drives in Albany, OR and now this pair volunteers together whenever they get the chance. On an unsuspecting Friday afternoon, we surprised them with their 60 year pins – something that has never been awarded before in the Cascades Region.
Ginny’s connection to the Red Cross began when she worked as a hospital nurse. “I had a patient who was using blood products and she got me started” Ginny recalls. Witnessing the urgent need firsthand kickstarted Ginny’s lifesaving adventure with the Red Cross. She even got her family involved, “I got my brother started, we were in competition for a long time”.
The connections she makes along the way have been especially rewarding, “It’s fun when you get to know the donors. They’ll pull out their phones and show you their grandchild!”. It’s no surprise Ginny is quick to make new friends. With Ginny’s comforting presence, she’s found that all it takes to get new blood donors in the door is “a little encouragement and they’ll come in and donate”.
