The 2004 Blood Drive

Over the past number of years, Brother Dick Jones has served not just as the Chairman of the St. Elizabeth Council Blood Drive but also one of its best contributors. To say that Brother Jones has made periodic contributions of blood to the various blood banks of our area would be an understatement.

Some people can testify that they have donated pints, quarts, perhaps gallons of blood to the various agencies authorized to collect and process blood. In Brother Dick's case, we have had to create a new category: TANKER TRUCK CONTRIBUTOR. And, this is not a joke, but very serious.

The problem that Brother Dick is facing is not if he can contribute but if the Stanford Hospital Blood Bank staff can find a viable vein in either of his arms in order to facilitate a donation.

However, there were those who elected to follow in Dick's example and give blood. For those members of the Knights and their family members, we salute you.

Check out the photos below and if you can, at least get a sense that this was a good time to be had by all.

So, who else to exemplify the idea of having a good time but our own Worthy Warden, Brother Skip Yenchik.

As we see him pictured here, Brother Skip has been hooked up to the blood collecting equipment that will assure that his contribution of the life giving fluids will proceed smoothly.

On the picture to your right, St. Elizabeth Parish Councilman Serena fills out the required paperwork to verify his ability to contribute blood. What is of importance to know is that of those individuals who signed up to donate blood, some were turned away and told to come back at a later time due to either a disease, travel to a foreign country, or the results of a blood test that detected a condition that would disqualify the potential donor.

Our Council's Worthy Grand Knight, Joe Byrne, reviews, contemplates, and answers the myriad of questions posed by the Stanford Blood Bank to detemine a donor's qualifications.	After donating blood, the donors are required to rest for 15 minutes before departing the donation area. Snacks are provided	Stanford Blood Bank Staff members monitor the conditions of the donors to make sure that all is going well and that there are no serious health conditions arising amongst the donors.

And, speaking of having a good time while making a donation of life, none other than the guru of donations, the king of the blood banks, the donator of donators, yes, we are referring none other than Brother Dick Jones, who is not only our Blood Donations chairman but in his own right is a man who puts his arm where his mouth is. Brother Dick Jones, as referred to above, is the donator of donators. At last count, his amount of blood donated goes beyond the pint, quart, and gallon category.

On your right, Beth Crews, wife of our Deputy Grand Knight Tim Crews, kicks back and takes a few minutes off as she donates the gift of life.