MATHEWS
RED
CROSS

Tuesdays, 2-7 pm
Piankatank Ruritan Club, Route 198, Hudgins
INFORMATION: 725-5758 or 725-5827

Kingston Parish Episcopal Church

 WHAT SHOULD A BLOOD DONOR KNOW? 
People can donate blood if they are age 17 and up, weigh at least 110 pounds, and are in general good health. A blood donor can give blood every 56 days. Mathews community blood drives are spaced to provide an opportunity for a donor to give five times a year. On the day you donate blood, eat nourishing food and drink extra water and fluids before coming to donate. Avoid fatty foods and caffeine on donation day. 

 WHAT IS A SPONSOR? 
Mathews Red Cross blood drives are sponsored by a variety of community organizations, including civic groups, churches, and the Mathews High School Beta Club. Sometimes two groups join together as co-sponsors.

The duties of the sponsoring group include putting up 90 posters around the county, providing 500 homemade cookies, and providing 16 volunteer workers to set up and take down the room, help unload the Red Cross vans, greet the donors, and operate the canteen and nursery.

 WHAT DOES A VOLUNTEER DO? 
The Mathews community blood drives are staffed by Red Cross personnel from the Mid-Atlantic Blood Services Region in Norfolk, plus 30 volunteer workers from Mathews. 

As stated above, the sponsoring group provides 16 volunteer workers for the bloodmobile. In addition, the blood drive chairperson lines up 14 volunteer workers for the sign-in table, kitchen, donor thanker, and escorts. The volunteers work one of two shifts: 2-4:30 pm or 4:30-7 pm.

Behind the scenes are additional volunteers on committees for record keeping, phone calling, and various forms of publicity, including large wooden signs, church posters, and flyers to businesses for their paycheck envelopes.

The Mathews County Red Cross needs volunteers in all capacities:  board members, service to military families, fires and other disasters, water safety, learn-to-swim program, bloodmobile, and fund raising.

If you have questions,
would like to volunteer or become a sponsor please contact
Janice Phillips, 725-5827, pappy@visi.net