Fiducial Employees Roll Up Sleeves, Donate To Red Cross

COLUMBIA, MD (Monday, August 01, 2005) - The American Red Cross Bloodmobile made a stop at Fiducial’s Technical and Administrative Support Center (TASC) in Columbia, MD, last week with Fiducial employees rolling up their sleeves and donating 14 pints of blood. That’s enough to help save the lives of 42 people, according to Red Cross.

Someone needs blood in America every two seconds. With the current inventory of blood at less than a three-day supply across the country, the Red Cross has an urgent need for life-saving donations. While giving blood is easy, safe and takes less than one hour, only 5% of eligible Americans donate blood.

“We’re in a state of emergency for blood donations,” said Kelli Sawyer, a Red Cross account representative based in Columbia. “There’s still a need for blood at some hospitals in the area.”

Sawyer says that the Red Cross traditionally gets a lot of donations from high school and college students during the school year but when school is out these groups are tougher to reach.

“Our blood supply is low because we don’t get as many donations in the summer due to people being on vacation,” said Tanya Beinkampen, a member of the Bloodmobile staff from the Mt. Hope Drive office in Baltimore.

The Red Cross reminds donors that blood must be available at a moment’s notice to help patients in need. Donors can give every 56 days and up to six times a year. Persons who have spent long periods of time in countries where "mad cow disease" is found are not eligible to donate nor are those who have received a tattoo in the past 12 months. But the main reason why people don’t donate blood is that they’ve never been asked.

After making their donations, Fiducial employees enjoyed cookies, pretzels and cold drinks provided by the Red Cross. There were t-shirts and pins given away to first-time donors.

Though nervous donors are often hesitant to face the needle, most donors agreed that the good deed was worth the momentary pricking which feels “like a little sting.”

It might save somebody’s life

Patrick Pase, a payroll tax administrator, recently joined Fiducial after moving up from Houston, TX. He’s donated blood before so he was well acquainted with the procedure.

Why did he donate blood?

“Because I was asked,” said Pase who was laid-back about the whole experience. “It was very pleasant and there was no pain.”

Regina Koza, a support tech in Fiducial’s IT department, hoped that by giving blood it would give somebody life.

“I think this is the best charitable thing that Fiducial has done,” said Koza. “I’m very proud of the company for doing this.”

Human resources generalist Karen Vander Maas Walsh helped coordinate the event for Fiducial and also found time to give blood. For a first-time blood drive she says this was a great showing.

“I was overwhelmed by the level of willingness to participate of all the employees regardless of whether they were able to actively donate or not,” said Walsh. “I donated because it’s just a no-brainer. It’s an easy thing to do that can benefit somebody.”

Joe Crossney, Fiducial’s director of systems support and development, observed that this was a good cause that needed to be addressed.

“For people who can do it, they should,” said Crossney. “If you can do it, do it.”

Lead telemarketer Steve McKeown works in the Fiducial Call Center. He took a break from his dialing duties to donate blood because it might save somebody’s life.

“I’d like to think someone would donate for me,” said McKeown.

Each unit of blood given by Fiducial employees went to the Mount Hope center where it would be processed and used for patients right away in the Chesapeake & Potomac Region which comprises all Maryland, Washington, D.C., southern Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia. Fiducial’s company offices were also encouraged to participate by donating blood at their local Red Cross donor center or hospital on the same day.

View all Fiducial Press Releases

This article has been read 359 times.

Printer Friendly