Gary Silberberg delivers some of the snacks for the Jan 8 blood drive at Temple Sholom
“With the devastating fires out west, numerous hurricanes in the not too distant past, snow storms and record cold, blood drives get cancelled and appointments missed,” said Gary Silberberg, a longtime Red Cross volunteer. “Plus, at this time of year, people often suffer from colds and flu reducing the number of eligible donors. We need all healthy donors to show up, whether or not they have an appointment.”
On Monday, Jan 8, there will be a blood drive from 1:30 to 6:30pm at Temple Sholom. The drive is staffed by the Red Cross, but volunteers assist by registering donors and guiding people across the floor to the canteen, for example.
Silberberg said he expects the event will set records. As of Sunday, 140 appointments for blood donations were already made, but about 200 are anticipated in all.
“We’ll have plenty of staff to accommodate people,” Silberberg said. “If all goes well, you can get in and out within an hour.”
“How you prepare to give blood matters,” he continued. “Drink a lot of water and eat green leafy vegetables and red meat to get your Hemoglobin up.”
Click here and add 06830 to the prompt to find Monday’s drive at Temple Sholom.
Temple Sholom is located at 300 East Putnam Ave. Anyone age 17+ who weighs at least 110 lbs and is in good general health should consider making an appointment.
Visit Red Cross donating blood online. Call the Red Cross at (800) 733-2767 with questions.
Before donating blood, the Red Cross suggests donors drink an extra 16 oz. of water or nonalcoholic fluids, avoid fatty foods and get a good night’s sleep before the donation. The Red Cross has a simple list of steps for a successful donation.