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Up to 450 patients to benefit from CNY assemblymember's annual blood drive

Assemblymember Al Stirpe donates blood during the 16th Annual Lifesavers Blood Drive at Driver's Village in Cicero, July 19, 2022.
Moe Harrington
/
Office of Assemblymember Al Stirpe
Assemblymember Al Stirpe donates blood during the 16th Annual Lifesavers Blood Drive at Driver's Village in Cicero, July 19, 2022.

Hundreds of people will benefit from a lifesaving blood drive this week.

The annual event hosted by Assemblymember Al Stirpe and the American Red Cross on Tuesday yielded about 150 units of blood—enough to impact up to 450 people.

The typical drive collects up to 30 units of blood, according to the Red Cross, but Stirpe's event at Driver's Village resulted in five times that amount. The 16th Annual Lifesavers Blood Drive featured snacks, prizes and live music to draw out the dozens of donors.

"It doesn't mean anything unless people show up, and the community has really been very supportive," said Stirpe, whose district stretches from Clay to Manlius and down to Tully.

But the Red Cross reports just 3% of eligible donors in the U.S. give each year. The organization's account manager, Katie Hout said COVID made it even more difficult. The pandemic closed the sites where they'd typically collect blood, so events like Stirpe's help fill the gaps, she said.

"Community blood drives have really stepped up because we haven't been able to be in our businesses and our schools," Hout said.

Stirpe expects to go for a 17th run next year.