Multiple blood donors honoured

They are people who have given the gift of life–over and over and over again.
Local residents Paul Fraser, Darcy Oliver, Pat Pacarenuk, Ken Robertson, and Elsie Ward were honoured at the Canadian Blood Services donor clinic last Thursday night at Fort High for giving blood 35 times or more.
“That’s 35 units each,” noted Mayor Glenn Witherspoon, who was on hand to present each one with a certificate of merit. “If you put them all together, that’s a lot of blood.”
Oliver has been giving blood since he started working at the mill here about 33 years ago. Although there was a time where he couldn’t give blood because he was getting allergy shots, Oliver said he’s given every year he could.
“I think it’s just important that we give the gift of life if we’re capable of it,” he stressed. “Those who can, I feel we should.”
“[I give] because I can,” echoed Robertson. “A lot of people can’t.”
Robertson was at the clinic Thursday night to make donation number 38. He’s been giving blood for the last 19 years, since he was 18, and it doesn’t sound like he’ll quit anytime soon.
“I just found out last year when you’re in Winnipeg, you can give there,” he said. “I would have given on a trip there.”
Ward has been giving blood since she was 20 years old, adding up to 40 years of donations. “I was always very happy to give somebody life,” she remarked. “I always thought it was a very good thing to do.”
Meanwhile, Fraser has made his 35 donations over a period of almost 30 years, noting he had a very practical reason for giving.
“I’d like to think if I ever needed a blood donation for me, [it would be there],” he said. “It’s my way of making sure.”
The local blood donor clinic, held last Wednesday and Thursday, was co-ordinated by the La Verendrye hospital auxiliary.
Auxiliary member Marnee Miller said they fell short of their two-day quota of 370 by 26 donors although Canadian Blood Services seemed pleased with how the event went.
Miller said the next donor clinic likely will be held next May, noting it would be nice to make up for the shortfall this time around then.
“We’ll take all we can get,” she stressed.