Annual BDES Blood Drive moves to fairgrounds

For over 25 years, Beaver Dam Elementary School has opened its doors in January for those wishing to donate blood to the Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center.

The Beaver Dam Elementary School/Community Blood Drive, an annual three-day event, is typically held at the school and is something that the community looks forward to each year, said BDES Principal Ginger Tichenor, the daughter of event coordinators Don and Cynthia Williams.

“This is something that Beaver Dam Elementary and the community take such great pride in,” Tichenor said. “They started asking me about it in November.”

Things will look a little different this year due to COVID-19 restrictions and the school not being allowed to have visitors. This year’s event will be held today through Friday at the Ohio County Fairgrounds in Building 1.

Also, this year donors are required to make an appointment prior to giving blood. Tichenor said that is because they have to limit the number of people in the building at one time and will also allow for proper cleaning between donors.

The Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center will be taking donations today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an appointment call 270-684-9296.

The new location and limited number of appointments will definitely have an impact on the blood drive, Tichenor said.

The blood drive typically brings out about 800 donors with 700 units collected. Tichenor said that number will likely be down. January is one of the slowest months for the blood center which is a reason why the drive is held in January.

“But, they are begging for (blood) right now,” Tichenor said. “They count on our blood drive to help with their supply anyway so canceling was not an option.”

Another reason why the blood drive has always been so successful is that students always received incentives for bringing in donors. Each student who brings in four donors is allowed to go on a field trip. This year, due to COVID-19, those incentives can’t be offered which could potentially cut into the number of donors who come out during the three-day event. Yet, despite not being able to offer the incentive field trip, the WKRBC is offering the school $5 per donor which will allow the school to offer the students some type of reward for a successful drive depending on how many people turn out.

According to America’s Blood Center, one unit of donated blood can save as many as three lives. That is why Tichenor encourages all healthy people in the area to call and fill all the available appointments.

“We still have a lot of people who are healthy that can give,” she said.

WKRBC is a non-profit community blood center serving Western Kentucky since 1978. It is the sole supplier of blood and blood products used at Owensboro Health and Ohio County Healthcare, Crittenden Health System, Caldwell County Hospital, Jennie Stuart Medical Center and Breckinridge Memorial Health. It serves Daviess, Ohio, Breckinridge, Crittenden, Caldwell, Hopkins, McLean, Trigg and Hancock.