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Today’s hero

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One veteran is celebrating after donating his 50th gallon of blood.

Don Schaefer has been donating pints since he was on tour in Germany back in the 1950s.

As of today, he’s donated blood 402 times. The Red Cross in Charleston honored Schaefer with his very own plaque and banner, but Schaefer says the most rewarding thing is knowing his blood could be saving a person’s life.

* Mr. Schaefer has actually upped his game this century. Flashback to 2009…

Donald Schaefer’s family gathered around him Sunday afternoon to celebrate a special milestone.

This milestone was not a birthday, anniversary or retirement; it was the Charleston resident’s 200th donation of blood to the American Red Cross. […]

[American Red Cross District Recruiting Manager Garry Allison] said a unit of blood is equivalent to a pint, so Schaefer has given the equivalent of 25 gallons of blood over the years to the Red Cross. He said each unit is divided into red blood cells, platelets and plasma, so Schaefer’s 200 donations could have helped save the lives of up to 600 people.

The average donor gives blood once a year, although they can give blood every 56 days, Allison said.

“It is people like (Schaefer) that make what I do each and every day worthwhile,” Allison said.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 1, 21 @ 2:07 am

Comments

Thank you for posting such positive news. Love seeing happy news on a Monday morning.

Comment by Charlestonian Monday, Mar 1, 21 @ 9:32 am
Mr. Schaefer is truly walking the walk, thanks to him. The pandemic motivated me to donate for the first time in probably a decade I’m ashamed to say. I don’t think I’ll reach the every 56 days schedule but I’m going to make it a point to start going a few times a year going forward.

Comment by Excitable Boy Monday, Mar 1, 21 @ 9:41 am
50 gallons! Get that man a steak and a beer.

Comment by FranklinCounty Monday, Mar 1, 21 @ 10:07 am
As a former Charlestonian, it’s great to see some good news come out of that area for once. The whole Schaefer family are good people.

Comment by Panther Pride Monday, Mar 1, 21 @ 10:24 am
Wow. By my math, that is about 440 pounds of blood donated.

Comment by SAP Monday, Mar 1, 21 @ 10:26 am
“The average donor gives blood once a year, although they can give blood every 56 days, Allison said.”

This is only true of Whole Blood. I do double blood (O Neg, so they suggest it) and that is once every four months. Plus Platelets and Plasma donation times are separate from this.

Just to let you know that there are many ways of donating.

Comment by indianbadger Monday, Mar 1, 21 @ 11:37 am
Wow. Definitely a hero.

Comment by Louis G Atsaves Monday, Mar 1, 21 @ 11:46 am
That’s awesome! I just listened to this song in his honor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EWqTym2cQU

Comment by Jocko Monday, Mar 1, 21 @ 11:57 am
Thanks for this Rich ! I don’t give donate as much as I used too only 1-2 times a year. This is motivation to get back in and do so quarterly.

Comment by theCardinal Monday, Mar 1, 21 @ 5:29 pm
Truly a wonderful thing, a hero.

Made me smile, the good deeds of others making a big difference.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Mar 1, 21 @ 5:32 pm