The John Buciak Old St. Pat’s
American Red Cross Blood Drive was a
Huge Success – Thanks To You!
Photo credit: Daniel Pels
On Sunday, November 13th, Old St. Pat’s held its 26th consecutive annual Blood Drive. YES, we started our 2nd Quarter Century!!!
Over 100 people joined to donate God’s gift of life. We collected 98 units! While keeping everyone involved safe and well. These units helped over 300 people in need of blood at a critical time in lives. There were 22 FIRST TIME DONORS!!! We were honored and grateful to welcome them to an extremely special club of blood donors.
Over 100 people joined to donate God’s gift of life. We collected 98 units! While keeping everyone involved safe and well. These units helped over 300 people in need of blood at a critical time in lives. There were 22 FIRST TIME DONORS!!! We were honored and grateful to welcome them to an extremely special club of blood donors.
Photo credit: Daniel Pels
The American Red Cross followed the highest standards of safety and infection control including the CDC guidelines.
We paid special honor to all of our Veterans by sharing God’s gift of life with others most in need.
More than 120 people joined us to donate or volunteer this year. We had donors from across the street to many communities throughout the city including Vietnam Army Veteran, Bill Corbett from Evergreen Park. We had a record number of non-St. Pat’s members come to join us. We showed them thanks to our volunteers a warm welcome and wonderful hospitality. We had over 20 volunteers who donated their time and smiles.
We paid special honor to all of our Veterans by sharing God’s gift of life with others most in need.
More than 120 people joined us to donate or volunteer this year. We had donors from across the street to many communities throughout the city including Vietnam Army Veteran, Bill Corbett from Evergreen Park. We had a record number of non-St. Pat’s members come to join us. We showed them thanks to our volunteers a warm welcome and wonderful hospitality. We had over 20 volunteers who donated their time and smiles.
Photo credit: Daniel Pels
We would like to thank everyone involved in our annual Blood Drive, especially our generous donors who are indeed the perfect example of a living Christ in a difficult world. We also would like to thank our volunteers Angel, Ibeth who also donated a pint, Marie, Mike and many others who helped make the day run so smoothly. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality. They were extremely hard working and gave part of their Sunday to make our donors feel welcome by giving heart filled hospitality.
Photo credit: Daniel Pels
Special thanks to Olivia and her harp that graced us with music from the angels as we donated and volunteered. Olivia’s gift of music made us feel like we were in heaven. Our appreciation to Keilee, Darcy, and Esme, the violinists from the Lincoln Park Suzuki Music School who perform together and then separately. These 3 young women who are in elementary school played like they were college seniors. Thank you for sharing your wonderful musical talents with us. Our appreciation to the FXW School who so kindly let us use their gym for our blood drive so we would be able to offer a very suitable space and November date to our loyal donors.
Photo credit: Daniel Pels
We take our hats off to Bill Jacobs of PIECE on North Ave for supplying their award-winning pizza so our donors could have a healthy post-donation meal. Thanks to Zach and our friends at Traders Joe’s East Lakeview for supplying us with yummy organic bananas. Just what we needed for our donors and volunteers. These wonderful photos were taken by Daniel Pels. He is a true professional. Thanks for capturing the true spirit of the day with your camera.
In addition, I would like to personally acknowledge with heart-filled thanks the Old St. Pat’s staff who helped support the Blood Drive this year especially Beth, our Community Outreach Director. Also the hard-working Maintenance Crew headed up by Ray and Matt who were ready to go on an early Sunday morning. We could never have a successful Blood Drive without them!
Please save the date of Sunday, November 12, 2023 for a grand celebration of life as we host our 27th Annual Blood Drive. This is the longest continuous blood drive in the history of Chicago! We hope you can join us. Meanwhile, we encourage you to donate a pint of blood as often as every 56 days. Throughout the year, we encourage you to look for a Blood Drive near your home or office by entering your zip code at www.redcrossblood.org. Remember that the Red Cross is the only nationwide Non-profit blood bank.
Please save the dates of Thursday and Friday, January 12th and 13th for The Great Chicago Blood Drive. There will be 5 locations in the greater Chicagoland area. Details and appointment scheduling can be found at: www.redcrossblood.org.
In addition, I would like to personally acknowledge with heart-filled thanks the Old St. Pat’s staff who helped support the Blood Drive this year especially Beth, our Community Outreach Director. Also the hard-working Maintenance Crew headed up by Ray and Matt who were ready to go on an early Sunday morning. We could never have a successful Blood Drive without them!
Please save the date of Sunday, November 12, 2023 for a grand celebration of life as we host our 27th Annual Blood Drive. This is the longest continuous blood drive in the history of Chicago! We hope you can join us. Meanwhile, we encourage you to donate a pint of blood as often as every 56 days. Throughout the year, we encourage you to look for a Blood Drive near your home or office by entering your zip code at www.redcrossblood.org. Remember that the Red Cross is the only nationwide Non-profit blood bank.
Please save the dates of Thursday and Friday, January 12th and 13th for The Great Chicago Blood Drive. There will be 5 locations in the greater Chicagoland area. Details and appointment scheduling can be found at: www.redcrossblood.org.
Photo credit: Daniel Pels
Many people will have new life because of your willingness to share a pint of blood. This is one of the greatest gifts one can give. My father, John told me that when God gives you a gift, the best thing you can do is share it with others.
This has been a difficult and trying year to say the least for everyone. It was wonderful to see Christ’s love for the stranger in the action of our donators and volunteers. They are truly the light on top of the hillside in the darkness. Thank-you for sharing God’s gift of life with others most in need.
Best wishes for a reflective Advent, a wonderful Christmas Season and a New Year filled with health and happiness.
May God bless our donors, volunteers, and sponsors. The world is a better place because of you.
Mark Buciak
Volunteer Blood Drive Director
theroadtoboston@rcn.com
773.307.0033
This has been a difficult and trying year to say the least for everyone. It was wonderful to see Christ’s love for the stranger in the action of our donators and volunteers. They are truly the light on top of the hillside in the darkness. Thank-you for sharing God’s gift of life with others most in need.
Best wishes for a reflective Advent, a wonderful Christmas Season and a New Year filled with health and happiness.
May God bless our donors, volunteers, and sponsors. The world is a better place because of you.
Mark Buciak
Volunteer Blood Drive Director
theroadtoboston@rcn.com
773.307.0033