This article was written by Michael Smith, State Director of The American Legion Riders
and Past Post 20 Commander.
Michael Cassel Smith, State Director of American Legion Riders and Past Commander Post 20, gives blood during an event hosted by the post.
Post 20 has been hosting a Blood Drive for the Central California Blood Center since October 2021. Prior to hosting their first Blood Drive, Post 20 sponsored a local Boy Scout who was working on his Eagle Scout project.
During the June 2021 Flag Day Ceremony, in Porterville, then Post 20 Commander Michael Smith was approached by the Boy Scout and his mother, who proposed his Eagle Scout Project. Prior to meeting with the Boy Scout and his mother, Commander Smith had been in the planning phase of bringing a blood drive to Porterville as the Central California Blood Center had closed their local officer several years back.
Meeting this Boy Scout was the perfect opportunity for Post 20 to help him out with his project and support the Boy Scouts of America. Between June 2021 and the time of the blood drive in August 2021, the Boy Scout remained in contact with Post 20 members. On the day of the blood drive, the Central California Blood Center brought their mobile unit to collect blood. Despite being in the midst of the pandemic and having a limited number of chairs for donors to sit in, 38 units were collected from members of the community and Post 20.
A short 8 weeks later, in October 2021, Post 20 marked its first blood drive with the Central California Blood Center. This blood drive has been held every 8 weeks since. Community members and Post 20 members alike come to donate blood at the Veterans Memorial Building, in Porterville. Since beginning their blood drive, Post 20 has seen 219 units (pints) donated as of their last blood drive in March 2023.
A few of the goals in starting this blood drive was to 1; strengthen the American Legions ties to the community and 2; provide a place to donate blood on a regular basis. An unexpected result, even though it cannot be conclusively proven, was a noted increase of blood drives held by other organizations in the Porterville community.
According to givingblood.org, one pint of blood can save up to 3 lives. The Eagle Scout project and regular scheduled Post 20 blood drive has been donated 257 units. This equates into a potential of 771 lives saved.
As of the writing of this article, Post 20 is looking into hosting a blood drive every 4 weeks to accommodate more blood donors.
Author: caLegion Contributor
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