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In partnership with Vitalant, 64 people stepped up to donate, resulting in 56 procedures for the community. Conducted at Briarwood Country Club, 20800 N. 135th Ave., Sun City West, the donations boosted ABC to 137% of the organization’s blood drive goal.
The event also doubled as a donation and fundraising drive for Eve’s Place Community Services, a local non-profit providing safety and empowerment services for victims of domestic/sexual abuse. Eve’s Place, 10448 W. Coggins Drive, Sun City offers assistance for victims of domestic, sexual and teen dating abuse in Maricopa County. Each year, Eve’s Place conducts a back-to-school drive in hopes of helping displaced families with children who are going back to school. This school year it was even more imperative for donations. Due to COVID-19, school districts are offering “virtual learning” as a safe option for returning to school. The items needed for this safe learning option are unprovided by schools.
The Sun City West ABCs raised more than $750 in cash, checks and gift card donations as well as more than $1,000 in school supplies.
“I was amazed by the generous outpouring from our community in support of Eve’s Place “Back to School” supply drive,” said Karen Darby Ritz, ABC board president. “We received enough pens, notebooks, binders, backpacks and paper to fill a large SUV.”
The mission of the Sun City West Alliance of Business and Community is to promote the business and service organizations of Sun City West and the surrounding area. The organization provides professional development/training opportunities for local business leaders through networking sessions and by incorporating selected classes offered by business educators and faculty from local colleges, universities or the private sector. The ABCs also sponsor community events, like the blood drives, in which contributions received are distributed to local charities that serve the residents community residents.
“The efforts and the support of Sun City West’s Alliance of Business and Community are greatly appreciated and will go a long way toward assuring a strong blood supply, and ultimately saving lives” said Greg Wieking, Vitalant senior recruitment representative.
Vitalant is a nonprofit organization that collects blood from volunteer donors and provides blood, blood products and services across the United States. It was founded in 1943 as the Salt River Valley Blood Bank in Phoenix and was formally known as United Blood Services. Today Vitalant serves 40 states, has 127 donation centers and claims to collect about 1.8 million donations of blood each year from about 780,000 donors. They are the sole blood provider to nearly 1,000 hospitals across the United States.
The next blood drive is scheduled 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27 at Briarwood Country Club. Contact Board Treasurer/Special Events Director Kevin Wurgler with Award Realty at 480-540-6572 for more information.
Editor’s Note: Mr. Lickus is an ABC member and helps provide publicity for the group.
