As the gift-giving season arrives this week, the Highland Park First Aid Squad would like community members to remember to give a life-saving gift of a blood donation..
The squad will hold a blood drive at the squad base, 128 S. 11th Ave., on Sunday, Nov. 30, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., in conjunction with the Blood Center of New Jersey. Blood donors need to bring their Social Security numbers and a photo ID. Blood donors will receive free tickets to a Mets game in the 2015 season.
All blood types are needed. No one who is HIV-positive should donate blood; would-be donors also will be turned away if they have had dental work in the past three days, have a sore throat or fever, have traveled to malaria country in the past 12 months, or weigh less than 120 pounds. Additional restrictions may apply for cancer survivors.
During the blood drive, the squad also will collect new toys during the blood drive to distribute to homeless and needy children in Highland Park through the Highland Park Community Food Pantry. The blood and the toy donation initiative is dedicated to the memory of Sandy Scharf, am active volunteer in the squad until the time of her death. Ms. Scharf and her husband annually organized the holiday drives.
“She was just a great presence,” said Ben Keepers, the squad vice president. “Anybody you talk to on the First Aid Squad or who knew her from other venues, talked about her with strong emotion and admiration.”