North Bay resident Joe Kelly gives blood Wednesday for the eighty-fourth time. ____________________________________________________________ Joe Kelly has a very down to earth reason for donating blood.
North Bay resident Joe Kelly gives blood Wednesday for the eighty-fourth time.____________________________________________________________
Joe Kelly has a very down to earth reason for donating blood.
“It’s needed and we’ve got it to donate, so why not?” Kelly said while making his eighty-fourth donation Wednesday at the first day of a two-day blood donour clinic at the Elk’s Club.
“I donate four or five times a year because there is the need and they ask people to.”
Kelly wasn’t the only long-time donor at the clinic.
“The guy who came in ahead of me has given blood 101 times,” Kelly said.
Tom Tucker, who ran for North Bay council in the November municipal election, came in Wednesday for his fifty-sixth donation.
“It’s a selfless thing to do, a gift for somebody else and it’s an opportunity to provide back with no cost,” Tucker said.
Many first-time donors also attended the clinic, including
Mayor Vic Fedeli.
“I’ve always known of the blood donor clinic, but I always knew that somebody else was taking care of it, and, you know, and that’s not a very admirable position to take,” Fedeli said.
“But as mayor I have always said you’re supposed to lead by example and when I was talking with the blood donour people they said they were surprised I’d never given blood, and I said I’d come out, and if it all works out I’ll continue to come,” Fedeli said.
“You know someone else is doing it and you know we’re not in crisis so you never bother picking up the gauntlet on that one.”
Canadian Blood Services is sponsoring the clinic and hoping to collect 360 units of blood. The clinic continues today from noon to 2:30 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
