10/05/10 On Oct.1, the American Red Cross Blood Services, Indiana-Ohio Region, hosted its annual recognition luncheon at the Fort Wayne Marriott. Many awards were distributed to recognize the outstanding achievements and volunteer service of individuals and businesses in our region.

The Outstanding Volunteer Service Award recognizes the countless Red Cross volunteers who serve the community at blood drives, donation centers and local Red Cross chapters.
• Barb Rzepka, Bremen

The Faithful Friend Award recognizes the sponsors who have been loyal supporters of the American Red Cross. This year’s Faithful Friends agreed to have blood drives during inclement weather or holiday periods, secured volunteers to help provide excellent customer service and could be counted on to meet goals.
• Culver Military Academy
• Webster Elementary School

The Lifesaver Award recognizes blood drive sponsors who were especially accommodating by replacing drives that had been canceled, hosting last minute drives and demonstrating flexibility when Red Cross equipment or staffing issues required their mobile dates or times to be changed.
• Ancilla College

The blood drive sponsors recognized with the Growing by Leaps and Bounds Award increased the units of blood donated at their blood drives by at least 25 percent or increased the number of blood drives they hosted in the last year.
• Plymouth High School
• Walmart

The Red Cross thanks these honorees and the entire community for its support of blood donation.

How to Donate Blood
To schedule an appointment to donate please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org for more information. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet weight and height requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height) and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.

About the American Red Cross
The Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region serves northern and central Indiana and northwestern Ohio, and needs to collect about 500 units of blood a day to meet patient need in more than 60 hospitals. In addition to providing blood to our community, the American Red Cross also provides relief to victims of disaster, trains millions in lifesaving skills, serves as a communication link between U.S. military members and their families, and assists victims of international disasters or conflicts.