Widespread changes happened quickly this time last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the need for blood donations didn’t go away. So when Marianna Black Library was able to step in to help keep blood drives in the far west of North Carolina happening, the impact was significant.
John Clodfelter with American Red Cross presented librarian Jeff Delfield and the staff at Marianna Black Library with an American Red Cross Outstanding Service Award as an extraordinary blood donor organization on Thursday morning, March 25. Clodfelter is based in Asheville and serves ARC from Jackson County to north Georgia.
While the local library was accustomed to serving as a location for ARC blood drives about four times a year, 2020 proved different. When Delfield found out other locations had to cancel, he offered the library as a replacement site. Thus, the library was host far more blood drives through 2020— with about one a month.
For the bulk of 2020 and currently, the library is available by appointment and people can also place holds on books and have them brought out curbside.
“I want to thank you guys,” Clodfelter said, adding it made a tremendous impact when the library stepped in to keep the blood drives happening in Swain County.
When those drives are scheduled, he explained the blood collected has already been promised to hospitals. ARC doesn’t have a lot of sponsors who are able to do what the library did last year.
“It makes a huge impact in your community,” he said that they were able to continue. “Even with a pandemic going on, we still have to help patients in need.”
The next blood drive at Marianna Black Library is scheduled Thursday, April 8 from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Existing American Red Cross donors can schedule a donation online at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass. Appointments can also be made by calling the library at 488-3030.