Four American Legion posts in southeast Michigan regularly host blood drives for the American Red Cross, but only Oxford’s Post 108 has Judy Ingles.
‘Thank you for giving us Judy,? said Red Cross representative Nancy Kinggo, who, on Sunday morning, presented Ingles and Post 108 with the organization’s highest honor, the ‘Platinum Award for Excellence.?
‘I really appreciate it because there is a lot of work that goes into it,? Ingles said. ‘There’s a lot of people who do just as much as I do.?
Since 2002, Ingles, a member of Ladies Auxiliary Unit 108, has been the official coordinator for all Post 108’s blood drives. She’s been assisting with blood drives for more than 20 years and is personally working toward donating her 11th gallon of the red stuff.
‘She’s a very humble lady and a wonderful woman to work with,? said Kinggo, who noted the drive scheduled for Friday, Feb. 1 from 2 to 8 p.m. will be Ingles? 25th one as Post 108’s coordinator.
Ingles is particularly proud because her 17-year-old granddaughter, Cassandra Ingles, has promised to come out and donate her very first pint of blood.
Out of the 1,500 blood drive sites in southeast Michigan, only 150 (or 10 percent) receive the Platinum Award, and Post 108 certainly earned it.
Between July 2006 and June 2007, the four participating Legion posts in southeast Michigan collected a total of 345 pints of blood. Of that, 216 units (or 63 percent) came from Post 108, ‘which is pretty impressive,? Kinggo said.
That success is primarily due to the hard work and dedication of Ingles and her husband, Jerry, who has himself donated 15 gallons of blood over the years.
‘Behind every great woman there is a man,? Kinggo noted.
Judy says her husband does ‘whatever’s got to be done,? from putting up flyers to setting up the collection site to registering donors or handing out juice and cookies.
Post 108’s statistics are even more impressive when you consider it always does blood drives on Fridays.
Mondays and Fridays are ‘the toughest days for blood collections? because people usually take those days off from work or are busy planning their weekend, according to Kinggo.
‘That’s what makes Judy and Jerry very special ? they definitely get some very loyal donors that continue to come back,? she said.
Prior to each blood drive, Ingles personally calls about 150 eligible donors to remind and register them.
Oxford has the only Legion post which conducts four blood drives per year.
‘To be able to do four drives a year, that is absolutely amazing,? Kinggo told this reporter. ‘And the times of the year that she (Ingles) chooses to do the blood drives are the times when we usually are at our lowest level in terms of inventory. The winter months are very tough for us.?
In a time when blood donors are needed more than ever, Judy Ingles consistently recruits new people with big hearts and good veins.
‘She continues to get first-time donors and that’s an extremely impressive feat in this day and age,? Kinggo said. ‘She stands right over them and takes care of them.?
Fear of needles and lack of time ? it takes 1 hour and 15 minutes to donate ? usually keep potential donors away.
Couple this with the fact the Red Cross is ‘losing some of our donors because of deferrals (people disqualified from giving blood)? and Ingles? efforts to recruit the next generation become that much more vital.
‘We need the younger group of people to come up and get on board,? Kinggo said.
Kinngo applauded Ingles for her hands-on management style. ‘Most coordinators don’t stay for the whole blood drive,? she said. ‘This lady does.?
Donors aren’t the only thing a blood drive needs. Ingles said more volunteers are always in demand to help run things.
For more information about donating blood or volunteering visit www.givelife.org.
Post 108 is located at 130 E. Drahner Rd.
For more information about its Friday, Feb. 1 blood drive or to register as a donor call (248) 628-1051.