Giving Back, One Pint at a Time: 11 Years of the Linda Craft Team Blood Drive
For eleven years now, the Linda Craft Team has partnered with the American Red Cross to host our annual blood drive here in Raleigh. It is one of the traditions we look forward to most, and one that means something personal to Linda, who spent years serving on the American Red Cross of North Carolina board. Giving back has always been part of who we are as a team, not just something we do around the holidays or when it is convenient.
This year, that mission became personal in a way none of us expected.
A Story That Made It Personal
While handing out flyers for the drive earlier this week, our own Nikki met a young woman we’ll call Sarah (her name has been changed to protect her privacy). Sarah stopped to chat, and as Nikki shared details about the event, Sarah opened up about her own story. After a major surgery, she spent several days in a coma, and the blood transfusions she received during that time played a critical role in saving her life.
Sarah has another major surgery scheduled the week after our blood drive. She told Nikki she is nervous, but she wanted our team to know how grateful she is that we keep showing up for the Red Cross year after year. She plans to support this year’s drive herself, and she asked us to pass along her thanks to everyone who donates.
Stories like Sarah’s are a reminder of why this work matters. The need is not abstract. It is a neighbor, a friend, someone you meet while handing out flyers on a Tuesday morning.
Why This Year Matters So Much
The timing could not be more important. On July 27th, the American Red Cross declared only the second national blood crisis in its history, the first having come in January 2022. Donations have fallen to a four year summer low, driven in part by extreme heat, poor air quality, and a wave of foodborne illness that kept would-be donors away.
Type O positive blood makes up roughly 60 percent of what the Red Cross distributes to hospitals. Right now, that supply has dropped below a one day national reserve. The Red Cross says just three additional donors at each blood drive this summer could stabilize the shortage.
That is exactly what we are hoping for on August 4th.
Join Us on August 4th
Here is what you need to know:
- When: 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM, Tuesday, August 4th
- Where: Our Six Forks office, 7300 Six Forks Rd, Raleigh
- Walk ins: Always welcome, or schedule a time in advance
- Thank you gifts: A free hotdog lunch, all the fixings included, plus an Amazon gift card from the Red Cross for donors who give this month
What to Know Before You Donate
Donating blood is simpler than most people expect. The Red Cross’s baseline requirements are straightforward:
- You must be at least 16 years old in most states
- You must weigh at least 110 lbs
- You must be in good health and feeling well
Eligible donors can give every 56 days, up to six times a year. If this is your first time, plan for about an hour from check in to the recovery table. Most of that time is paperwork and a quick health screening, not the donation itself.
Eleven Years of Giving Back
Eleven years in, this drive is still one of the clearest ways we know how to give back to the community that has supported our team for so long. In 2016, Linda was honored with the Red Cross Triangle Chapter Humanitarian of the Year Award, a recognition that reflects this same commitment to showing up for our neighbors year after year. We hope you will join us, whether it is your first donation or your fifteenth.
