For 16 years, Mike Larriviere has helped organize community blood drives in Rockwall. The events are held three times per year and the next is coming up Saturday, Nov. 11.
“During that time, we’ve had all sorts of people show up to donate — police chiefs, firefighters, teachers, city council members, state representatives, students, even the next possible Lt. Governor of Texas,” Larriviere said.
He added that each drive brings in 100-120 donors and the group is getting close to welcoming donor No. 5,000.
“That’s a lot of life giving blood,” he said.
A 16-year-old Rockwall High School student, Joshua, who donated blood for the first time earlier this year, accurately expressed the importance of being a donor.
“Doesn’t matter if you’re going into surgery or an accident happened, you need blood,” he said. “You can’t just sit around hoping that someone else gave enough to save your life so why not give to save someone else’s?
Donations are decreasing and hospitals and trauma centers often run low and the current shortage has prompted the Red Cross and Carter BloodCare to issue an urgent call for donors.
Larriviere said that it takes about one hour to donate blood and asked that donors come to Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall Saturday, Nov. 11, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. to “help save lives one pint at a time.”