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Tuesday, December 8, 2015
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Giving the gift of life American Red Cross urges area residents to give blood By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — As the busy holiday season rushes in, many are thinking about the perfect gifts to give to friends and family ... but what better gift to give than one that could save a life. The American Red Cross is urging many to consider giving a blood or platelet donation. This simple, potentially lifesaving act can give patients in need another holiday season with loved ones. Lori Compton, director of the Bureau County Red Cross, said the county tends to see a decrease in blood donations during the holiday season. She said a lot has to do with people busy or traveling for the holidays. Also, many snow birds flock south for the winter months.
Compton said the Red Cross is always looking for new donors or young donors. “It’s always good to have young blood in the system; if everybody would get in the spirit of giving and come out and donate. For every pint of blood donated, it could save up to three lives,” she said. Blood donors of all types are needed, especially O negative, B negative and A negative are urged to give. Platelet donors and those with type AB blood are also continually needed, according to an American Red Cross press release. “During the winter months and especially around the holidays, blood donations tend to decline,” said Tracy Fox, spokesperson for the Red Cross Heart of America Blood Services Region. “Long holiday weekends ... pose an extra challenge when many donors are traveling to be with family and friends. The Red
Cross encourages people to make an appointment to donate blood platelets and give a meaningful gift to a patient this holiday season — the gift of life.”
How to donate blood
Those who are interested in donating blood may do so by making an appointment through the Red Cross Blood Donor app, or online at redcrossblood. org or call 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). Donors can use RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online on the day of their donation from a computer or laptop. Visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass to get started. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age, weigh at least 110
Blood Page 4
Leading the way to Christmas ... Larry Peterson leads event-goers in song and Christmas cheer during the third annual Christmas Carol Sing-Along, sponsored by the Princeton First Lutheran Church. The Sunday afternoon event was standing room only, as those in attendance had the opportunity to sing Christmas carols along with Peterson, who not only directed the River Bend Bronze Bell Choir, but also accompanied the crowd on the organ. Peterson is the director of music for Augustana College Campus Ministries and instructor of organ for the Augustana Department of Music in Rock Island. The event was the church’s gift to the community. BCR photo/Mike Vaughn
Free app could save your life
Stackhouse-Moore offers life-saving opportunity By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
SHEFFIELD — The Stackhouse-Moore Funeral Service in Sheffield is providing a new service in hopes it will help save lives. Owners Vernon Stackhouse and David Moore have taken up an opportunity to assist local first responders by providing the Vital ICE app to local community members. The free smart phone app can be
downloaded from either Google Play or the Apple App store. Users can then enter medical information about themselves. The app asks for medical history, medications being taken, allergies to medicines, emergency contacts and more. In the event of an emergency, first responders can use the Vital ICE app to retrieve the user’s vital information. The information can be easily taken on
Emergency Page 4
The reason for the season Psychotherapist delves into the necessity to de-stress the holiday season By Eric Engel eengel@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — “He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” — Roy L. Smith It used to be you’d take the Wonderland Express across the winter landscape to Mom and Dad’s house, nestled between the pines with soft smoke billowing out the chimney and candles
burning in the window. Laughter filled the air as everyone gathered around the sparkling Christmas tree with their egg nog in hand, and children would giggle with glee as they ripped the wrapping paper from their new red sled. Every present was perfect, each moment the definition of Christmas joy. That was then, and this is now. In the on-the-go, tight budget modern age,
Holiday stress Page 4
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