Indian Creek Church of the Brethren Saves Lives through Blood Drive

The Indian Creek Church of the Brethren, located at 821 Main St. in Harleysville, held its bi-annual blood drive, March 26, whose participation has increased over the years.

The blood drive was run through the Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA) Chapter of the Red Cross, based in Philadelphia. This year, the Indian Creek Church as able to send 69 units of blood, topping its previous best effort of 61 units in 2012.

“It’s part of our faith that we have a calling to serve others, and this is probably the most dramatic way to serve, as no one else can give blood except you,” Bob Lane, Indian Creek Church congregant, said. “It’s really an act of random kindness to help someone else this way.”

According to Lane, who is also a member of the Westmont DAT of the Red Cross, each unit of blood can save the lives of three people. With the 69 units collected at the Indian Creek Church, Lane estimates that 180 people could be saved in the Philadelphia area.

There were 63 donors at this year’s blood drive, some of whom volunteered to participate in the double red cell procedure, which takes 15-minutes longer than a typical donation, but enables Red Cross nurses to extract at least twice the units of blood.

Lane, a coordinator of the event for the last four years, said that the church’s blood drive has taken place over a decade on the fourth Tuesday of March and September.

In the church’s latest newsletter, Lane credited congregant member Kitty Doughty for helping to establish relationships with 21 new donors this year. Lane said that Doughty took over coordinating the blood drive this year.

He also notes that the church makes the effort to keep up those relationships, and said there are many regular donors at the Indian Creek Church blood drive.

Lane adds that each blood drive location has its own personality, and said that emphasizing a trustworthy atmosphere at Indian Creek Church is partially the reason for so many return donors.

“We strive to be an extremely warm and friendly environment,” Lane said.

The next Indian Creek Church of the Brethren Blood drive will take place Sept. 24, from 3-8 p.m. Online registration is typically opened four-six weeks prior to the blood drive event, and can be made by searching for Indian Creek Church of the Brethren on the SEPA Red Cross website.

To be placed on the reminder mailing list for the blood drive, contact Bob Lane at robertlane@comcast.net.