MOMS Club Pulls Off a Bloody Coup

If you want something done, give it to a MOM.

That’s why Suzan Detwiler, donor representative from Miller-Keystone Blood Center, called the MOMS Club of Lower Macungie/Emmaus when she needed a few extra pints.

Typically, blood drives are organized months in advance, but Suzan Detwiler, donor representative from Miller-Keystone, made the call to the MOMS club just four days ago.

“Our inventories are really low,” said Dewiler, “but I just knew [the MOMS] could pull it all together.”

And the person she called on to pull it together was MOMS Club Vice President Jen Elston, who was giving blood herself at 2:30 this afternoon.

The Miller-Keystone bloodmobile was parked at the Emmaus Public Library from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 17. The MOMS had a goal of 20 donors. [Note: The MOMS actually got 21 donors by the end of the drive.]

“I think had 12 people scheduled to donate by yesterday,” Elston said. “We’ve had a lot of walk-ins … plus I’ve got people posting messages on Facebook for me.”

Detwiler said that when they set goals like 20 donations, they figure they will get about 16, but the MOMS were already set to hit their goal of 20 before 4 p.m.

“We've had a blood drive every fall for three years,” Elston said. “So this is our fourth, and each one is a success.”

The club started the blood drive to show support for one of its members whose daughter was ill and needed blood. The girl later died, but the MOMS continued the drive as a memorial.

Detwiler said she and other Miller-Keystone representatives were given the task of pumping up donations with add-on drives like this one at the Emmaus Library because inventories are extremely low.

The winter weather has reduced donations and school closings has put a big dent in collection. High schools are the biggest suppliers of blood, Detwiler said, because students will do anything to get out of class.

Miller-Keystone is the sole provider of blood in the Greater LehighValley area, and what’s drawn here is used here.

As Elston squeezed the handgrip to keep her blood flowing into the collection bag, she was clearly the go-to person for blood and blood drives. But her thoughts were on the reward, cookies and a 15-minute rest after giving blood … a rest any mom would appreciate.

The next MOMS Club blood drive is schedule for sometime in October, unless the need arises sooner, no doubt.