St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan Health Ministry Blood Drive Sunday, September ??____??, 2010. 8:00AM - 2:00PM in the PAC. (Also, see other places & times to GIVE BLOOD at www.givelife.org . Or, go to the American Red Cross.) Give Your Blood or Your Time!    By making an appointment this allows for adequate staffing and less waiting. Potential Blood Donors include persons over the age of 17 and over 110 pounds.  It is open to the parish and anyone else who wants to donate a "gift of life".  Giving blood is a selfless gift, which costs nothing, and is life-giving to those who receive it. To Donate Your Blood at St. Francis you must schedule an appointment by entering this code "stfranciscc" at: The American Red Cross www.givelife.org   Or, you may call the Parish Office at 769-2550.   To Donate Your Time Sign-up Here:  Our parish needs a team of volunteers to help out on the day of the event, as well as, to advertise (speaking to the congregation about the drive and the need), call donors, etc.  If you are not able to donate but still want to help, please sign-up!  Even if you are not sure, call and let's talk. Thanks!    To Get involved you may call our parish Helath Ministry Voicemail 821-2115 or the Parish Office at 769-2550. Questions: about blood donation or the blood drive, please call our parish Health Ministry Voicemail 821-2115 or email  .   Volunteer to Help with Blood Drive Hospitality Sunday, September ??____??, 2010,  from 8AM - 2PM (For Donating Blood you must schedule an appointment by  entering this code "stfranciscc"  at:  The American Red Cross   www.givelife.org Or, you may call the Parish Office at 769-2550.)   Name:   Telephone #(s):   E-mail Address:  I WILL HELP by: __ Advertising before the event (encourage at least three people to sign up to donate). __ Hospitality Service on  Sunday, September ??____??, 2010, at: O'clock  (enter your volunteer time, 8AM-2PM, one-hour slots. ) __ Donate homemade cookies for donors. __ Help with anything.     List any other comments Here: --------------------- BLOOD DONATION IS CHRIST-LIKE   The practice of donating one's blood began after the development of the blood bank. Blood giving struck people as an act of charity and compassion towards those whose life is endangered. To the Christians of the world, the gift of blood was not only humane, but also Christ-like. Pope Pius XII pointed this out in the fall of 1948 when praising a group of Italian donors for their true Christian generosity when he said, "Christ, the supreme and divine donor of His Blood, is your example in a particular way."  Those giving persons who donate their lifeblood to strengthen others usually experience the warm glow that comes from any act of mercy.  They have a right to that consolation.  But a donor can make his gift even more sublime if he humbly recalls, as Pius XII said, that he is imitating Jesus when he gives of himself so that others may live. WHO DONATES BLOOD? Sixty percent of the population is eligible to donate blood, however less than 5 percent of healthy Americans actually donate each year. According to studies, the average donor is a college-educated white male, between the ages of 30 and 50, who is married and has an above-average income. However, a broad cross-section of the population donates every day.  Furthermore, these "average" statistics are changing, and women and minority groups are volunteering to donate in increasing numbers. DID YOU KNOW? • Every 17 seconds, someone in the United States receives a blood transfusion • One out of 10 people entering a hospital needs blood • The average transfusion is 3.4 pints • Females receive 57% of blood transfused; male receive 43% • A newborn baby has one cup of blood in his or her body • 97% of the population will receive a blood transfusion in their lifetime, yet only 5 % of the population donates blood • You CANNOT contract a disease, like AIDS, from donating blood • You CAN be a donor if you are in good health, are at least 17 years of age and weigh at least 110 pounds.  There is no upper age limit. • The donation process involves four steps: medical history, quick physical, donation, and snacks • The actual blood collection takes approximately 10-20 minutes.  The entire process takes about 45 to 60 minutes, from when you sign in, to the time you leave. Please share your gifts!  If you are interested in the St. Francis Health Ministry, please call 821-2115.

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