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Buckeye fans can brag
about big win at Blood Drive
GREENVILLE, Ohio - The chocolate Buckeyes are so much sweeter, Tot’s
famous cheeseball is even cheesier, and every scarlet-and-grey smile
beams brighter when the Darke County Ohio State University Alumni Club
Blood Drive comes right after a Buckeye football triumph like Saturday
night’s upset of Michigan State.
Ohio State’s thrashing of the Spartans in East Lansing on national TV
was something for fans to brag about Tuesday, Nov. 11 at the Alumni
Club’s Community Blood Center (CBC) blood drive at the Greenville
Church of the Brethren. It was a victory that brought out all sorts of
emotions.
“The first part of the game didn’t seem promising,” said Alumni Club
volunteer Dennis Baker, an OSU class of ’71 graduate who worked 31
years in Ohio State’s Darke County Extension Office. His dorm was part
of Ohio Stadium before the “Shoe” was renovated. He watched the game
nervously with friends. “But we stopped making mistakes and outplayed
them the rest of the game.”
Ansonia donor Todd Thwaits was also nervous. “It was tough,” he said.
“It was a kind of scary beginning but they turned it around.”
“I’m not a grad,” said Nelson Rismiller, a regular at Church of the
Brethren blood drives who made his 184th lifetime donation Tuesday.
“But I was hoping to be available to donate for this because it’s a
great party atmosphere.”
It’s a tradition for CBC Darke County Account Representative Dana
Puterbaugh and the Alumni Club volunteers to stage a “tailgate party”
in the Donor Café. Tuesday’s menu included hot dogs cooked up by
blood drive co-coordinator Shirla Neff, chocolate-and-peanut butter
Buckeyes made by co-coordinator Jan Boyer, and the traditional cheese
ball by long-time volunteer Tot Heinrich.
The Alumni Club’s Kay Girbert, also a blood drive co-coordinator,
served refreshments in the café and talked about her late husband Paul,
an OSU class of ’57 grad and a long-time blood donor. “We’ve had season
tickets for 40 years,” she said. “I still go with my children and
grandchildren and friends. My granddaughter is a senior at Michigan
State. She was on (ESPN) College Game Day Saturday morning and was at
the game. I haven’t heard from her all week!”
Urbana University graduate Chelsea Halderman volunteered with campus
blood drives and now works for the retirement community where she has
gotten to know blood donor Ivan Patterson. Chelsea made her 20th
lifetime donation and was impressed to learn Ivan had just made his
434th lifetime donation.
“Wow!” she said. “That’s amazing!” As for the Buckeyes, she wasn’t
worried. “I went to bed before it was over, but it was a good lead and
I felt good about it!”
Newlyweds Kyle and Jessica Trimpi were married July 10 and donated
together Tuesday. Kyle made a double red blood cell donation to
reach 24 lifetime donations while Jessica made her 2nd lifetime
donation. Kyle said he may not be an OSU alum, but he is a loyal
Buckeye fan.
“Heck yea!” he said. “I’m a big Buckeye fan. I figured Ohio State could
pull it out. I know Michigan State isn’t happy – sorry Michigan
State! I’ve got to go with the Buckeyes!”
“Going with the Buckeye’s helped make Tuesday’s Darke County OSU Alumni
Club blood drive a success with 132 registrations, eight apheresis
donations, and 125 whole blood donations.
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