San Luis Obispo County employees gave blood to save lives yesterday as part of the county’s annual blood drive through United Blood Services.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 21, dozens of county employees took time out of their day to become volunteer blood donors.
“A small fraction of people give blood, and if I don’t do it, it’s going to be even smaller,” said County Health Officer Penny Borenstein, who donated blood along with more than 40 other County employees throughout the day. “So I would like to encourage everyone who can, give blood. And that’s the vast majority of people…it’s a great thing to do because it saves lives.”
The County partners with United Blood Services every year to host this annual employee blood drive. Sponsored by the County Administrative Office, the blood drive is meant to give County employees an opportunity outside of their work as public servants to make even more of a difference in people’s lives.
“This is just one of the many ways our employees serve the community and we’re proud to continue this tradition of giving back,” County Administrative Officer Dan Buckshi said.
United Blood Services is a nonprofit community blood center that provides blood and blood products for local area hospitals. It exists to make a difference in the community by bringing together the best people, inspiring individuals to donate blood, producing a safe and ample blood supply, advancing cutting-edge research and embracing continuous quality improvement.
The County of San Luis Obispo has partnered with United Blood Services for at least nine years to hold this County-employee blood drive.
For more details on the County’s annual employee blood drive, call (805) 781-5011. To host a blood drive or make an appointment with United Blood Services, visit www.unitedbloodservices.org/centralcoast.
About the County of San Luis Obispo
Established in 1850 as one of the original counties of California, the County of San Luis Obispo is the largest employer in the area and provides essential services to SLO County citizens. Its 2,800 employees provide municipal services and administer state and federal programs and services that benefit local citizens. Elected representatives, including a five-member Board of Supervisors, work with employees to serve the community to enhance the economic, environmental and social quality of life of SLO County citizens. For more information, visit www.slocounty.ca.gov.