Worth the lack of a wait... #golm

Maryellen Gracehas been giving blood regularly for more than 30 years.

"I think it's very, very, very important," she said. "I had family members who needed to have blood, I have grandchildren and children. That's why I do it."

Donating alongside her husband, she said they moved through quickly.

"We always make an appointment and usually I have to wait, but I don't care," she said. "This was wonderful today. We had to wait 10 minutes, maybe 15." 

Walk-in to the Elks #golm

The Elks Club, previously reserved for appointments, is now taking walk-ins -- which we're going to need at this rate.

Hour Five and it don't look good #golm

In New Hampshire, hour five was 263.

In Rutland last year, it was 216

Now, it's...

215

Rutland is now behind by 17 pints.

 

Tattoo talk #golm12

Mayor Louras is part of the tattoo pledge with Steve Costello and Terry Jaye, and while he wouldn't say where he planned to go for the tattoo if the record is broken, he did say he had the notion that they should hold off and let local tattooists submit proposals.

While Costello has talked about getting a red cross, Louras said he liked the idea of a blood drop with the final number in it.

"I figure I should see if somebody is more creative than I am," he said.

In which I build some hype #golm12

I've just been unofficially told that the total for the next inning, aka hour five, is going to be "bigger than we hoped."

People really do seem to be moving through at a pretty good clip, and Steve Costello is deflecting a lot of teasing questions about where he will go for the tattoo he is pledged to get if Rutland breaks the record.

Where the teenagers at? #golm12

As those who closely follow Gift of Life-related news already know, the Legislature recently expanded eligibility for blood donors, letting 17-year-olds get in on the action.

Steve Costello said he had no idea what sort of difference that was making this year.

"They're almost all going to CSJ or the Elks," he said.

Groups from Burr & Buron, RHS and Fair Haven made appointments en masse, he said.

The Agony of the Feet #golm12

Over in one of the boxes at the Paramount, a woman from Balance Works has a machine set up where you can get your feet scanned while you wait for your turn to give blood. Apparently, I need arch supports. I don't care what she said, though, I'm still going barefoot around the house.

And it drops #golm12

Hour four is up, and the number is 209. That's lower than both New Hampshire's 246 and last year's 230. We're still ahead overall, but the gap has narrowed.

Timing #golm12

"We really haven't gotten backed up at all," Steve Costello said. "Appointments hit the stage in a half-hour to 45 minutes generally. Walk-ins, a bit more than that. If we keep that up, we may be able to do it."

Costello said slightly more than 1,800 people made appointments and that turnout for walk-ins had been steady.

"We've been keping the beds filled," he said. "So far,things are good."

Movin' right along #golm12

"I came in at 11, they had me in at 20 after 12," said Sonny Young, who came in from Clarendon as a walk-in. "It worked out well."

Young, who was having a cup of hearty-looking soup in the canteen after donating, said the process moved much faster than last year.

"Last year, we were over at College of St. Joseph -- we thought we were going to live and die there," he said. "This year was fast."

Young said he is a regular blood donor.

"I was a medic in the Army so I used to take blood," he said. "I went a few years without donating. Then my niece got me back into it."