By Cristina Maisel
At a venue known for speed, it was generosity that took the lead during the 20th annual Pocono Raceway Blood Drive and Ride for the Red. The American Red Cross event invited donors to trade horsepower for compassion in action, rallying the community to help save lives with every blood donation and each lap driven around the “Tricky Triangle.”
Summer is often a challenging time for blood collection, as vacations and severe weather frequently disrupt donor turnout. Still, this year’s drive collected 76 units of blood, bringing the event’s cumulative total to more than 3,400 donations over the past two decades.
Donors Driven by Compassion
Among those making a lifesaving impact was Diane Marschall of Effort, who has been giving blood since the early 1990s. While working in a hospital pharmacy, she began donating when a coworker simply asked her, “Why don’t you give? I do it.” Now, more than 30 years later, Diane has donated nearly 10 gallons.
This was her first time giving at the Pocono Raceway blood drive. What makes her contributions even more significant is her rare blood type: O negative and CMV negative. CMV, or cytomegalovirus, is a common flu-like virus that affects about 85% of U.S. adults by age 40. While generally harmless to adults, CMV can be fatal for babies or people with weakened immune systems. Because babies require CMV-negative blood for transfusion, Diane’s blood donor card proudly labels her as a “Hero for Babies.”
Diane says she’s continuing to work on convincing her son to donate. “He’s a daredevil in other parts of his life,” she said with a smile, “but afraid of giving blood.”
Diane Marschall of Effort
Red Cross volunteers Sandy Oberholtzer (right) and her granddaughter Sophia
Bill Parkin of Albrightsville
Longtime Red Cross volunteer Sandy Oberholtzer once again helped staff the event, welcoming blood donors to the track and helping with registration. This time, she brought her 14-year-old granddaughter, Sophia, along. The pair volunteered together throughout the day, and Sandy even rolled up her sleeve to donate blood herself.
Donna and Michael Doridio of Blakeslee made a spur-of-the-moment decision to donate after seeing a news story about the urgent need for blood. “We’re semi-retired, so I thought, what else do we have to do?” Michael said. With Donna’s sister currently undergoing cancer treatment, the importance of blood donations hit close to home for the couple.
Bill Parkin of Albrightsville has been to Pocono Raceway more times than he can count, often bringing his grandson to NASCAR events at the track. He’s also a regular blood donor, having made his first donation during boot camp in 1968. An Air Force veteran, Bill has been serving others for decades. With O positive blood, he knows how much his donations can help others, so he schedules regular blood and platelet donation appointments.
Donna and Michael Doridio of Blakeslee
Driving for Disaster Relief
The giving didn’t stop at the blood drive. Participants also had the chance to take a lap in their own vehicles around the famed “Tricky Triangle” at Pocono Raceway during the Ride for the Red. With a financial donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief, drivers helped support people affected by disasters big and small. For many, the event was a rare opportunity to experience the thrill of the track, while doing something meaningful for the community.
The need for blood doesn’t take a summer break. Help make the world brighter for patients in need by making an appointment to give. To find a blood drive near you, visit RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App or call 1-800-RED CROSS.
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