Blood Drive Wednesday Offers Automated Donation

Blackman Plumbing Supply, a company that offers both wholesale and retail kitchen, bathroom and plumbing supplies, is hosting an event Wednesday to give back to the community.

The company is hosting a Community Blood Services blood drive Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Blackman, which has been in business for over 90 years and is based on Long Island, opened the Mahwah location two years ago.

“It just takes a couple minutes out of your day [to donate], and it makes a big difference,” Kevin Gordon, Blackman’s marketing director, said. He called the drive a “good way [for the company] to make a connection with the community.”

The drive is offering ‘automated red cell donation,’ in addition to traditional donation methods. According to a release from CBS, the red cell method is an automated technology that uses a smaller needle, removes a lesser amount of blood, and saves up to two lives with one donation.

The requirements to donate red blood cells are a bit different than traditional donation requirements, the release said.

To participate in an automated donation, men must be a minimum of 130 pounds, and women 150, and both must meet a minimum iron level.

To make a traditional blood donation, people must weigh at least 110 pounds.

Both types of donations will be offered at Blackman’s retail showroom on Route 17 South in Mahwah.

Community Blood Services has issued a call for donations from people with O Negative blood types, supplies of which it says are dropping.

Walk-ins can attend the blood drive, but Gordon recommends locals make an appointment first, by calling him at 973-427-8655. To get more information see the attached flier.

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