Since 1991, the Clay Center Community Blood Drive has brought in more than 13,000 pints of blood. Now hosted at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church Parish Center, the drive has been an area staple, hosted at various churches, and originally, the McKinley School gym.
A total of 50 of those drives brought in 100 or more units of blood and the largest drive total was on August 22, 2000, with 166 units, 55 new donors. In addition, 50% of the donors were type O. Teri Benfer, Account Manager II for the Kansas District American Red Cross, said the drive truly was a phenomenal one.
In addition to her decade with the Red Cross, she now serves as the Blood Program Leader. Her husband, Scott, will also help with the event. They took over after Garry and Marty Stenzel retired from their 16-year gig. Prior to that it was hosted by the Butterfields, Benfer said.
“I decided to look at the history of the Clay Center Community Blood Drive,” she said of the stats. “The information I found was just mind-blowing. The total unit collected, I was just in awe. Of course, I love history but it just really was profound for me to find that information.”
It also caused her to step up as a volunteer for the event.
“I need to make sure that what the Stenzels have built is kept up,” she said. “I need to maintain what they built for so many years myself, until other community members step up to help with this event.”
In addition to her professional work, Benfer is a regular donor herself, now up to nine gallons of donated blood. She’s B+, a fact that’s in her email signature. First, she began giving once a year, and now she gives as often as she’s able – six times a year, as per Red Cross rules. That comes out to every 56 days.
Benfer gave her first pint three years after she was a recipient in 1986, she said. While giving birth to her third child, she developed a bleed.
“I had lost a lot of blood before they even knew it,” she said. She ended up receiving 11 pints and went on to birth a healthy child.
“That was a long time ago, I was young and I just kept telling myself, ‘I have got to donate, I have got to donate.’” However, she hesitated due to a fear of needles. “I couldn’t make myself do it for the longest time. Despite going through childbirth, I was so afraid of needles.”
It’s a fact that joins her with good company. Benfer said the number one reason others won’t donate is due to a fear of needles.
She said the Red Cross helps combat this by helping others feel as comfortable as possible and hiring highly trained phlebotomists who can draw quickly.
She also enjoys connecting with donors and learning why they volunteer.
“It’s fun getting to know these donors because in that you find a story and hear why they donate,” she said. “Some people actually have really profound stories.”
She also keeps in touch with them after they leave and sends personal messages reminding them about upcoming dates.
“I always sign my name because I want them to know it’s not coming from an automatic computer system,” she said. “I get donors that call me and I love it.”
In addition to Clay Center Community’s drives, there are multiple drives each year at Clay County Medical Center, Longford, and one annually at Clay Center Community High School.
Upcoming dates:
May 21, Catholic Parish Center
May 30, CCMC
Donors can make an appointment on the Red Cross website or via app.
