Published: July 25, 2009 07:44 pm      

Local donors assist in honoring fallen heroes

I’m sure that when asked who your hero in life is, there is an array of responses. They could be anyone from parents, grandparents, veterans, firefighters and police officers and those individuals serving in the current war today.

Many people have someone they look up to and admire, which makes campaigns for the men and women who put their lives on the line on a daily basis for the safety of others even more genuine.

Throughout the month of June, the American Red Cross participated in a third annual statewide Fallen Officer Blood Drive campaign. The American Red Cross hosts blood drives across Indiana to honor those who serve and protect our communities.

Locally, the Fallen Officer Blood Drive was conducted June 25 at the Knights of Columbus. The event resulted in 79 pints of blood collected in Cass County and 4,980 statewide.

“Because each blood donation can be split into three components to be used by three different patients, more than 235 lives could be impacted by this drive by the Cass County donations alone,” said Amanda Banks, communications manager of the American Red Cross.

In the short history of the Indiana Fallen Officer Blood Drive, approximately 15,000 units of blood has been collected on behalf of Indiana’s fallen officers.

Janice Starnes, Martinsville, began organizing the drive in 2001, the year her husband, Sgt. Daniel Starnes, was killed in the line of duty.

“In 2008, we successfully held a Fallen Officer Blood Drive in every county in the state,” said Starnes. “I hope to repeat that achievement each year.”

Janice, along with many other fallen officer survivors, takes great pride in the drive. “The blood drive campaign honors the sacrifices made by our fallen officers and helps ensure that the blood supply is strong, just like our officers,” Starnes said.

As stated in “The Indiana Trooper,” Cass County has had three of our own fallen officers as of 2008. They have been honored with a memorial bridge recognizing the ultimate sacrifice they paid while protecting the citizens and visitors of Indiana. These men are Logansport natives, Trooper Daniel Roy Barrett, Trooper John J. Streu and Sgt. Glen R. Hosier.

The Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region serves northern and central Indiana and northwestern Ohio and needs to collect about 500 units of blood a day to meet patient need in more than 60 hospitals. In addition to providing blood to our community, the American Red Cross also provides relief to victims of disaster, trains millions in lifesaving skills, serves as a communication link between U.S. military members and their families and assists victims of international disasters or conflicts.

To donate blood call (800) 448-3543 to schedule an appointment. Donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in good general health. Positive identification also is needed. In Indiana, donors may be 16 with written parental consent.

Wouldn’t it be inspiring to know that you could be that hero to someone in desperate need?

• Lori Kitchel is the community news editor at the Pharos-Tribune and can be reached at (574) 732-5130 or via e-mail at lori.kitchel@pharostribune.com.