Debbie Furman, a longtime employee at Cheney Insurance, has been giving blood since she was in high school. (Photo courtesy Kim Traina)
Cheney Insurance and the American Red Cross will host a blood drive Tuesday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Red Cross Mobile unit will be on site at Cheney Insurance, 277 Main St., Damariscotta.
The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in the community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most people will need blood in their lifetime. Each unit of blood (approximately 1 pint) can save three lives.
Red Cross has a blood donor app that allows one to schedule appointments, view blood type and results of a mini-physical, and track where donated blood gets utilized. Download the Red Cross blood donor app on the App Store, Google Play, or text BLOODAPP to 90999.
Debbie Furman, a longtime employee at Cheney, has been giving blood since she was in high school. Her O-negative blood type makes her a Universal Donor. In a life-threatening situation, if the patient’s blood type is unknown, they can safely receive O-negative. Furman gives two units each time she donates as her way of giving back and helping others.
Employees at Cheney Insurance, along with employees at partner companies Newcastle Realty and Newcastle Vacation Rentals, each volunteer for local causes a minimum of 8 hours per year. The Cheney Financial Group has a community outreach and charitable giving program that supports local and statewide community organizations that have a positive impact on the lives of children, the elderly, and people in need, as well as protecting the environment. For more information on the blood drive or community outreach, contact Brittany Carter at Cheney Insurance, 563-3435 or brittanycarter@cheneycompanies.com.
