New York Army National Guard sponsors Memorial Day Blood Drive
Blood Drive in Memory of Three Fallen Soldiers
(Glens Falls, New York) - The New York Army National Guard has partnered with the American Red Cross Adirondack Saratoga Chapter to sponsor a special Memorial Day blood drive. The drive will serve as a memorial to honor three local fallen soldiers who served their country with honor.
The blood drive is being held at the Glens Falls Armory, 65 Stone Quarry Road, Queensbury on May 26 from 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. The drive will commence with a brief ceremony at 11:30 a.m., which will include local dignitaries, elected officials, members of the National Guard and Honor Guard. Please note that the first blood donation cannot take place until 12:45 pm
The Memorial Day drive not only honors the men and women who are actively serving their country, but those we have lost. Three fallen soldiers from our community will be specifically honored in the opening ceremony and recognized throughout the drive.
PFC Nathan Brown of South Glens Falls was killed in action in Samarra, Iraq on April 11, 2004.
SPC Zachary Bergmeier of South Glens Falls died on August 16, 2005 from pneumonia, eight months after returning home from Iraq.
SGT Chad Byrne of Fort Edward died on August 1, 2008, from encephalitis after returning home from Iraq in Jan 2005.
Family members of each of these soldiers will be attending the opening ceremony. "Memorial Day is a day for all of us to pay homage to our active military personnel, retired veterans and fallen soldiers," said Eileen Reardon, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Adirondack Saratoga Chapter. "Let us reflect and pay tribute to the sacrifice they have given to our country."
"We're pleased to partner with the Red Cross by providing a place for this blood drive," said Brig. Gen. Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York. "All soldiers understand the lifesaving role that blood donors play and we certainly appreciate it."
For more information or to make an appointment, contact Donna Vetter at 792-6545, or e-mail her at vetterdo@usa.redcross.org. You can also call 1-800-RED CROSS or log onto redcrossblood.org.
About New York National Guard
The New York National Guard is composed of the New York Army National Guard, with 10,500 Soldiers and the New York Air National Guard with more than 6,000 Airmen in five Air Wings. These Citizen Soldiers and Airmen serve at 55 armories and readiness centers and five air bases located across New York. Members of the New York National Guard stand ready to assist in state emergencies and natural disasters, as well as serve in federal missions overseas and in combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
About the American Red Cross Adirondack Saratoga Chapter
The American Red Cross Adirondack Saratoga Chapter is dedicated to helping save lives and helping people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. Led by a volunteer Board of Directors with 300 other volunteers and 8 paid employees, the local Red Cross is supported by community donations and provides services to Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Hamilton and southern Essex Counties. Last year the Red Cross ran 650 aquatic courses and 1048 first aid and CPR courses, collected over 19,000 units of whole blood, helped deliver 303 emergency messages for members of our armed forces, and assisted more than 1,250 neighbors who were affected by local disasters.
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New York Army National Guard © 2010 American Red Cross, Adirondack Saratoga Chapter © 2010 |
