Blood Drive
Golf is a funny game. It’s a game that is full of it’s ups and downs. Every person who has ever played the game, seen the game or heard of the game can verify that. I love my job. I think I have one of the best jobs in the world and every day I feel so blessed to be able to play a “game” for a career. I have been out here for 7 years going between the Duramed Futures Tour and the LPGA. This game has given me so many things through my years. Every week we acquire more and more fans, we meet new families who want to do whatever they can to help us out, as well as see old families we have stayed with for years. We get a chance to be away from everything that we know that is comfortable and gain our independance, but we also find friends to travel with who help us stay grounded and feel less alone. Looking around I see many healthy women who are playing a great game and really enjoying life. This got me to thinking, what can all these healthy women do to help other people around the country? A blood drive sounded like a great idea to me. “Every 2 seconds someone in the United States needs blood. Only 5% of the eligible US Population donates blood every year.” (from redcross.org) Giving blood is the only way to get blood. There is no substitute. There is no way to “make” blood like there is many other things to help people who are sick. It takes an hour out of our day and our body will replenish itself within 24 hours. Sounds easy enough right? I thought so. So, I brought up the idea to the Fellowship group on the Duramed Futures tour and got their full support, and the ball officially started rolling. I talked with the Duramed Futures Tour staff to find a tournament that would be a good “fit” and our event in Connecticut was the winner. The charity is Chip in for a Cure which helps with cancer, so we thought that donating blood there would be a great fit. We ha ve been working with the tournament staff there and with the American Red Cross as well to get this going. We wore ribbons on our hats or clothes and people started asking what it was for. And the blood drive got talked up. It was on our pre and post-information sheets to get the word out to all the players. There will be many of the tournament staff, the Duramed Futures Tour Staff, Fellowship group members, as well as players and caddies from the tour who are going to be stopping by that day to donate blood. On Tuesday July 14th from 11 am to 5 pm The American Red Cross will have a Blood Mobile out at the tournament course. This blood drive is open to anyone who would like to participate. Players, parents, caddies, staff, FANS, and anyone else who would like to help support such a wonderful cause are more than welcome to stop by. Being young and healthy I feel a responsibility to be able to give back to people who need what I can give. As a tour player there are people that I don’t even know who are out there supporting me and what I do from afar, so for me to be able to do that for someone ,and it may even save their life, is a true blessing. I am looking forward to the blood drive and I am hoping that it will be a huge success. I am so excited to see an idea actually become a reality!!!!!!! Please plan to take an hour out of your day, you never know whose life you may be saving!!!!! For more information go to www.redcross.org or www.givelife.org
