Thursday, December 11, 2003

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11 DEC 03: RED CROSS-UP



For the second time in seven days, I walked to the Government Center Wednesday to donate blood. And for the second time in seven days, I was turned around and sent home WITHOUT donating. Apparently Red Cross workers feel I need the exercise more than they need my blood.



As a rather regular blood donor, I received a card before Thanksgiving urging me to give blood December 4 at the Government Center. But when I walked from my home to the tower that day, the security staff at the entrance had no idea what I was talking about. For them, "type A" usually refers to Mayor Poydasheff having a bad day.



The security staff knew some kind of gathering was going on at the Government Center December 4 - but it turned out I was led to the city employees' open enrollment day for insurance plans. The people at those tables didn't want my blood. They're more interested in my money.



It took a call to Atlanta on the downstairs security office phone to resolve the blood drive confusion. Even though my card said December 4, the Government Center blood drive actually was scheduled for December 10. Whoever mailed that card needs to be given a "big 10-4" - as in the difference between those numbers.



So I didn't waste time again, I called 1-800-GIVE-LIFE Tuesday night - the Red Cross blood drive hotline in Atlanta. The man on the phone confirmed for me the Government Center blood drive was ON for Wednesday. Now I'm starting to think this staff needs another phone number - 1-800 GET-A-CLUE.



At least this time the Government Center security staff had an answer when I said the words, "blood drive." They told me despite notices in the newspaper and other media, the Red Cross called at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday to cancel the drive. Shouldn't the staff be required to come down with a doctor's note or something?



The Government Center blood drive which was scheduled for December 4, then December 10, is now planned for sometime in January. So if you hear someone tell you the Red Cross has an "urgent need" for blood during the holiday season, remind them it's apparently not THAT urgent around here.



Security guards at the Government Center agreed with me that the Red Cross is hurting its own cause, by postponing and dropping blood drives like this. And I'm wondering if I'm better off NOT donating blood - since I would have gained weight on all the free cookies they offer you after the needles are out.



Before I moved to Columbus in 1997, I spent several months as a "temp" worker at the American Red Cross blood drive office in midtown Atlanta. Sad to say, occasional glitches with blood drives were common - only most of the time, they involved the blood collection staff laughing at donors too loudly behind their backs.



My duties with the Red Cross in Atlanta ranged from printing posters to reviewing "datasheets" on upcoming blood drives. Those sheets gave VERY detailed instructions about how to drive to locations across the northern half of Georgia. Apparently maps with blood stains can be confusing to read....



BLOG UPDATE: The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach and Americus native Dan Reeves Wednesday. Apparently the managers hold Reeves responsible for Michael Vick not having an unbreakable ankle.



Some people had seen a coaching change at the Falcons coming for weeks. In fact, Mark Bradley called for it in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution sports column a few weeks ago. Now we're trying to remember the last time an Atlanta sports team actually followed a columnist's instructions.



What else happened on Wednesday? Let's make a partial list:


+ Russell County School Superintendent Phillip Elder announced his resignation. How kind of him to give up his job, so that would-be Chief of Staff of Muscogee County schools with the expensive Russell County house can have one....



(Phillip Elder says he wants to remain in education, somewhere in East Alabama. He's counting on either the Phenix City school board to reject all the candidates for Superintendent - or he wants to be first in line to be the next Auburn University President.)



+ Members of the Columbus Cottonmouths paid a visit to sick children at the Medical Center. The hockey players truly showed compassion for the youngsters, by not wearing disinfected hockey gloves in the hospital rooms.



+ Former Cottonmouths coach Bruce Garber announced he's leaving hockey, to sell sports collectibles for a company in Phenix City. Whatever Garber's selling, you'd better buy it - else he'll call you all sorts of dirty names, and turn over tables.



COMING FRIDAY: A song for December taxi drivers, and the riders who need them....