2012 is Blood Bank of Alaska's 50th Anniversary!
Join us in celebrating a half century of serving the Alaska community.
Allure Day Spa & Hair Design Blood Drive: Every registered donor gets a $25 gift card to Allure! Look for the LIFEmobile, noon to 6 p.m. Feb. 10, Allure Day Spa and Hair Design, 142 W. 5th Ave. Make your appointment today!
Call (907) 222-5630.
Art 4 Heart: Doodles Art Studio and Designer Hearts are teaming with Blood Bank of Alaska to bring awareness to Congenital Heart Defects (CHD). There will be silent art auction, prizes, free photos for CHD families and organ donor registration. Art 4 Heart Blood Drive, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, Crossroads Center Mall, 3060 N Lazy Eight Ct #15, Wasilla. Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week is February 7 to 14. Make your appointment today! Call (907) 222-5630.
Peanut Farm Pint for Pint Glass: All registered donors will receive a free Peanut Farm pint glass, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 12, Peanut Farm, 5227 Old Seward Hwy. Call (907) 222-5630 for an appointment.
Hockey Hall of Fame Week
Get a free ticket to see Fairbanks Ice Dogs or UAF Nanooks when you register to donate blood at our Fairbanks center during Hockey Hall of Fame Week, Feb. 17 to 24. While supplies last. Mention Hockey Week when you register. Come to our Hockey Hall of Fame Blood Drive, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 18, 1920 Lathrop St. Call (907) 456-5645 for an appointment or more information.
January is Donor Appreciation Month!
Thank you to all our wonderful donors who save lives with their generous gift. Everyone who registers to donate will receive a water bottle while supplies last.
Pint for a Pint!
At the ORSO and Glacier Brewhouse Blood Drive
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 25
737 W. 5th Ave.
Take a break from the Black Friday frenzy and offer a pint a blood for your community. ORSO and Glacier Brewhouse will thank you for your donation with a free pint of root beer (you can keep the glass!) and a coupon for a free appetizer (Yum!).
This blood drive can fill up - make your appointment today!
Call (907) 222-5630.
November is Coffee Month!
Buy coffee at one of the participating coffee carts and get a card. Bring that card into an Anchorage Blood Bank of Alaska center during November and receive a free gift. Bring the card into our Fairbanks center and enter to win prizes.
Blood Bank of Alaska thanks these businesses for their participation in Anchorage: Qwik Cup Coffee, 5882 Arctic Blvd, Bailey's parking lot; CoffeeSmiths, Carrs Parking Lot, Jewel Lake and Dimond; Java Junction, Old Seward and 70th; Daily Grind, Abbott near Carrs; and Common Grounds, Alaska Club parking lot on Tudor near Old Seward, Old Seward near Dowling, and Dimond near Minnesota. And in Fairbanks: Java Da Hutt, off Geraghty by University and Airport; and College Coffeehosue.
See the Anchorage poster or Fairbanks poster for more information.
BBA Medical Summit
The Blood Bank of Alaska Medical Summit features local and national experts on blood banking and transfusion services. This free educational opportunity for lab technicians and physicians is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 15, 2011, at Alaska Regional Hospital. Click here for more information.
Dracula visits Blood Bank of Alaska - The Blood is the Life
We aren't the only ones that want your blood! Dracula will visit our Dimond Center location from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. Meet the vampire legend and take photos. Everyone who registers to donate then can enter to win tickets to TBA Theatre's production of Dracula, playing at APU's Grant Hall through Halloween. Share your photos with us!
Zombie Pirate Fitness Festival
The Zombie Pirate Festival on Oct. 1 encourages the undead and the living to donate blood, clothes and food. Runners will get a mystery certificate when they come to Blood Bank of Alaska (mobile drives and centers) in October. Just let our staff at the Registration desk know that you participated in the runs. Options include zombie half marathon, pirate 10K, lost souls 50K, and a 2K race for the kiddos with Captain Jack Sparrow. Bring clothing and non-meat food donations to the festival. www.zombiepiratefest.com
Anchorage Pirate Pub Crawl
Ahoy, mateys! The Anchorage Pirate Pub Crawl starts at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 in Town Square. Thar be costume contests, piratical games of chance, pirate songs, and pirate booty. A portion of the night's proceeds to benefit Blood Bank of Alaska.
For more information, visit Anchorage Downtown Partnership or the event's Facebook page.
2011 Alaska Safe and Sound Fair
Learn how to prepare for emergencies and donate blood from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 17, 2011, at Anchorage Loussac Library, 3600 Denali St. Get more information on all the National Preparedness Month activities at www.facebook.com/anchoragenpm.
Blood Collectors Week - September 11 to 17
Blood Collectors Week recognizes and celebrates the commitment and dedication of blood collectors. Blood collection professionals, together with volunteer blood donors, help to ensure blood is available when it is needed.
We encourage you to show your support this week by making a blood donation and helping meet Alaska blood supply needs. For more information or to schedule a donation, please call (907) 222-5630 or make an appointment online.
Have a blood collector you'd like to thank? Cut out and fill out one of these stars and bring it to your local center or mobile drive.
September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance
Blood Bank of Alaska invites you to honor the sacrifice of those who were lost and pay tribute to those who rose in service in response to the tragedy on Sept. 11, 2001. One way to pay tribute to the victims and heroes of 9/11 is to donate blood. For other opportunities, visit www.serve.gov.
Community Celebration from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, at the picnic area on the west-side parking lot of Alaska Regional Hospital. Special Thank You to Alaska Regional Hospital Auxiliary. Click here for more information.
Governor's Picnic 2011
Look for the LIFEmobile at the Governor's Anchorage Picnic. We'll be there 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at the Delaney Park Strip.
Ride for Life 2011
Alaska motorcyclists and Blood Bank of Alaska are teaming up again for Ride for Life 2011. From May 7 to July 31, bikers can receive a special patch and this year’s rocker when they register to donate. Just let our staff know that you are a biker when you register. Patches will be available at all centers and mobile drives. Look for the LIFEmobile at the Bike Blessing on May 7 at the Anchorage Park Strip and at the Harley Davidson – Millennium Hotel Barbeque on June 11 at the Millennium Hotel. For more information or to make an appointment, call (907) 222-5630.
2011 Alaska Visitor Industry Charity Walk
In this “Graze to Raise,” people walk an easy 4- or 5-kilometer loop, feasting on yummy food along the way. At the end of the route, there will be a huge family event with pony rides, games for the kids and prizes. The Anchorage walk will be 6 p.m. May 6 at the Dena’ina Center. The Fairbanks walk will be 6 p.m. May 13 at the Immaculate Conception Church parking lot. Support Blood Bank of Alaska by registering online and clicking on Team Blood Bank of Alaska as your charity of choice. For more information, call (907) 276-4118 or visit www.alaskacharitywalk.org.
Visit the LIFEmobile at the Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 27, at the Curtis Menard Sports Complex, 1001 South Mack Dr. in Wasilla. For other times we are in the Valley, see the Mobile Drive Calendar.
January 2011
National Blood Donor Month
January is National Blood Donor Month. Register to donate during January and receive a free calendar as a thank you. You could win Blood Bank of Alaska goodies through a trivia contest about blood, happening from Jan. 9 to 16 at our Laurel Street location in Anchorage and at our Fairbanks center. Donate on Jan. 16 and receive a retro-style T-shirt. We are also giving away coupons to Papa Murphy's and H2Oasis.
Anchorage Pirate Pub Crawl
The first annual Pirate Pub Crawl in downtown Anchorage raised more than $5,000 for Blood Bank of Alaska on Sept. 18. The pub that raised the most and won the honor of flying the Anchorage Pirate Pub Crawl Jolly Roger was Mad Myrna’s.
Participating Bars included The Anchor Pub, The Avenue Bar, Bernie’s Bungalow Lounge, Darwin’s Theory, Gaslight Bar, Humpy’s Ale House, Kodiak Bar & Grill, Mad Myrna’s, McGinley’s Pub, Platinum Jaxx, and Rumrunners.
2010 Dog Jog
Blood Bank of Alaska team members got an embroidered scarf for the pooch during the Friends of Pets Dog Jog on July 24, 2010.
2010 Alaska Visitor Industry Charity Walk
More than 30 individuals joined Blood Bank of Alaska's team for the annual "Graze to Raise" on May 7, 2010, raising more than $1,000 for blood programs and initiatives.
2009
Governor's Picnic
Shannon Bradley, Miss Alaska's ANTSO National Miss 2009 with
the Alaska's National Teenager Scholarship Organization, poses
with Buddy Blooddrop at the Governor's Picnic in July 2009.
2006 Visitor Industry Charity Walk
Team Blood Bank of Alaska showed their support on May 5th by taking part
in the 2006 Visitor Industry Charity Walk! It was a 5k course that started
at
the Park Strip at 9th & M, winding along the Inlet to 3rd Avenue, and
then eating their way across downtown, stopping at several food stands
to finish at the Park Strip for desserts, live music, jugglers, clowns,
prizes,
and games.
The BBA team consisted of 26 members:
Margaret
Baker & her daughter
Lindsey Smith & her
daughter
Roy Allen & his wife
Gene Reardon, her daughter, son-in-law and three grandsons
Star Poe & her husband, & friend
Sharon Hall, her daughter & son
David Large
Maria Lackie
Lisa Green
Kevin Curtis
Jean Krupa
Kim Ruechel & friend
Casey Amos
Visit their official web site at: www.alaskacharitywalk.org
Harvey
Rookus Retires as Volunteer after over Twenty Years of Service
The Blood
Bank of Alaska honored retiring volunteers Harvey and Wilma Rookus
at a reception
on July 12th. Mr. Rookus, a ten-gallon
donor, started volunteering at BBA in the early 1980’s
after retiring as a surveyor for ARCO. For over 20 years, he
showed up twice a week to help wherever the blood bank needed
him. For the first two years, he helped in the component room
by making platelets. Later, he assisted in shipping and in building
maintenance. Blood Bank employees will greatly miss his cheerful
disposition and the Monday morning joke that he brought to circulate
among the staff. Mr. Rookus was honored with a plaque of appreciation
from the Blood Bank of Alaska. Mrs. Rookus, a past volunteer,
was presented with a dozen roses.
Goal ChalleNGed—and
Met!
An earlier story described the Alaska Military Youth Academy’s ChalleNGe
Program and its participation in blood drives at our Anchorage
Center, thanks
to adult team leader Ron Forbes. Saturday, June 5th, marked a special milestone
for Mr. Forbes and his current class of ChalleNGe cadets: Since its first blood
drive on 18 August 2001, the Alaska Military Youth Academy cadets have donated
just over 20 gallons of blood through our Anchorage Center. What makes this
milestone even more inspiring is that the overwhelming majority of cadets had
never donated blood before entering into the ChalleNGe program.
The
Blood Bank of Alaska congratulates Mr. Forbes and the Alaska
Military Youth Academy for reaching such a lofty goal. More importantly, we’d
like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the cadets and
leaders who have so selflessly donated blood to assist patients
across the state.
A Scout is ...
On Saturday, May
1st, the Western Alaska Council
of the Boy Scouts of America held its annual Scout-o-rama at Delaney Park
Strip in Anchorage. This event was designed as a fun and informative
open house to showcase Scout skills. This year new mosquitoes
joined the more traditional insects around the campsite--the
Blood Bank of Alaska’s LIFEmobile parked adjacent to the
Scout-o-rama grounds along 10th Avenue.
Buddy, the Anchorage Center’s mascot, “dropped” in
to visit Cub Scout and Boy Scout sites, reinforcing the Council’s
goal of one donated unit of blood for each Scout unit participating.
Twenty-three Scouters registered to donate that day, from whom
the Blood Bank received 15 good units. Plans are already in the
works for including the LIFEmobile at next year’s Scout-o-rama;
the Blood Bank will “be prepared”!
Champions for Charity
Ina Kristiansen,
an outstanding young woman who had an immense love of soccer
and life, died in 1992 at the age of 22. Each
year since, the Goldstrykers soccer team, for which she played,
has sponsored a Tournament in her memory, honoring her life and
her spirited battled against leukemia. In addition, the Ina K.
Tournament raises money for the Leukemia
and Lymphoma Society,
the American
Cancer Society, and the Blood Bank of Alaska, and
provides scholarships through the Alaska Goldstrikers Soccer
Club Scholarship Fund.
Over the course of the two-day
tournament, each competitive team was challenged to line up
donors at our
LIFEmobile parked
at DelaVega fields. This year’s winner, Goldstrikers
87 Boys, received a team pizza party from Pizza Hut and free
admission
to H2Oasis. At the presentation ceremony held on Saturday,
June 5th, the Blood Bank of Alaska was honored to receive a
check
in the amount of $1500 and in turn acknowledged the 16 donors
who took time to donate blood during the Tournament.
The Blood
Bank would like to thank the Goldstrykers soccer club and Tournament
organizers for continuing to include us in their
fundraising efforts – we are truly honored to participate
in the event that bears Ina Kristiansen’s name.
Saturn Donors Day
Saturday, February
14th was not only Valentine’s Day this
year; it was also Saturn National Donor Day. In fact, it was
the seventh annual national campaign to encourage blood, marrow
and blood stem cell, organ and tissue donation. The Saturn Corporation
and the UAW sponsor what is billed as the largest one-day lifesaving
donation drive in the United States.
Thanks to Sales Manager Chuck
Coleman, Saturn of Anchorage sponsored a blood drive at our
Anchorage Center from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
on Feb. 14th, with special prize drawings each hour and free
t-shirts for all donors. Fifty-five donors answered the call
to donate, and we were able to collect 42 useable units, which
will ultimately save up to 126 Alaskans in their time of need.
Displays also provided information from the Blood Bank about
the National Marrow Donor Program Registry; and from LifeAlaska
regarding organ and tissue donation.
This year, organizers surpassed
their goal: they have collected 50,000 units of blood nationwide
since Saturn and its UAW partners
launched the first Donor Day in 1998. For our part, the Blood
Bank of Alaska truly appreciates Saturn of Anchorage and their
commitment to assisting those in need throughout Alaska.
Blood Bank’s Gone
to the Dogs!
The Blood Bank of Alaska
went off to the races, collecting the “gift
of life” during the 2004 Fur
Rendezvous Festival.
After enjoying world-famous dog mushing, spectators were invited
to stop by to donate blood inside the
LIFEmobile. Warm fingers, toes , and feelings prevailed; donors
knew that they had made a vital difference in someone’s
life.
Our coach parked in front
of the Egan Center on Saturday and Sunday, February 28th and
29th, during the World Championship
Sled Dog Races; and on Saturday, March 6th, for Iditarod ceremonial
start and the Empty Bowl Bean-a-Fit for Bean’s Café.
Over the course of the three-day blood drive, teams were able
to collect36 units from 55 donors, ultimately saving the lives
of up to 108 Alaskans!
We thank all who “pawsed” to “pull together” for
the good of Alaskans from Anchorage to Nome!
Blood Bank of Alaska - A Winning
Team!
Moose Lodge 1534 celebrated Super Bowl XXXVIII a day early
by supporting our life-saving team. On Saturday, January 31st,
62
donors came to donate blood and munch on snacks while watching
classic football videos. These FANtastic donors also got to register
to win some great sports merchandise prizes, including Patriots
and Panthers caps, and NASCAR and Cardinals clothing. The real
winners, however, are the 150 patients at 26 hospitals across
the state of Alaska who can now receive the Gift of Life.
Our thanks to Ed Hall and
Moose Lodge 1534 for sponsoring the drive; to Tastee-Freez,
Arctic Roadrunner, and Excalibur Sports
for donating great prizes and giveaways; to Odom Corporation
for donating the “super” decorations; and to Blockbuster
Video, Eagle River, for donating the selection of football videos.
January Beach Party 2004
On Saturday, January 24th, the Blood Bank in Anchorage hosted
our first January Beach Party, which was, like our Summer Solstice
event, an appreciation day and blood drive. Under the gaze of
stuffed monkeys, to the sounds of Hawaiian music and to the swaying
of imitation palm trees, sixty-two donors added to our blood
supply on hand.
After that,
they dug in to enjoy tropical food – pineapple,
coconut, spiced taro chips and more - on a table graced with
Hawaiian scenes and a handsome floral arrangement donated by
Uptown Blossoms, which was won by a lucky donor at the end of
the day. Another prize of classy beach attire was donated by
Classic Woman and Portfolio. In appreciation of the support recently
given by H2Oasis, two full adult day passes were purchased as
the final prize.
We’d like to thank
food donors New Sagaya, Carrs Abbott Loop and Carrs Aurora
in addition to cash donors Alaska Industrial
Hardware and Weaver Brothers. We hope that next year in cold,
dark January 2005, we have double or triple the number of donors
for this fun event! Remember to look for the Beach Party then;
it will be advertised on the web, radio, and newspaper and in
some of our mailings.
On Saturday,
June 7th, the Blood Bank of Alaska participated in the 11th
annual Alaska Run for Women. In its history, the
AKRFW has raised over one million dollars for breast cancer
research. This year, more than 4,500 women took part in either
the five- or one-mile runs, and the LIFEmobile was there. Our
mini-blood drive for friends and families of participants was
enthusiastically welcomed by the race committee, and mentioned
on the AKRFW website.
The first weekend in June was busy one for the Blood Bank of Alaska, its LIFEmobile,
and phlebotomy teams. Not only was the LIFEmobile part of the Alaska Run
for Women at Mulcahy Stadium, it was featured in the Ina K Memorial Soccer
Tournament, sponsored by the Alaska Goldstrikers Soccer. 
