Blood drive set for Niskayuna Town Hall Friday; Held by Red Cross, town, Steck

Man giving blood — PHOTOGRAPHER: File Photo

FILE - Blood donation last year.

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NISKAYUNA — The town of Niskayuna is teaming up with Assemblymember Phil Steck, D-Colonie, and the American Red Cross to host a blood drive in the town on Friday aimed at combating blood shortages in the Capital Region.

After holding a blood drive last April at Colonie Town Hall, Steck reached out to Niskayuna to host his second annual drive. Steck said he thinks the town is a natural fit to host the event, which will take place at Niskayuna Town Hall from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday.

“There isn’t enough blood being donated in the country for the needs we have and we had such great success last year,” Steck said on Wednesday. “The goal was 18 units [of platelets] and we collected 45 units. I think Niskayuna is also a community where people will be inclined to donate blood. It also gives me the opportunity to meet some of my constituents as well. So that’s why we’re bringing it to Niskayuna.”

All donors at the St. Patrick’s Day blood drive can enter for a chance to win a $3,000 prepaid Visa gift card.

In order to give blood at the drive, donors must be at least 16 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, must not have donated blood in the last 56 days and must be in good health on the day of the blood drive.

Interested donors are urged to schedule an appointment by calling 1-800-733-2767 or visiting RedCrossBlood.org and entering the sponsor code: AssemblymemberPhilSteck.

Niskayuna Town Supervisor Jaime Puccioni said the town was eager to partner with Steck in hosting the blood drive.

“There’s a national blood shortage and public service is all about when you see a need, you fill a need,” she said. “Assemblymember Steck reached out and asked if the town would be willing to help host a blood drive, which we were more than happy to accommodate. Councilmember [Jason] Moskowitz has hosted a blood drive as well at the senior center previously [in October] and he’ll be hosting another, so Niskayuna is committed to helping people in need.”

Steck noted that blood donations can help patients of all ages, including accident and burn victims, as well as heart surgery and organ transplant patients and individuals battling cancer and blood disorders.

“I think it’s really essential,” Steck said of the blood drive. “Believe it or not, 5,000 units of platelets are needed daily in the United States. Only three percent of age-eligible people donate blood yearly, so we want to get those numbers up in our area. I think like Colonie, Niskayuna is a very public-spirited community. We’re hoping for a similar success in Niskayuna.”