Red Sox Honor Ellington Man for Blood Donation

Ellington resident Bradley Schafer recently had the experience of a lifetime when he was honored on the field at Fenway Park prior to the Boston Red Sox game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sept. 8.

Schafer was named the Blood Donor of the Game after recently donating blood with the American Red Cross.

Together with the Boston Red Sox and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the Red Cross is proud to honor lucky presenting donors through the Blood Donor of the Game program. Fans are invited to enter to win after volunteering to donate blood to help patients in need.

“We are thrilled to honor Bradley Schafer as one of our Blood Donors of the Game,” said Joan Bennett, Director of Recruitment, Massachusetts and Connecticut Blood Services Regions. “Thank you to Bradley and all of our other generous volunteer blood donors who roll up their sleeves to help ensure blood is available for patients in need.”

All presenting donors at Red Cross blood drives or donation centers in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont will have the opportunity to enter to win the honor of becoming Blood Donor of the Game from now through the end of the 2015 regular baseball season. In addition to winning two tickets to a game at historic Fenway Park, the Blood Donor of the Game will be presented with a commemorative souvenir and will take part in a special onfield experience prior to the start of the game.

The Blood Donor of the Game program is a unique way for the Red Cross to thank volunteer blood donors during the spring and especially during the summer months. The need is particularly great during the summer, as traditionally, this is the most difficult time for the Red Cross to collect blood donations. The Red Cross collects approximately 20 percent of its blood from high school and college campuses; in the summer, school is out but the need remains.

For additional information about the Blood Donor of the Game program and information regarding donor eligibility please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org.

Photo courtesy of American Red Cross