Blood Drive At Smithtown Street Fair Could Help Nearly 100 People

SMITHTOWN, NY — Suffolk County Legislator Leslie Kennedy hosted a blood drive Sunday during the Smithtown Chamber of Commerce’s annual street fair, collecting 32 pints of blood, her office said.

The June 7 blood drive was coordinated with the New York Blood Center. A pint of blood can save up to three lives, meaning the donations collected Sunday have the potential to help nearly 100 people, Kennedy’s office said.

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Kennedy, a former nurse at Mather Hospital, has hosted blood drives for the past decade, her office said. She has been directly involved with sponsoring blood drives that have collected more than 2,000 pints total, according to her office.

A Suffolk County-based rugby team made up one of the larger donor groups at the event.

“I am so thankful to the rugby players,” Kennedy said. “Between the weather being absolutely amazing and the amount of rugby players who wanted to donate, it was an excellent Sunday.”

Several players donated blood and helped encourage street fair attendees to give as well.

“Donating blood helps save lives, it’s better to donate than to lose it on a rugby pitch,” said Dominick Toomey, an assistant coach with the rugby team.

Toomey said the rugby club has a charitable focus and has participated in several blood drives in the past.

“The rugby club has done 6 or 7 blood drives in the past and we want to get back into it,” Toomey said. “We have done a bunch of food drives for LI Cares in the past, we love helping out people and the Long Island community.”