On Saturday, July 30th, 13 blood drives were held simultaneously throughout Northeast Ohio, calling donors to come out for the urgent need of blood donations. From Sandusky to Massillon to Warren, through the First and Ten movement, Browns fans all over showed their support for a First and Ten community partner and those in need as summer months tend to low blood donations.
Donors who attended any of the 13 sites had the chance to win preseason tickets, Training Camp passes and other items such as signed footballs and photos from Browns players! Donors also had the exclusive opportunity on site to pledge #give10 in the community while receiving official First and Ten #give10 orange wristbands!
Our very own Browns Alumni, Keith Baldwin a defensive end who played from 1982-1985 and Cleo Miller, a running back from 1975-1982, both extended their support for the annual Blood Drive to be on site at blood drive sites to meet fans and sign autographs! Even Chomps made a special visit in Berea!
Volunteers from the Red Cross helped make this and many other blood drives possible. Many volunteers contributed to this year's blood drive around the 13 sites, one in particular being the president of the Berea Kiwanis, Diana Emrich, President of Berea Kiwanis, which is a local chapter of a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world gave her time on Saturday morning to be of assistance to those who had just given blood at the Berea Recreation Center. "We enjoy working with the community if they need us. It is a very nice feeling to be able to help out where we can."
At the conclusion of Saturday's Blood Drive and initial goal being 595 pints of, the final count received was 597 pints of blood that had been donated! With the potential of each pint to help up to three people, almost 1,800 patients could be impacted by this year's annual Cleveland Browns Blood Drive! With the extreme importance of blood during the summer months, Christy Peters, the American Red Crosses Communications Manager shared "The Browns blood drives come as such an important time because we are in emergency need right now, so all of the donations that we get here today will help our patients that we serve in 57 local hospitals."
Each year during the Browns Annual Blood Drive, it is recognized that giving blood is a great way to #give10 and that Browns and fans can do it throughout the year! Thank you to all of this year's donors, volunteers, fans and the American Red Cross for your incredible support and contribution to helping others at this year's annual Browns Blood Drive! Your efforts to get out in the community and make a difference does not go unnoticed!
Follow @BrownsGiveBack on Twitter and Instagram and tell us what you are doing to help others using #give10 to unite us all as Browns fans. Give 10 hours, help your community.
The Browns are dedicated to #give10 through the team's First and Ten initiative. Launched in June 2014, the Cleveland Browns First and Ten campaign is the team's community program, established to inspire fans to volunteer in and help their communities throughout the world by volunteering for 10 hours each year. Since its inception, Browns fans have committed to volunteering more than 1 million hours to impact their communities by pledging to #give10. Through First and Ten, the Browns are the only NFL club to promote a long-term volunteering program that unifies the team and its entire fan base, with the goal of impacting every individual's city across the globe, as well as the franchise's local community. All Browns fans are encouraged to join the volunteering effort by signing the First and Ten pledge on the team's website and by sharing their stories with #give10.
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The Cleveland Browns Annual Blood Drive to support the American Red Cross was a success! Thank you to all the donors who came out to give blood #give10
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