Weiss-Parker Family Reaches Year Thirty-Seven in Blood Donation Legacy

On January 7, 2012, four generations of the Weiss-Parker family assembled at the American Red Cross Red Cross Portland Donor Center, just north of Legacy Emanuel Hospital to give blood together as a family tradition for the thirty-seventh year! After giving blood, they continued their tradition by having family breakfast at a local pancake house.

Family representative, Sam Weiss, son of Morris Weiss, wants others to learn about giving blood to the American Red Cross. "In this day and age of families struggling to maintain a quality of family life, traditions such as this contribute significantly to the family bonding together. Bonding together not only as an extended family, but a family that has found a way to contribute to other families by their gift of life."

The blood donation tradition was started by Morris Weiss in 1976 as a "Living New Year’s Resolution" and he demonstrated his commitment by donating 22 gallons of blood during his lifetime. "The family is continuing where Morris left off making just over 1,300 blood donations to help hospital patients in need" said, Daphne Mathew, American Red Cross spokesperson. "When you consider that blood can be separated into several different components –- often helping more than one patient -- their contribution is even more impactful."

Thanksgiving Day Blood Drives!

Give of yourself this holiday, start a great Thanksgiving tradition for you and your family by helping to save a life. Join us on Thursday, November 24th for one of our annual Thanksgiving blood drives at the Portland, Salem, or Vancouver Red Cross donor centers.

All presenting donors will receive a free holiday t-shirt, a free pumpkin pie donated by Thriftway, and a $10 OFF discount for any performance of “A Christmas Story” at Portland Center Stage.*

To make an appointment for a Thanksgiving Day Blood Drive donation, schedule your appointment for the nearest drive listed below or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Thanksgiving Day Blood Drive Locations and Hours:

Portland Donor Center
3131 N. Vancouver Ave.
Portland, OR 97227
7:00am – 12:00pm

Clark County Donor Center
5109 NE 82nd Avenue
Vancouver, WA 98862
7:30 am – 12:30 pm

Salem Donor Center
475 Cottage Street NE, Suite 110
Salem, OR 97301
7:30 am – 12:30 pm

*Giveaway items while supplies last

Surviving An Emergency that Required No Toilet Paper

My Emergency Prep. Kit: Made out of a Widmer Beer box. Ready to help you calm down.

On a recent sabbatical, I experienced the kind of family emergency that requires no canned foods, protein bars or radio.  As a result, I reached into my emotional emergency preparedness kit which is based on: (1) Lifeguard training, (2) a false alarm in a hotel throughout which I screamed "I'm too young to die," and (3) a Fireman's advice.

The first, Lifeguard training, propelled me to isolate the victim's movement and call 911.

The second and third are closely related through a thread of panic.
As an 8 year old, I responded to the supposed fire with a natural, albeit highly unhelpful panic reaction.  Panic fuels the fire of an emergency.  Luckily, it was the advice of a Fireman (AKA my Grandpa Al) that ultimately made me a helpful partner in the emergency at hand.

The Advice? 

"You are going to Panic, Decide to Panic Later."

The goal of this message is to get you to stop reacting, and start acting (Roddey, 2011).
The goal is to help you focus on the task at hand AND the next step towards your safety.

"Panic Later" became my mantra I yelled at myself over and over as I followed the ambulance to the hospital.  My only job was to arrive safely to accompany my family through the scary ER and what turned out to be a successful recovery.

"I Want to Panic, But I'm Going to Panic Later." This should be your mantra during an emergency.
Repeat it, and teach it to your kids and friends.

I suggest placing the phrase "Panic Later" on the inside of your emergency pack and repeating it when you are inevitably scared and upset as an emergency rears its ugly head.