60 Years Of Blood Donations

I f one has spent the majority of his life donating blood — nearly 40 gallons worth — you’d suspect he’d say he’s done it out of a profound sense of community, a willingness to help others or some other altruistic motive. At 83, Eldo Androes wouldn’t fess up to any of those motivations, at least publicly. He did admit that after donating blood he tends to “feel better” physically. Could it be there’s such a thing as a donor’s endorphins rush? This much is certain: Whether Androes is deliberately downplaying his contributions in an aw-shucks-it’s-no-big-deal manner, his actions speak more profoundly than anything he could ever articulate. Elizabeth Giles, the marketing and communications officer for the Inland Northwest Blood Center, quantified his almost 60 years of blood donations this way: “Every one donation has the potential to save three lives,” Giles says. “What that means is that as many as 939 people could have used blood from him through the years”/ Kevin Blocker , Inlander. More here. (Inlander photo)

Question: When did you last give blood?