The fourth annual Blood for a Brew campaign continued with important, mid-summer stops at Crooked Hammock in Middletown, Delaware on Monday, July 15 and Two Stones Pub in Newark, Delaware on Friday, July 19.
At Crooked Hammock, 20 kind souls signed up to donate lifesaving blood, while 15 people signed up to donate at Two Stones Pub. The drives yielded 15 and 12 units, respectively.
Crooked Hammock drew combination of local residents and relatives of employees at chic Crooked Hammock, one of the original breweries that worked with Blood Bank of Delmarva Account Manager Mary Moore to be an integral part of the Blood for a Brew campaign.
Two Stones Pub attracted customers and local residents willing to take time during the middle of summer to save lives. In addition, Channel 6ABC Action News covered the drive for the afternoon and evening newscast.
Blood for a Brew was created to help keep the blood inventory at optimal levels during the summer. The cessation of high school and college blood drives during the summertime leads to a 25 percent drop in donation, and the fun partnership with local breweries is a powerful way to help make up for that shortfall.
Julie Zuspann was among those who donated at Crooked Hammock for the convenience.
“Both of parents, especially my dad, donated all the time, so I celebrate his birthday by donating blood,” Zuspann said. “My mom did too, but after a while she couldn’t anymore. So whenever one of them has a birthday, I donate to celebrate them.”
Megan Nee was another donor on the M5 Bloodmobile parked in the Crooked Hammock parking lot.
“I’m familiar with Crooked Hammock, and it’s a good summer spot,” Nee said. “I just figured, it’s been a while [since donating], and I was due. My body will make more blood.”
Meanwhile, at Two Stones Pub, Blood Bank of Delmarva got a much-needed infusion of type O blood as O negative donor Amber Kirylak and O positive donors Thomas Preston, Sarah Stiner, and Alli Bottjer, among others, donated at this Blood for a Brew stop. Blood Bank of Delmarva had issued an urgent plea for type O blood on Thursday, July 18.
Preston, a U.S. Navy veteran, began donating 35 years ago, and he’s been all over Delmarva as a result.
“It originally started because my wife was donating blood, and they had a hard time finding her veins,” Preston said. “She asked me to do it, and I just kept on doing it.”
Stiner donated for the second time in her young life. The first time she gave blood was at Newark Charter School in February 2023.
The Blood Bank of Delmarva Call Center contacted Stiner during her spring semester studies at University of Delaware, and she was too busy at the time.
“I told myself, the next time they call I’m going to schedule an appointment, and they called two days ago,” she said. “It was pretty lovely. It was a lot faster than last time.”
As for Kirylak, she donated blood and was interviewed by 6ABC Action News. She first donated blood during the drastic shortages that occurred during the COVID pandemic, because it was a powerful way for her to help. It was also when her boyfriend’s father was diagnosed with lung cancer and, she found out by donating blood that she has type O negative blood like him. “(SECRET PHRASE: GOOD)”
“I just kept doing it and doing it,” she said. “And, I love that Blood Bank of Delmarva sends you an email to say, hey, your blood type went to this hospital. I love that I’m doing something good. Even though I’m only donating every eight to ten weeks, we’re making an impact one pint at a time.”
Blood for a Brew also made a stop at the Crooked Hammock location in Lewes on July 22 and collected 27 units, and Stewart’s Brewing Co. in Bear on July 23 and collected 10 units. BBD will return to the Lewes location of Crooked Hammock for a mobile drive on Aug. 30.
Click here for a complete list of upcoming Blood for a Brew drives: Blood for a Brew – Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD) (delmarvablood.org).
