It’s no secret that one ingredient in helping Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD) maintain a stable local blood supply is having donors of all ages. That was on display recently at the CHEER Community Center in Georgetown, where a mix of younger and older donors came through to donate one last time in 2024.
It was most evident when donors Mark Harding and Aubrey Stanislav were donating. Harding, 62, has been donating since he was 21 years old, while the 16-year-old Aubrey made her fourth donation – both of her life and in 2024.
“I think if you’re healthy, you should give blood,” Aubrey said. “Because it’s always in need,”
Harding started donating in Maryland and continued to make it an essential part of his life when he moved to Delaware with his wife. He has had close family members need lifesaving blood transfusions, which makes him all the prouder to be a blood donor.
“I’ve been giving blood every 56 days since I turned 21,” he said. “It’s effortless and I know it helps out.
“It’s something I should’ve started doing even sooner.”
Besides volunteering his time as a blood donor, Harding also volunteers for Toys for Tots.
“I made good money and had a great career,” he said. “Now I can give back. I’m fortunate to have what I have and there are people who are so appreciative when you give them a hand.”
Aubrey, a senior at Sussex Academy in Georgetown, first donated at the school’s blood drive back in March, but she’s made her following three donations at different mobile drives. While she admits she probably wouldn’t have thought about donating blood without first doing it at school, she now feels like a blood donor for life.
“You can help a lot of people with just a little time,” she said. “It’s really less than 10 minutes of actual donation time and just 30 to 40 minutes out of your day.”
Both donors commended the friendly nature of BBD staff for making them feel comfortable while donating and for wanting them to return.
“The people that work here are so compassionate and know exactly what they are doing,” Harding said.
Aubrey hopes she can inspire other high school students to follow in her footsteps.
“This is super easy and can make a big impact on a lot of people,” she said. “You have to be mindful of what you can do and how you can benefit others.”
The CHEER Community Center continues to be a great partner to BBD for hosting mobile blood drives. In 2024, the site held 12 mobile drives and collected 647 units – the fourth highest collection number of any mobile site this year.
