Quick Take
The City of Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation department began hosting blood drives earlier this year, with the plan to hold three to five annually. Annalise Bryant, the recreation supervisor who pitched the idea, says it is perfectly in line with the department’s core values — and given that the Red Cross has declared a national blood supply crisis, the timing is right.
Every 2 seconds, someone needs blood in the United States.
That’s the overarching message that Annalise Bryant, the recreation supervisor for City of Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation, is continuously pushing to get people inspired and motivated to donate blood as the department moves through its first year of hosting regular blood drives.
“We’re committed to having three to five drives per year, trying to make it as close to every 56 days, which is how often you can donate,” she said. “We’re trying to get people into a habit of doing it.”
Bryant, who pitched the idea, had donated during one of the drives that the fire and police departments host, and thought of bringing it up to her workplace. She said she was also motivated in part by family members who donate, and thinking of people she knows personally who have needed blood transfusions in the past. “There’s never too many blood drives available,” she said.
Now, the idea has quickly turned into a regular event called Hearts in the Parks that the department hosts in collaboration with the American Red Cross and the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, where the drives are held. The first drive was in April, with another in July — and it couldn’t have happened at a better time. Just last week, the American Red Cross declared a national blood-supply crisis for only the second time in U.S. history after donations dropped to a four-year summer low.
Despite that, Bryant said the early turnout has been strong, with more than 100 donors having given blood already. Bryant said the participation has been “amazing.”
“We’ve even had some donors that are on vacation in Santa Cruz come in,” she said. “They don’t care where they are or what they’re doing, if their 56 days are up, they’re donating.”
Even though Hearts in the Parks is about once every 56 days, Mark Woodward, who goes by Native Santa Cruz on social media and is also a regular donor, posts biweekly blood drive updates and lets interested people know about opportunities throughout the county. The American Red Cross website also lists donation opportunities.
Bryant said although the experience is rewarding, it can be taxing as well. The first few times she donated, she felt faint and weak following the donation. But she says it was well worth it.
“Fifteen minutes of me being uncomfortable to be able to save somebody’s life is worth it to me in the grand scheme of things,” she said. “That person that gets your donation might be your neighbor, their kid, or a complete stranger.”
And even though donating blood doesn’t sound all that related to parks and recreation, Bryant says it’s very much in line with the department’s goals and beliefs.
“It’s creating a service to the community that’s accessible to all and improving the quality of life, and follows our vision of giving back to the community,” she said.
The next Hearts in the Parks drive is Oct. 20, and all of the drives run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Santa Cruz Fire Department is also hosting a drive on Aug. 19.
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