Local Rotary to host 32nd consecutive blood screening
Paul Farrier having his blood sampled by a LewisGale phlebotomist. Photo courtesy of Ernie Bentley.
The 32nd consecutive semi-annual Rotary blood screening is scheduled for Saturday, October 27 at LewisGale Montgomery Regional Hospital. About 500 New River Valley residents will show up that morning beginning at 6:00 AM to give two small vials of blood. The samples are sent to a regional laboratory that same day. Within two weeks the participants receive an extensive analysis of their blood. A copy is sent to their primary care physician.
The event has become popular among patients and doctors alike. Many primary care physicians advise their patients to participate in the program in order to get a more comprehensive blood analysis than is routinely offered in their offices. The $35 fee is small compared to the fee often paid for a single blood test. Over 35 items are measured in the Rotary blood test.
Patients must fast 12 hours prior to the test. But after giving their blood sample they are treated to a light breakfast of coffee, doughnuts, cupcakes, fresh fruit and fruit juices After the blood has been drawn, the morning changes from a medical event into a semi-annual coffee klatch. Many people hang around to catch up with their friends and neighbors who they may not have seen since the previous screening..
The Rotary Club of Christiansburg-Blacksburg in conjunction with the LewisGale Montgomery regional hospital has been providing the blood screening for 16 years. A portion of the $35 fee is used by LewisGale to cover the costs of the service. The balance of the funds are returned to the Rotary Club for local projects, among them supporting students in Montgomery County public schools.
Every public school student attended a week long series of programs about making winning choices during the first week of October. This program was paid for in part by four local Rotary clubs in Blacksburg and Christiansburg. Junior and senior high school students will have an opportunity to attend a weekend long Rotary Youth Leadership workshop at Virginia Tech in December. Local Rotary clubs recognize outstanding high school students at the end of the school year with awards and scholarships.
For more information about the upcoming Rotary Blood Screening event, call 951-8988.
–Submitted by Ernie Bentley, Rotary Club of Christiansburg-Blacksburg
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