 |
|
2/14/2022
|
Donors turn out for blood drive hosted by Rep. Corvese, President Ruggerio, Councilman Famiglietti
|
 STATE HOUSE – As the region faces a critical blood supply shortage, a blood drive hosted by Rep. Arthur Corvese (D-Dist. 55, North Providence), Senate President Dominick Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) and North Providence Councilman Stefano Famiglietti (District 2) Feb. 6 exceeded hosts’ goals by nearly one-third.
The drive, which was held at North Providence High School, generated 19 blood donations for the Rhode Island Blood Center. Organizers had set a goal of generating 15 donations.
“President Ruggerio, Councilman Famiglietti and I are very grateful to all the people of North Providence, especially those who very generously responded to our call and donated blood. These donations are helping to save lives and mean the world to patients and their families,” said Representative Corvese.
Said President Ruggerio, “Blood donations are so urgently needed in Rhode Island. As the pandemic has worn on, it’s been harder and harder to get donors for many reasons, including misconceptions about eligibility. Being vaccinated does not make you ineligible, nor does having COVID, as long as 14 days have passed and you have recovered. We are very thankful for all the donors who made this drive such a success, and we urge anyone who is healthy and who may be eligible to make an appointment as soon as possible. Every pint is urgently needed.”
The region has been experiencing a shortage of blood this winter due to many factors relating to the pandemic. Anyone who would like to donate is urged to make an appointment with the Rhode Island Blood Center by visiting ribc.org or calling (401) 453-8383.
“When I approached Senate President Ruggerio and Representative Corvese about the state’s blood shortage, they both did not hesitate to commit to help address this need. We all recognized the generosity that exists in this community and decided to promote this event at North Providence High School. As expected, our community showed its willingness to help others and proved to be true lifesavers with this successful blood drive,” said Councilman Famiglietti, who donated blood at the event.
IN PHOTO: Rep. Arthur Corvese (D-Dist. 55, North Providence), left, and North Providence Councilman Stefano Famiglietti (District 2), right, chat with donor Karleen Celona during the blood drive they sponsored Feb. 6 with Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence).
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
|
|