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David Wall, a phlebotomist with American Red Cross, checks for a vein in the arm of donor Jen Henderson Thursday at Triangle Communications in Havre. According to Henderson's information in the Red Cross database, this was her 32nd time donating.
Jen Henderson, of Havre, squeezes a stress ball ass blood pumps from her arm Thursday at Triangle Communications in Havre. As a donor is giving blood, they are asked to squeeze the ball every five seconds to keep blood flowing.
A bag slowly fills with blood as donors come and go during a blood drive Thursday at Triangle Communications in Havre.
American Red Cross phlebotomist Sequoia Adams inserts a needle into the arm of a donor Thursday at Triangle Communications in Havre. The entire donation process takes about 45 minutes to an hour.
Blood travels from the arm of Jen Henderson to a bag below during a blood drive Thursday at Triangle Communications in Havre.
After having the needle removed from her arm, Jen Henderson lifts her arm and holds gauze on the puncture as phlebotomist David Wall seals off Henderson's blood in a bag Thursday at Triangle Communications in Havre.
The American Red Cross concluded a four-day blood drive Thursday after travelling the Hi-Line and collecting donations in multiple towns.
David Wall, a phlebotomist with the American Red Cross, said he and a group of about 10 Red Cross workers came to Havre from Great Falls Monday and spent their week collecting blood in Havre, Chinook, Harlem and Turner.
By the end of Thursday, Wall said, the organization had collected blood from about 250 people over the four-day drive, which he said was a typical amount for the group's bimonthly trip to the Hi-Line.
"It's always a nice week up here for us," he said. "It's one of the most productive weeks we have."
On this most recent trip to Havre, the Red Cross emphasized the donation of type O blood because O negative blood is a universal donor and O positive can be donated to a majority of the population. Wall said, however, that he encourages people of all blood types to donate when the Red Cross makes a trip up to Havre every eight weeks.
Havreite Jen Henderson said she donates blood as often as she can. According to data held by the American Red Cross, Thursday was Henderson's 32nd time donating blood, which means she has donated about four gallons of blood in her lifetime.
"I started a while ago, because it's a way to make a difference and give back," she said. "The more you do it, the easier it is."
The American Red Cross will return to Havre May 6 to hold a blood drive at St. Jude Parish Center, which Wall said is the largest event of the year in the region.
"It's one of the biggest draws in the state, actually," he said.
When he returns in May, Wall said, he expects to receive at least 90 donations, but he encourages more people to come out and donate.
"We always are going to need blood," he said. "It's a constant need, it's an easy way to help out and (donating) only takes about an hour total of your time."
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