Shelter Island Blood Drive exceeds goal

Judy Meringer, who has long organized Island blood drives in conjunction with the New York Blood Center, said 46 pints of blood were collected in the town’s winter blood drive on Jan. 18 at the Community Center, when the goal was 41 pints.

Last year at this time, Islanders lined up to contribute 34 pints of blood.

Because many patients don’t need transfusions of all blood components, 46 pints can be broken down to provide for more than 100 patients who may be accident victims or people in need of lifesaving blood for various illnesses.

The Island’s next blood drive will happen in July.

Because the East End population swells in summer months, so too can the need for blood and blood products.