Helping kids drives community to give blood
Phlebotomist Angel Martinez, left, begins drawing Arisa Whynot's blood during the Wareham Police Department's blood drive on Saturday, May 9. Photos by Grace Roche
The bloodmobile can hold up to five donors at a time. 
Phlebotomist Ashley Williams, left, prepares to draw Scotlyn LaRue's blood for the drive benefiting Boston Children's Hospital.
Donors laid on beds inside the bloodmobile as they filled bags of blood for patients at Boston Children's Hospital. 
A sign shows the date of the vehicle's next drive. 
Williams checks LaRue's vein. 
Bloodmobile staff had drinks and snack for donors on hand. 
Martinez marks a donor's arm for optimal needle placement.
Phlebotomist Angel Martinez, left, begins drawing Arisa Whynot's blood during the Wareham Police Department's blood drive on Saturday, May 9. Photos by Grace Roche
The bloodmobile can hold up to five donors at a time.
Phlebotomist Ashley Williams, left, prepares to draw Scotlyn LaRue's blood for the drive benefiting Boston Children's Hospital.
Donors laid on beds inside the bloodmobile as they filled bags of blood for patients at Boston Children's Hospital.
A sign shows the date of the vehicle's next drive.
Williams checks LaRue's vein.
Bloodmobile staff had drinks and snack for donors on hand.
Martinez marks a donor's arm for optimal needle placement.
Blood donors helped move the needle for Boston Children’s Hospital during the Wareham Police Department’s blood drive Saturday, May 8.
Calib LaRue, a police officer and president of the Wareham Police Association, said the drive is a way for the department and community to support the hospital’s work. He said it also gives people a chance to positively interact with the police.
“We're all family people, so the fact that people can come in and see that we're all moments, that's, you know, people too,” LaRue said.
The day was a family affair for him, as he was joined by his two children and his wife Scotlyn.
As a parent, he said donating blood to the children’s hospital is an especially important cause for him.
“Having kids, we really support Boston Children's Hospital. At some point everyone knows someone has used that hospital, so the fact that they have the mobile lab, is awesome because they bring it right to us,” LaRue said.
“What's more important than helping kids?” he added.
Along with LaRue, dispatcher Judy Holleran also volunteered to help run the drive. She spent the day checking donors in.
She said she enjoys volunteering each year, and believes in helping children and supporting the hospital.
“There’s so many children who need help, so it’s a worthwhile cause,” Holleran said.
About 30 people typically donate blood at each drive, out of the maximum 38 donors the staff of the “bloodmobile” can accommodate.
LaRue said the 42-foot-long vehicle, equipped with five donor beds and staffed by several phlebotomists, makes organizing blood drives easier because everything the department needs can drive right to the building.
He said those who donate are often very supportive of the department’s efforts. Days after the drives, LaRue said staff from the hospital tells him how much blood was collected and exactly how many people showed up.
LaRue likes to share this info with donors to show them the impact they have.
“It makes people feel good that the blood that they just gave is already helping kids,” he said.
