Darke County donor reaches milestone

DAYTON, Ohio – There’s a certain sense of pride and commitment you find in Darke County blood donors. The county ranks fourth in Community Blood Center’s (CBC) 15-county service area in the number of registered blood donors, and when you look at the population eligible by age to donate, nearly one out of four people you meet is a donor. That’s the kind of dedication Michelle Sander from Greenville demonstrated when she made her milestone 130th lifetime blood donation Saturday, March 22 at the downtown Dayton CBC.

Michelle had planned to donate on Monday, March 17 at the Versailles Rotary Club “Souper” St. Patrick’s Day community blood drive. Instead she made the Saturday morning drive to Dayton. “I got deferred because my iron was low,” she said. “My appointments are set for the whole year, so I decided to stay on schedule and come down here and donate.”

Michelle has been a regular whole blood donor since 1983. She works as a dental hygienist in Versailles, and every day brings a new opportunity to re-dedicate her commitment to blood donations. “I talk with people and hear their stories,” she said. “That kind of thing, what it’s told me over the years is that giving blood is really important.”