Quilt Celebrates Life-saving Donations

By Liz Page

STAMFORD – Although February is American Heart Month or Heart Awareness Month, any month is right for the lifesaving gift of donating blood. They say, "blood donors have heart".

Every day blood donors help patients of all ages: accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients and those battling cancer. Every two seconds, according to the Red Cross website, someone in the U. S. needs blood.

Joann Coonradt, of Middleburgh, was recently recognized with a unique gift from one of her blood donor friends for a milestone she achieved - the donation of her 10th gallon of blood.

"My husband, Robert and our friend Joanne are blood donors with the American Red Cross. It takes 8 donations to equal one gallon. If one is fortunate to plan, schedule and donate 6 times a year, it will take more than 13 years to donate 10 gallons. As she was completing her 10th gallon, Robert wanted to recognize Joanne for her continued commitment. He thought of the American Red Cross App and how it displays hearts where your donations go. He wondered if I could make a quilt with 80 hearts. I turned to Chelsi Stratton Designs and was inspired by Chelsi's "Blissful" quilt pattern.

Pam is a quilter with the Delaware County Town & Country Quilters. She used an Excel spreadsheet and designed a quilt square and the rectangular 80-heart quilt.

The 80 hearts represent the 80 donations that have been made by Coonradt that will go to 80 recipients. The quilt is quilted with a pattern of hearts by Missouri Star Quilt Company for all the recipient's extended family and friends that would thank Coonradt for all her donations.

Information about donating blood is available at RedCrossBlood.org. You may donate blood every 56 days or up to six times per year. There is always a need for blood.

Students at Gilboa-Conesville Central School are sponsoring a blood drive on March 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.. You may call 1-800-RED CROSS (733-2767) or visit the website. There are many other blood drives scheduled throughout the year, visit the website to find one near you.