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Century 21 in Chilliwack gathers to donate blood

With an ongoing need for more blood, local realtor recruits team to roll up sleeves and donate
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Canadian Blood Services is 11 units of blood richer thanks to one local business, and more specifically, one long-time blood donor.

Bob Buhler with Century 21 Creekside Realty asked his coworkers to join him in donating blood as a group. He was hoping to recruit five and ended up getting 11 donors.

“I was so pleased with how the office embraced the challenge,” says Buhler.

With the help of office manager, Gemma Monteith, Century 21 was able to rally a team together. They’d been working on it since November — it had to be that far in advance in order to secure a block of donation times. Then last Friday, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) sent a bus to pick up the team from their Luckakuck Way office and bring them to Tzeachten Hall.

Some were nervous first-time donors, others hadn’t donated in years and were ready to get back into it. One was donating for the second time.

“The second time is more important than the first time because they know what it’s all about, and they’ve consciously chosen to go back and do it again,” says Buhler.

The Century 21 team did well, says Buhler who has rolled up his sleeve and donated 157 times.

He recalls, while in the chair donating, looking around the room and in every single donation chair was a Century 21 member. Boy was he proud.

“This is so darned Canadian. We’re all so stoked about going to a place, giving up our time to get poked to give up some blood,” he says. “It’s like poor-man’s philanthropy — you don’t have to have money to give.”

READ MORE: The time to donate blood is now

READ MORE: What happens to your blood after donating?

“So many times you hear ‘I don’t like needles.’ I don’t like needles either, but I know that’s part of it. You have 45 seconds of discomfort, and that’s it.”

During an awards ceremony in Surrey last year where Buhler was recognized for his 150th donation, CBS challenged its donors to recruit one friend or family member to donate blood.

“I’m going to put the personal challenge out there of (recruiting) five,” recalls Buhler. “So I think I did good. I met my challenge.”

The next CBS clinic takes place on Monday, Jan. 28 at Neighbourhood Learning Centre (46361 Yale Rd.). Go to blood.ca or call 1-888-2-DONATE for more info or to book an appointment.


 

@PhotoJennalism
jenna.hauck@theprogress.com

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Jenna Hauck

About the Author: Jenna Hauck

I started my career at The Chilliwack Progress in 2000 as a photojournalist.
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