Written by Shatabdi Pal, Red Cross Volunteer

On a crisp January morning, the American Red Cross and the community gathered to celebrate the grand opening of a new American Red Cross blood donation center at 11200 SW Murray Scholls Pl Ste. 101, Beaverton, OR 97007. This ribbon- cutting ceremony on January 30, 2025 symbolized more than just a new building; it represented a lifeline for those in critical need.

Red Cross Cascade Region CEO Priscilla Fuentes, highlighted the benefits of having a fixed site location in Beaverton. “Every 2 seconds, blood is needed for critical patients, and every 15 seconds, patients require platelets.” The new location will be particularly beneficial during bad weather conditions, when some donors may be reluctant to travel too far for blood donations.

The site will serve 600,000 people in Washington County. The donor center operation manager, Joe Frieboes, said the center supports whole blood, power red blood, and platelets. The site has already received an excellent response from the community, with around 30 -35 donors each day the center is open. They are planning to add more facilities to enhance service further. Darrell Fuller, the Oregon board chairman mentioned that blood collected in Oregon could go to another part of the country when it’s needed because many blood donation drives were canceled due to natural disasters. He is a platelet donor and reached the 100th donation at the beginning of this year. He encourages everyone who has not donated platelets before to do so. They thank Red Cross employees, volunteers, and the community for saving lives through blood donation. Then, they cut the ribbon.

A Community Effort Comes to Life: Everyone’s Contribution Matters

Frieboes highlighted how the site’s opening began 18 months ago and was a community effort. Initially, finding a place and negotiating was challenging, but with the community’s support, they found this convenient place and started the site with five employees. They provided almost 6 months of training before this center opened. They hope to include more employees there. There are many mobile sites for blood donation, but he mentioned that the fixed is more beneficial for platelet donation. He noted that they were surprised by the community’s generosity as the number of donors exceeded their expectations. He gave a message to the donor by saying, “Please come donate blood and save a life.”

Personal Stories of Inspiration

The event came alive through the personal narratives of donors. One of the donors, Rito Guzman, was the first-time donor at that site. He said that he was a regular donor during his university days. He mentioned that he was happy with the convenience of scheduling an appointment and informing health conditions through Rapid Pass and that the overall donation experience is good. He is religious, so he encourages everyone in the name of God to save lives through blood donation. He also mentioned that whenever he gets a chance to help others through this noble cause, he will come forward to help those in need.

Another donor, Amanda Swinford, told a profoundly moving story. She shared that a blood donation saved her husband’s life, and that act inspired her to donate. She never counted how often she donated, but it more than five gallons of blood. She was happy to make it to that ribbon- cutting event.

More Than Just a Donation Center

The American Red Cross continues to make donating an attractive and rewarding experience. Donors receive incentives, including gift bags, socks, t-shirts, and gift cards, small tokens of appreciation for their life-saving contributions.

The ribbon-cutting was a festive affair, with 29 donors registered for the event and media coverage from media outlets like KPTV’s Fox 12 and KOIN 6. The beloved blood drop mascot “Buddy” added a touch of whimsy, welcoming donors with characteristic Red Cross enthusiasm.

Looking Forward: The Future is Bright

The key message resonated throughout the event: blood donation is a powerful way to make a difference. Whether it’s platelets or whole blood, each donation has the potential to save multiple lives. The community celebrated a new building and hope—a commitment to supporting those in medical need, one donation at a time.

To sign up for any regional blood drives, go to RedCrossBlood.org.