Rutland Takes Back Blood Drive Title

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(Host)  Organizers of Rutland’s Gift of Life Marathon are celebrating.  

As VPR’s Nina Keck reports – the blood drive shattered Boston’s one day record and topped last year’s total by over 350 pints.

(Cheering)

(Keck) The cheering started late morning as early totals were announced.  Organizer Steve Costello says it never slowed down.

(Costello) "Definitely crazier than last year – we had a huge swamp immediately –  300 walk ins in the first hour or so showed up."

(Keck) Over 200 volunteers and 140 Red Cross workers kept things moving as donor after donor packed the Paramount.   

Ken Myers of Killington gives every year.

(Myers) "It sounds corny but it’s like the true spirit of Christmas – just feels good to give blood and hopefully you’re helping someone over the holidays."

(Keck) Volunteer Chuck Petrwoski nods and says people also like the David versus Goliath thing – pitting small town Rutland against Boston. 

(Petrowski) "The Bigger the challenge the better and it brings out the best in everyone and boy, who doesn’t need that at this time of year?"

(Keck)  Susan Parmer, who heads the Red Cross for Northern New England, says the fact that they had to finally turn people away because they ran out of supplies and couldn’t have staff or drivers work beyond regulation overtime was unprecedented.

(Parmer) "The spirit of Rutland continues to blow our mind and its just something Vermonters, we’re just so incredibly proud of.  And just the spirit that’s going on here today – if we could capture this we would have world peace."

(Keck)  The final tally for this year’s Gift of Life Marathon is 1,393 pints.  

For VPR news, I’m Nina Keck in Rutland.

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