Community Corner

Blood Drive Gets Moving

The Red Cross Bloodmobile rolls in to Fleet Feet Sports in the Kentlands for the first time.

The Red Cross Bloodmobile has been a lot of places, but until yesterday, it had never been to Fleet Feet Sports in the Kentlands.

"This is the first time we've had a blood drive here," said Robyn Gault, who owns the store.

She and her husband, Chris, had worked at the Red Cross National Headquarters for a total of 40 years doing mostly behind the scenes work.

Find out what's happening in Gaithersburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

After a while, even though they were working at an organization so focused on charity, they felt like they were losing touch with the people they were trying to help.

Six years ago Gault opened Fleet Feet Sports, one of more than 90 franchise locations across the country, in another location in the Kentlands. Last year, she moved to the store's current site, midway between Panera and Giant.

Find out what's happening in Gaithersburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I give regularly," said James Fuller, a Gaithersburg resident who stopped by to donate on his way home from work. "It helps babies and the elderly."

He knew about the drive because he is a regular customer at Fleet Feet and often joins in their Thursday fun runs.

"It's supporting a good cause," he said. Waiting his turn in the Bloodmobile, Fuller said it was his first time donating outside a hospital or doctor's office.

Anne, another donor from Gaithersburg, said she was a regular donor for years, until she had children about four years ago.

She happened to see the Bloodmobile parked in the lot in front of Fleet Feet and decided, "it just was time."

"It's easier when the truck's right there out in the lot," she said.

According to the Red Cross, more than 38,000 donations are needed every day, and every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.

A single car crash victim can require as much as 100 pints of blood, and the most commonly requested blood type by hospitals is O.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here