Homestead Village Blood Drive

Ms. Janet Fisher, HR Assistant,
 prepares to give blood.

Homestead Village team member Janet Fisher watched the Hurricane Sandy devastation and heard the repeated requests for people to give blood.  Immediately Janet thought that Homestead Village should conduct a blood drive. Working with Laura Tallarico, Director of HR and the Homestead department leaders, Janet scheduled the Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank to visit Homestead Village on February 26th.  While the blood drive did not directly benefit the Sandy victims, it has made a difference in our community.  According to Janet, it was exciting to see so many employees step forward and sign up who had never given blood before.  "Many people are frightened to give blood; but most of those first time givers found the experience not so bad,"  Janet said.  For the inaugural event, 43 residents and staff members signed up to give blood.  Already planning for the future, Janet hopes that the positive experience of this year's givers will result in more than 60 givers next year.

The Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank serves many local hospitals and uses all of the blood it collects in Central Pennsylvania.  One of the benefits of donating with the Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank is the opportunity to "direct donate" to an individual who needs blood right now.

Janet is pleased to see the drive come to fruition.  Recently promoted to Human Resources Assistant, Janet served for more than a year as Receptionist for Homestead Village and also fulfilled many of Homestead Village's human resource functions while Ms. Tallarico was on maternity leave.  Prior to graduating from Alvernia College, Janet attended Hempfield High School and worked in Homestead Village's dining department throughout high school and college.  Janet is truly a dedicated, hard-working member of the Homestead Village team.