Sayville FD asks Residents to Help Save a Life

There will be a blood drive in memory of Wilbur Ritter on Thursday, Sept. 9, from 3 - 9 p.m., at Sayville Fire Department Headquarters. During the drive, Long Island Blood Services staff will also be registering anyone who wants to become part of the National Bone Marrow Registry. 

One out of every ten people who are hospitalized is in need of blood or a blood product. It cannot be manufactured so they depend on generous blood donors. Approximately 70 percent of patients needing a marrow donor don't have a donor in their family and depend on donors from the National Bone Marrow Registry. All it takes is a painless swipe of a cotton swab inside your cheek to become part of the registry. 

Those who donate blood or register for the National Bone Marrow Registry will be eligible for door prizes (double your chances by doing both) and will leave with a coupon from Oysterman's Restaurant and Pub. Bring a friend and get another chance to win a door prize!

The Sayville Fire Department hosts two blood drives each year in memory of Honorary Captain Wilbur Ritter, who perished in the line of duty after responding to an alarm on Main Street on August 28, 2006.  He was also the Chairman of Sayville's Blood Drive for about 20 years and was planning their first September 11th blood drive in 2006 for the fifth anniversary of those who were lost on 9/11.  Unfortunately, he passed away less than two weeks before that scheduled blood drive. He was so passionate about blood donation that as the ambulance doors were closing, his last words to his fellow firefighters were, "make sure you get the blood drive signs up."  The Sayville Fire Department honors Wilbur by continuing his tradition of running life-saving blood drives at the firehouse in his name. For more information, call the Sayville Fire Department at 589-0189.