http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810 There&rsquo;s been a lot of bad in the news this week, but first place in the how-low-can-you-go category surely goes to the creeps who stole the field trailer from Houchin Blood Bank early Tuesday morning. The thieves apparently stopped by the blood bank in the wee hours, unhitched the trailer from a company truck, hooked it up to their own ride and hightailed it home. Stealing from a blood bank? An agency whose sole purpose is to save lives? Makes one wonder how the sticky fingered cretins spend their time when they&rsquo;re not victimizing charitable nonprofits. Probably with something really fun, like drowning kittens or snatching purses from old ladies on walkers. Houchin officials say it was a nice trailer, as trailers go, but there was little inside of monetary value &mdash; a half-dozen folding donor chairs, tables, camping cots and the like. Officials also took pains to point out there was no blood, blood bags or personal donor information in the trailer. Nothing of any real worth, at least not to the average crook. But when it comes to the business of blood, the equipment had life-and-death value, say Houchin staff, who regularly hauled the trailer all over Kern County in their endless quest for donations. &ldquo;An equipment loss like this effects everyone,&rdquo; says Houchin spokeswoman Tracy Hunter. &ldquo;This is personal. It&rsquo;s personal to our Houchin family, our donor base and our community.&rdquo; The loss of the trailer is especially disappointing in a county where people apparently aren&rsquo;t real excited about donating blood. The folks at Houchin were too polite to say that, but the numbers do. In a county where 60 percent of its nearly 800,000 residents are eligible to donate blood, only 3 percent do so. That amounts to about 50 to 60 units of blood, per day, not nearly enough to maintain the local supply, Hunter says. Not when one cancer patient can use up to eight units of blood per week. Or when one leukemia patient can use up to two units per day. Or when one victim of a car wreck or stab wound can use up to 50 units of blood. Three percent, people. What a wimpy number, especially for a community as caring as Bakersfield. So what&rsquo;s the problem? Afraid of needles? Strapped for time? Never even think about it? Please. It&rsquo;s just a little pinch, takes about 45 minutes and Houchin staff will gladly give you a call about every eight weeks or so. For some busy folks, the field trailer was more than a mere convenience, it was a reminder to give and encouraged some to donate who&rsquo;d never done it before, Hunter says. The trailer &mdash; a white 1996 Wells Cargo trailer with the Houchin logo and license plate No. 4DC2022 &mdash; is still at large and may take a while to replace. But the week doesn&rsquo;t have to be a total wash. As it happens, Houchin and members of the local chapter of the Disabled American Veterans are hosting a military blood drive Saturday in celebration of Armed Forces Day, a day we Americans occasionally set aside to remember and honor our military forces. There&rsquo;s music, food and ice cream. Need more incentive? When you donate blood, you save a life. What better way to celebrate Armed Forces Day than to donate blood in honor of those who have spilled theirs? You have until 3 p.m. on Saturday. Get going. &bull;&bull;&bull; In my column five weeks ago, I wrote about Bakersfield High School&rsquo;s ROTC cadets and their all-out effort to raise $5,000 to buy new flags for veterans&rsquo; graves at Union Cemetery. Thanks to Bakersfield&rsquo;s usual generosity, the cadets raised $4,300, and at $1 apiece, that&rsquo;s a lot of flags. The flags go up Memorial Day, May 26. Good job, cadets. There&rsquo;s been a lot of bad in the news this week, but first place in the how-low-can-you-go category surely goes to the creeps who stole the field trailer from Houchin Blood Bank early Tuesday morning. The thieves apparently stopped by the blood bank in the wee hours, unhitched the trailer from a company truck, hooked it up to their own ride and hightailed it home. Stealing from a blood bank? An agency whose sole purpose is to save lives? Makes one wonder how the sticky fingered cretins spend their time when they&rsquo;re not victimizing charitable nonprofits. Probably with something really fun, like drowning kittens or snatching purses from old ladies on walkers. Houchin officials say it was a nice trailer, as trailers go, but there was little inside of monetary value &mdash; a half-dozen folding donor chairs, tables, camping cots and the like. Officials also took pains to point out there was no blood, blood bags or personal donor information in the trailer. Nothing of any real worth, at least not to the average crook. But when it comes to the business of blood, the equipment had life-and-death value, say Houchin staff, who regularly hauled the trailer all over Kern County in their endless quest for donations. &ldquo;An equipment loss like this effects everyone,&rdquo; says Houchin spokeswoman Tracy Hunter. &ldquo;This is personal. It&rsquo;s personal to our Houchin family, our donor base and our community.&rdquo; The loss of the trailer is especially disappointing in a county where people apparently aren&rsquo;t real excited about donating blood. The folks at Houchin were too polite to say that, but the numbers do. In a county where 60 percent of its nearly 800,000 residents are eligible to donate blood, only 3 percent do so. That amounts to about 50 to 60 units of blood, per day, not nearly enough to maintain the local supply, Hunter says. Not when one cancer patient can use up to eight units of blood per week. Or when one leukemia patient can use up to two units per day. Or when one victim of a car wreck or stab wound can use up to 50 units of blood. Three percent, people. What a wimpy number, especially for a community as caring as Bakersfield. So what&rsquo;s the problem? Afraid of needles? Strapped for time? Never even think about it? Please. It&rsquo;s just a little pinch, takes about 45 minutes and Houchin staff will gladly give you a call about every eight weeks or so. For some busy folks, the field trailer was more than a mere convenience, it was a reminder to give and encouraged some to donate who&rsquo;d never done it before, Hunter says. The trailer &mdash; a white 1996 Wells Cargo trailer with the Houchin logo and license plate No. 4DC2022 &mdash; is still at large and may take a while to replace. But the week doesn&rsquo;t have to be a total wash. As it happens, Houchin and members of the local chapter of the Disabled American Veterans are hosting a military blood drive Saturday in celebration of Armed Forces Day, a day we Americans occasionally set aside to remember and honor our military forces. There&rsquo;s music, food and ice cream. Need more incentive? When you donate blood, you save a life. What better way to celebrate Armed Forces Day than to donate blood in honor of those who have spilled theirs? You have until 3 p.m. on Saturday. Get going. &bull;&bull;&bull; In my column five weeks ago, I wrote about Bakersfield High School&rsquo;s ROTC cadets and their all-out effort to raise $5,000 to buy new flags for veterans&rsquo; graves at Union Cemetery. Thanks to Bakersfield&rsquo;s usual generosity, the cadets raised $4,300, and at $1 apiece, that&rsquo;s a lot of flags. The flags go up Memorial Day, May 26. Good job, cadets. en-us <p>I don't get it either..The theft or Kern County's reluctance to donate blood. The only thing lower than thiefs are rapists and child molesters. I know many people who are simply afraid of the donation process even after I tell them it's not a big deal AND you get free munchies!&nbsp; Many are regularly tatooed and some have health issues, but most simply don't care. Many claim they are just too busy. Poppycock! They seem to have enough time to drink a few beers every evening or go play golf three of four times a week or take the Harley or the dirtbike&nbsp;out evrey weekend, but they can't spare an hour once every six weeks or so? I haven't been donating regularly for all that long, but I am already close to being a three gallon member at Houchin and it hasn't interferred with my life at all. Come on Kern, stick out your arm and help somebody you never met.</p> <p>Here is my challenge to the folks on the blog site. Show me your donation receipt and I'll buy you lunch! I really will!</p> <p>Oh, and to the thieves..I know YOU can't read, but maybe an educated friend or possibly your Mother could read this to you...YOU are low-lifes and I sincerely hope that Karma, or whatever you wish to call it, catches up with you soon. Perhaps the irony of you filling the trailer up with your stuff and having it stolen by one of your tweeker buddies...Who knows, but mark my words..It WILL catch up. I just hope it happens when it hurts you the most.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239533 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239533 <p>I don't get it either..The theft or Kern County's reluctance to donate blood. The only thing lower than thiefs are rapists and child molesters. I know many people who are simply afraid of the donation process even after I tell them it's not a big deal AND you get free munchies!&nbsp; Many are regularly tatooed and some have health issues, but most simply don't care. Many claim they are just too busy. Poppycock! They seem to have enough time to drink a few beers every evening or go play golf three of four times a week or take the Harley or the dirtbike&nbsp;out evrey weekend, but they can't spare an hour once every six weeks or so? I haven't been donating regularly for all that long, but I am already close to being a three gallon member at Houchin and it hasn't interferred with my life at all. Come on Kern, stick out your arm and help somebody you never met.</p> <p>Here is my challenge to the folks on the blog site. Show me your donation receipt and I'll buy you lunch! I really will!</p> <p>Oh, and to the thieves..I know YOU can't read, but maybe an educated friend or possibly your Mother could read this to you...YOU are low-lifes and I sincerely hope that Karma, or whatever you wish to call it, catches up with you soon. Perhaps the irony of you filling the trailer up with your stuff and having it stolen by one of your tweeker buddies...Who knows, but mark my words..It WILL catch up. I just hope it happens when it hurts you the most.</p> <p>OK Mark, I'll take the challange.&nbsp; The last time I tried to give blood was when your sister almost died from an ruptured ectopic pregnancy and I was told that at my weight and height I didn't have enough blood to spare.&nbsp; I've gained (ahem) considerable weight since then so I'll give it another try.</p> <p>As for the theives...the old curse is on them that I wish for&nbsp;the&nbsp;fleas of a&nbsp;thousand camels infest your armpits, especially now that it's 100+ degrees.</p> <p>Mark's right.&nbsp; What goes around comes around.&nbsp; I only hope we get to hear about it.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239538 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239538 <p>OK Mark, I'll take the challange.&nbsp; The last time I tried to give blood was when your sister almost died from an ruptured ectopic pregnancy and I was told that at my weight and height I didn't have enough blood to spare.&nbsp; I've gained (ahem) considerable weight since then so I'll give it another try.</p> <p>As for the theives...the old curse is on them that I wish for&nbsp;the&nbsp;fleas of a&nbsp;thousand camels infest your armpits, especially now that it's 100+ degrees.</p> <p>Mark's right.&nbsp; What goes around comes around.&nbsp; I only hope we get to hear about it.</p> <p><span style="font-size: small">Murder's make that list too...and Ms. Shrider</span><span style="font-size: small">&nbsp;,great opinion piece.</span></p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239540 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239540 <p><span style="font-size: small">Murder's make that list too...and Ms. Shrider</span><span style="font-size: small">&nbsp;,great opinion piece.</span></p> <p>I donated blood once when  I was in college at a college blood drive.  While everyone else seemed to be able to get up and walk out afterwards, I had to lay there for an hour because I kept passing out.  My friend had to help me all the way back to my car, and once there, had to drive me home.  I don't know why it affected me the way it did (maybe because I'm anemic) but I've never given blood since.  That was really scary, and I'm gunshy, I guess.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239543 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239543 <p>I donated blood once when  I was in college at a college blood drive.  While everyone else seemed to be able to get up and walk out afterwards, I had to lay there for an hour because I kept passing out.  My friend had to help me all the way back to my car, and once there, had to drive me home.  I don't know why it affected me the way it did (maybe because I'm anemic) but I've never given blood since.  That was really scary, and I'm gunshy, I guess.</p> <p>I dunno Sage..even murder is sometimes justified!</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239550 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239550 <p>I dunno Sage..even murder is sometimes justified!</p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">*Thinks of few folks she knows*...nah but you did get me to pause and think! LOL</span></p> <br /> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239555 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239555 <p><span style="font-size: small;">*Thinks of few folks she knows*...nah but you did get me to pause and think! LOL</span></p> <br /> <p>Do you have the feeling that one of these people will most likely be in need of the blood bank in the near future.  I would love that irony.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239560 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239560 <p>Do you have the feeling that one of these people will most likely be in need of the blood bank in the near future.  I would love that irony.</p> <p>I can't give blood again for another month, but I plan to hit my seventh gallon this year.  Listen to the lady.  She's right for a change.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239561 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239561 <p>I can't give blood again for another month, but I plan to hit my seventh gallon this year.  Listen to the lady.  She's right for a change.</p> <p>By the way, if three percent of Kern residents donate, I believe that's significantly below the national average.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239563 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239563 <p>By the way, if three percent of Kern residents donate, I believe that's significantly below the national average.</p> <p>CatherineBaker, when I was in college I had some elective surgery done (Docs shaved off about 3/4 of my honker), and a few days prior to surgery I had a bunch of tests done.  For the blood test they drew off 3 or 4 vials.  After they were done I stood up, and the next thing I knew I was waking up on a gurney in another room.  It seems my normal breakfast of Jolt Cola and 3 or 4 Chocadiles had some effect on my blood sugar, and I passed out after giving up just Ra small amount of blood.</p> <p>Since then I've donated more than 5 gallons of blood to banks around the country and never felt even a little lightheaded.  Obviously this is a personal choice for everyone, but you owe it to yourself and your community to give it one more chance.  Just bring a friend or family member along who can help you get home if you have the same sort of reaction.  After all, the life you save might be my own (lol).</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239569 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239569 <p>CatherineBaker, when I was in college I had some elective surgery done (Docs shaved off about 3/4 of my honker), and a few days prior to surgery I had a bunch of tests done.  For the blood test they drew off 3 or 4 vials.  After they were done I stood up, and the next thing I knew I was waking up on a gurney in another room.  It seems my normal breakfast of Jolt Cola and 3 or 4 Chocadiles had some effect on my blood sugar, and I passed out after giving up just Ra small amount of blood.</p> <p>Since then I've donated more than 5 gallons of blood to banks around the country and never felt even a little lightheaded.  Obviously this is a personal choice for everyone, but you owe it to yourself and your community to give it one more chance.  Just bring a friend or family member along who can help you get home if you have the same sort of reaction.  After all, the life you save might be my own (lol).</p> <p>Well, you may have a point there, Jeff.  As I recall, my college diet consisted of coffee, candy bars, chips, and anything else that can be found in a 7-11.  Maybe that DID have something to do with it (and probably also explains why I was anemic.)  : )</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239644 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239644 <p>Well, you may have a point there, Jeff.  As I recall, my college diet consisted of coffee, candy bars, chips, and anything else that can be found in a 7-11.  Maybe that DID have something to do with it (and probably also explains why I was anemic.)  : )</p> <p>Jeff, it sounds like you had one of those noses that got to your destination five minutes before the rest of&nbsp;you did. I knew a gal like that; I got to honk her nose on the second date...</p> <p>That's Butkus in the photo!</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239660 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239660 <p>Jeff, it sounds like you had one of those noses that got to your destination five minutes before the rest of&nbsp;you did. I knew a gal like that; I got to honk her nose on the second date...</p> <p>That's Butkus in the photo!</p> <p>I have not donated in over 2 years. Why? I have not bothered to really make the time. I am feeling pretty ashamed right now and I am making a commitment to start donating on a regular basis again. Houchin is even open late on Thursday nights for those of us who can't make it in during the day.  Its hard to believe a community such as ours has such a low donor base. We reach deep in our pockets when it counts... Donating blood takes a little bit more but not much. I have heard people say they wont donate because they know people who got charged for their blood when they had surgery etc... That seems petty to me. The blood bank still has to pay for testing and processing and all of the overhead any other buisness does. Im not exactly sure how it works but when there are so few donors I am sure they have to get blood from other sources when emergencys arise. Blood has a shelf life also. It only last like 45 days or something. Thats why they need regular donors. Well this Thursday I guess I will be a the blood bank.  Any of you other bloggers care to join me??? Even if you can't donate for health reasons try to talk someone you know into donating. Come along and give your support. Then we can all share a snack afterwards and a cup of juice.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239748 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239748 <p>I have not donated in over 2 years. Why? I have not bothered to really make the time. I am feeling pretty ashamed right now and I am making a commitment to start donating on a regular basis again. Houchin is even open late on Thursday nights for those of us who can't make it in during the day.  Its hard to believe a community such as ours has such a low donor base. We reach deep in our pockets when it counts... Donating blood takes a little bit more but not much. I have heard people say they wont donate because they know people who got charged for their blood when they had surgery etc... That seems petty to me. The blood bank still has to pay for testing and processing and all of the overhead any other buisness does. Im not exactly sure how it works but when there are so few donors I am sure they have to get blood from other sources when emergencys arise. Blood has a shelf life also. It only last like 45 days or something. Thats why they need regular donors. Well this Thursday I guess I will be a the blood bank.  Any of you other bloggers care to join me??? Even if you can't donate for health reasons try to talk someone you know into donating. Come along and give your support. Then we can all share a snack afterwards and a cup of juice.</p> <p>Cheek, my plan is for Thursday also but earlier in the day.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239752 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239752 <p>Cheek, my plan is for Thursday also but earlier in the day.</p> <p>I used to donate occasionally, when they had a drive of some type.  Right now I can't and of course now I really want to. Wish I would have got after it and been ahead of RF at least.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239768 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_239768 <p>I used to donate occasionally, when they had a drive of some type.  Right now I can't and of course now I really want to. Wish I would have got after it and been ahead of RF at least.</p> <p>4082.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_243734 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_243734 <p>4082.</p> <p>There was an article in the Fresno Pacific University Magazine about this lady who for her 50th b-day got all her friends together for an after work donation/b-day party at the blood bank in Fresno.&nbsp; She asked her friends to donate (if possible)&nbsp; instead of giving her b-day gifts.&nbsp; They decorated the Blood Bank and had music and food and it was a real nice party.&nbsp; They even had party favors and door prizes.&nbsp; Some guy who was just there to donate anyway and not part of the party won a tv or something nice like that.&nbsp; Would you all consider something like this?&nbsp; Maybe parties with a purpose could become a trend.&nbsp;</p> <p>One of my son's friends had a b-day party and her family requested that instead of gifts party goers could please donate to Heifer International.<a class="yschttl" target="_blank" href="http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkx5ahmJIIKgAJeVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEybDJzcW0xBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkA0Y4NjJfODU-/SIG=11jlbovsm/EXP=1214502874/**http%3a//www.heifer.org/index.htm"><font size="4">Unique gifts that help end world hunger | <b>Heifer</b> <b>International</b> <b>...</b></font></a>&nbsp;I thought this was a great idea.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_265488 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/rightthinking/26810/#c_265488 <p>There was an article in the Fresno Pacific University Magazine about this lady who for her 50th b-day got all her friends together for an after work donation/b-day party at the blood bank in Fresno.&nbsp; She asked her friends to donate (if possible)&nbsp; instead of giving her b-day gifts.&nbsp; They decorated the Blood Bank and had music and food and it was a real nice party.&nbsp; They even had party favors and door prizes.&nbsp; Some guy who was just there to donate anyway and not part of the party won a tv or something nice like that.&nbsp; Would you all consider something like this?&nbsp; Maybe parties with a purpose could become a trend.&nbsp;</p> <p>One of my son's friends had a b-day party and her family requested that instead of gifts party goers could please donate to Heifer International.<a class="yschttl" target="_blank" href="http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkx5ahmJIIKgAJeVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEybDJzcW0xBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkA0Y4NjJfODU-/SIG=11jlbovsm/EXP=1214502874/**http%3a//www.heifer.org/index.htm"><font size="4">Unique gifts that help end world hunger | <b>Heifer</b> <b>International</b> <b>...</b></font></a>&nbsp;I thought this was a great idea.</p>