A Time to Give

Love thy neighbor is not something they only talk about on Sundays at St. Rose of Lima parish.

Dozens of parishioners gave the gift of life Monday by donating blood at the church's auditorium.

"I always tell my kids, no one can do everything, but everyone can do something,"  said Steve Antaki, 52,  as he made his donation.

Antaki says he's been giving blood for several years now, because he has a rare type. 

But he's not alone in his generosity.

"I believe we get about 50 to 100 donations, when we do this," said Danielle LaRose, the church's new director of parish outreach.

Donors waited patiently through a lengthy process of filling out questionnaires, giving medical histories  and having technicians give their vital signs before getting final approval, but all knew the importance of what they were doing.

St. Rose of Lima has been sponsoring blood drives for more than a decade.  They usually hold a second one in the winter, according toLaRose. The donations go to the New York Blood Center.  

The parish also had several volunteers on hand to make things run smoothly.

"I've been doing this for a dozen years," said Barbara Venezia, who sat at a table and helped check donors in. "I usually get here about an hour early and stay until the last person bleeds," she joked.

But Venezia is happy to do the work. "It's very gratifying to know that you're helping people," she said.  "I've personally known three people who've needed transfusions."

The blood drive is one of many functions St. Rose of Lima's parish outreach office is involved with.  They also provide social services for families in crisis as well as adolecent intervention.

They work with several parish organizations ranging from a young mothers group to bereavement support, LaRose said.  The church  runs a food pantry for the needy and provides transportation services for those who are elderly or shut in.

As donors checked in at Venezia's table, she jokingly told them, "I hope everything comes out all right." St. Rose of Lima seems dedicated to making sure everything does.