Published: September 29, 2009 03:35 pm      

Lizton hosts safety day, blood drive

LIZTON — Even though the weather was a bit rainy and cold, that didn’t stop 27 residents here from donating blood Sept. 25 at the Lizton Fire Department safety day and blood drive.

The drive was even more meaningful because of who it was honoring.

Jarrod May, who would have been a senior at Tri-West High School this year, died from injuries suffered in an automobile accident this summer. He was in the hospital for a time before he succumbed to his injuries, long enough to use 140 pints of blood.

“When he was in the hospital, he went through 140 pints of blood and I have no way of thanking 140 people,” Jace May, his mother, said. “Today is the two-month anniversary of his passing.”

May said Jarrod’s fellow Tri-West High School band mates and friends set up a blood drive for him while he was still in the hospital over the summer.

“He never thought (he was popular or fit in), but at his funeral, over 300 people showed up. He always thought he was a little bit of a loner, and I think he can kind of feel how many people did care about him,” she said.

Jaclyn Witham, with the Lizton Fire Department, said Jarrod was her cousin.

“We were trying to incorporate this into our safety day,” Witham said. “The blood center told us that if we dedicate it to somebody, there’s usually a better turnout. And with the school right there, we’re at the center of Tri-West, and its homecoming night. It’s just been one thing after another (falling into place).”

The fire department also had a fire safety smoke trailer to help inform children of the proper safety steps in case of a fire.

“We’ve got safety stuff, a smoke house, all kinds of information about safety, an evacuation route, we’re giving away smoke detectors,” Witham said.

Witham also said 33 people attempted to donate blood, but six did not meet the requirements by the Indiana Blood Center.

charlee.beasor@flyergroup.com