Blood Drive for Fallen Soldiers
By: Sophie Nielsen-Kolding WMBD/WYZZ TV
Updated: June 23, 2012
PEKIN- Today Veterans of Foreign Wars remembered two local fallen soldiers and used it for a good cause.
People rolled up their sleeves in Pekin Saturday to donate blood in memory of Lance Corporal Jordan Bastean and U.S. Army Sergeant Dean Shaffer. Both men died fighting overseas. They were the first two men from Pekin to die in combat since the Vietnam War.
Eric Benson, a veteran himself, said that giving blood is a good way to honor the selfless service of Bastean and Shaffer.
"It's definitely a very personal thing. You know, being Veterans or Foreign Wars, we want to do our best for any veteran and we know that some of this blood will go to help potentially another veteran that needs it," Benson said.
Twenty-seven people showed up on Saturday to give blood and 21 were approved to donate.
Blood can be given five days a week at the Blood Services Center on John H. Gwynn avenue in Peoria. To make an appointment call them at 309-677-7171.
People rolled up their sleeves in Pekin Saturday to donate blood in memory of Lance Corporal Jordan Bastean and U.S. Army Sergeant Dean Shaffer. Both men died fighting overseas. They were the first two men from Pekin to die in combat since the Vietnam War.
Eric Benson, a veteran himself, said that giving blood is a good way to honor the selfless service of Bastean and Shaffer.
"It's definitely a very personal thing. You know, being Veterans or Foreign Wars, we want to do our best for any veteran and we know that some of this blood will go to help potentially another veteran that needs it," Benson said.
Twenty-seven people showed up on Saturday to give blood and 21 were approved to donate.
Blood can be given five days a week at the Blood Services Center on John H. Gwynn avenue in Peoria. To make an appointment call them at 309-677-7171.
