http://www.boston.com/dailynews/247/nation/Would_be_jurors_give_their_swe:.shtml

Would-be jurors give their sweat and blood as part of unique donation drive

By Pat Milton, Associated Press, 9/4/2001 05:43

MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) When it comes to civic duty, potential jurors are being asked to give more than just their time. They're being asked to donate their blood, too.

The program run by Long Island Blood Services, a division of the New York Blood Center, operates in civil courts in Long Island and parts of New York City.

Officials say the program, believed to be the first in the nation that asks jurors if they'd like to donate blood while they wait, taps a captive and seemingly endless supply of possible donors.

Since it began a year ago, potential jurors have become the second-largest suppliers of blood on Long Island, providing 100 pints of blood a week.

There is a chronic need for blood donors in the New York metropolitan area, which has one of the highest user rates in the country but is among the lowest when it comes to blood collection.

The program was expanded this summer and may soon reach out to federal and criminal jurors as well, said Harvey Shaffler, director of marketing for Long Island Blood Services.

It has also sparked interest in other parts of the country.

''The beauty of this is that jurors have plenty of time ... and it gives us access to a segment of the population whom we otherwise probably wouldn't touch,'' Shaffler said.

The program was created by Nassau Administrative Judge Edward McCabe and Nassau Commissioner of Jurors Thomas DeVivo. In the past, the two have helped set up other programs for potential jurors, such as free mammograms for women and prostate cancer screening tests for men.

''The key is we have a captive audience,'' McCabe said. ''They say `I am going to be here until 5 p.m. I might as well be productive.' When you get down to it, people really want to help out.''

Elizabeth Madden, a teacher who gave blood at the courthouse recently, said she could never have found the time in her busy schedule to make a donation.

''I figured while I'm here I might as well make good use of the time,'' Madden said, adding that she felt good about performing two civic duties at the same time.

Blood collection takes place twice a week at the donor center, on the second floor of the Nassau County courthouse. The center is dotted with sterile white cots divided by white curtain screens.

DeVivo said about 15 percent of potential jurors give blood each week in Nassau County.

A medical history is taken on those who volunteer and potential donors with high blood pressure or those on medication that would prevent them from giving blood are weeded out. The entire process takes about 90 minutes, and, of course, includes juice and cookies.

''For us, it fulfills all three requirements essential to finding new blood donors: jurors have the time, it's convenient, and there's someone there to ask them,'' said Shaffler.

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001