Hey, Flathead Valley. I remember the first time I donated blood at a drive in high school, which appealed to me and my track-and-field teammates because it usually preceded an easy practice day (or, at least, provided a ready-made excuse for lightening the training load — sorry, Coach P). If I’m being transparent, it’s been a little while since I’ve donated, but initiatives like TroyStrong serve as a reminder that the door’s always open (and may still double as an excuse to pop out of work early for those 9-to-5ers out there as the drive runs during business hours).
The Ross family started the annual TroyStrong drive in Great Falls after 2-year-old Troy Ross was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease in 2017. With his immune system attacking his lungs, Troy spent large chunks of time in the hospital undergoing various procedures and treatments that relied heavily on donated blood.
To cope, his family launched a blood drive event at a school in Great Falls.
“It started out as a way for us to take our minds off of something beyond our control,” Troy’s father Wes Ross said. “But it’s really turned into a way we can give back and help other families who are going through something similar.”
Since 2017, the drive has expanded to an annual event in cities across Montana, collecting more than 1,500 units of blood. Red Cross officials note that the summer drive casts a spotlight on donations during a time of year when maintaining a stable blood supply can be difficult as regular givers busy themselves with summer activities.
Troy’s parents note that today he is enjoying his life, due in large part to blood donors.
“My family is just so impressed and humbled by the number of supporters who continue to show up and make it a priority to help someone else,” Wes Ross said. “It’s incredible to see how many people we’ve been able to reach and help.”
This year, the TroyStrong blood drive will be in Kalispell June 23 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Red Cross Donor Center. Other cities include:
Havre – St. Jude Parish Center
June 17 | Noon – 4:30 p.m.
Great Falls – Red Cross Donor Center (3rd Floor)
June 18 | 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Dillon – UM Western (Keltz Arena)
June 23 | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Kalispell – Red Cross Donor Center
June 23 | Noon – 5 p.m.
Helena – Red Cross Donor Center
June 24 | Noon – 5:30 p.m.
Missoula – University of Montana (Adams Center, North B Gym)
June 25 | Noon – 6 p.m.
Bozeman – Red Cross Donor Center
June 26 | 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Miles City – Miles Community College (Community Room 106)
8 | 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Donors are encouraged to schedule an appointment using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), using the sponsor code TroyStrong.
Zoë Buhrmaster here. Let’s move on to the rest of the day’s Roundup.
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Economists say if power providers don’t build more electrical infrastructure in the coming years, the state could become a net importer of electricity – which would drive up customer prices
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