Mayor Shin Dong-hwa: 'We will work to root a culture of respect for life and sharing in our community'
Guri held its third "Happy Sharing Blood Drive" of the year Tuesday, partnering with the Seoul Eastern Blood Center of the Korean Red Cross to run the event at three locations: Guri City Hall, Guri Gymnasium and Guri Agricultural and Marine Products Wholesale Market.
The event was organized to encourage voluntary blood donations from city employees and residents and to promote a broader blood-donation culture, as declining donor numbers driven by the country's low birth rate and aging population have made it increasingly difficult to maintain stable blood supplies.
Six blood donation buses were deployed across the three venues — three at City Hall, two at the gymnasium and one at the wholesale market. A total of 260 city employees and residents took part.
Forty members of the Korean Red Cross Volunteer Association's Guri chapter helped participants fill in pre-donation questionnaires and conducted street outreach, contributing to a welcoming atmosphere at each site.
Kim Bok-jo, chair of the Guri chapter, thanked participants for their generosity. "We are grateful to the residents and city employees who practiced neighborly love despite their busy schedules," Kim said. "We will continue to actively raise awareness of the importance of blood donation so that a culture of life-sharing can spread further."
Guri Mayor Shin Dong-hwa said he hoped the drive would bring hope to those in need of blood and help ease the shortage. "We will consistently work to ensure that a culture of respect for life and sharing takes deep root in our community," Shin said.
A combined 544 city employees and residents participated in Guri's first- and second-quarter blood drives this year. The city plans to continue holding similar events to promote blood donation and a culture of life-sharing.
pjh@heraldcorp.com
