On Tuesday, Sept. 2, The Salem Community Blood Drive marked 30 years of collecting blood, with a remarkable six blood drives held in each of those thirty years. The milestone represents a commitment to the community’s health, sustained through the dedication of many volunteers, donors, and organizations across Salem, including longtime blood drive coordinator, Cindy Sachs, who has dedicated 15 years to the effort.
The drives are conducted by the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO) out of Springfield, which supplies blood to over 40 hospitals within Southwest Missouri, Northwest Arkansas, and Southeast Kansas, including local hospitals like Salem Memorial District Hospital, Phelps Health, and Texas Memorial County Hospital.
Blood drives are held every two months within Salem, located at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, which has graciously donated the space for the drives. What makes Salem’s blood drives special is the rotating support from local churches and organizations, which provide refreshments like sandwiches and cookies at every drive.
“We cannot begin to name all the dedicated volunteers from each organization who have helped over the years,” shared longtime Salem Community Blood Drive coordinator, Cindy Sachs. “It is these volunteers who help make our local Blood Drives unique and successful.”
The following churches/organizations provided snacks at each Blood Drive:
• January: Alter and Rosary Ladies of Sacred Heart Catholic Church
• March: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (took over in 2024 from the Ladies of Grace Community Church, after its many years of helping)
• May: Ladies of Salem Christian Brotherhood Church
• July: American Legion Ladies’ Auxiliary
• September: Salem United Methodist Women
• November: Salem Lutheran Ladies Aide
The blood drive’s leadership has been passed down through dedicated community members over the years. Before the CBCO began serving the area, Phyllis Hocker, Sachs’ mother, and Shirley Camden directed Red Cross Blood Drives in Dent County. Hocker coordinated for the CBCO since about 1990, and Sachs’ credits her mother for laying the groundwork for the strong community partnerships that continue to this day. With the passing of Sachs’ mother in 2010, Sachs assumed the role and served for 15 years until this past May, when Janice Becker took over.
Sachs shared she’s confident that Becker will do an excellent job taking over and wishes her luck on her journey.
Cindy Sachs’ 15 years of dedication
Sachs retired from being a high school math teacher after 24 years of service in 2010, with 18 years spent teaching in Salem and three years teaching in Rolla. After her mother passed in February 2010, Sachs continued her mother’s legacy as blood drive coordinator. Not only did she find the role suited her, sharing she had fun facilitating the drives, organizing refreshments, and handling business outreach, she holds immense respect toward the organization’s mission.
“My mother used to say people who can't afford to donate to charities—they can give blood. That's something everybody can do,” shared Sachs. “It's one way to do your part.”
Sachs not only loved the work and mission of the organization, she loved the cross-section of people that it brought across her path.
As coordinator, Sachs would make records of the donors and ensure they stayed for the full 15-minute observation period. Most importantly, she thanked donors for their contribution and expressed her appreciation to them, one of her favorite parts of the work.
“I appreciate the fact that we are doing such valuable work—you can’t make blood, you have to get it from people,” shared Sachs, recalling that there was a full spectrum of people in Dent County that would make blood donations—from the age of 17 to even 90 years old.
Salem's commitment to holding six drives annually sets it apart from other communities, which typically hold only two drives per year. This dedication results in approximately 300 units of blood collected annually—a reliable supply that CBCO can count on, shared Sachs. One unit of blood can save three lives, she reminded.
For those hesitant to donate for the first time, Sachs offered reassurance. There's no need to be skittish—give it a try. It's a relatively painless process and fairly quick for most people. She noted that while a rare few people may feel faint, volunteers are always ready to assist, and the refreshments on hand help donors recover quickly.
Not only can giving blood do such good for others, but there’s also a lot of incentive these days to give it a shot, such as free goodies like t-shirts, sweatshirts, or even beach towels. Last November, CBCO gave away Kansas City t-shirts to each donor.
After that first initial donation, people are quite committed and ready to give blood regularly. Sachs observed that older donors tend to be especially committed, often even showing disappointment when health checks prevent them from donating.
“We have people who have given for 20 years—they’ve made that commitment,” said Sachs. “They come six times a year, every year.”
