Red Cross Seeks Blood Donations Ahead of Holidays

Lebanon — The American Red Cross is hosting blood drives in multiple locations in the Upper Valley in early November in a bid to have more people donate before the busy holiday season.

There are generally fewer donations during the holidays because regular volunteers have other engagements, according to the Red Cross. However, the need for blood remains high.

Upper Valley blood drives are scheduled for:

Nov. 1 and Nov. 15, from noon to 5 p.m., at Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital, 10 Alice Peck Day Drive, Lebanon.

Nov. 1, from 12:30-5:30 p.m., at Newport High School, 245 N.h Main St., Newport;

Nov. 3, from 1-6 p.m., at the Grafton County Complex, 3855 Dartmouth College Highway, North Haverhill.

Nov. 10, from 12:30-5:30 p.m., at the Charlestown VFW Post 8497, 365 Lovers Lane Road, Charlestown.

Blood donors must be at least 17 years old and in general good health. To book an appointment, use the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767.

Volunteers can also drop in during the donation drive. The Red Cross is also looking for volunteers to help transport blood to hospitals throughout New Hampshire. For more information on that position, visit rdcrss.org/driver.

D-H CNO Recognized for Support Of National Guard and Reserve

Lebanon — Karen Clements, chief nursing officer at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital, was recognized for supporting Dartmouth employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve during a ceremony on Oct. 9.

Clements was given a certificate of appreciation by representatives from New Hampshire Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, part of a national Department of Defense program that promotes cooperation between civilian employers and reserve service members.

“Karen Clements has been instrumental in supporting the New Hampshire Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve, and provided the link between Dartmouth-Hitchcock and our state committee,” Bruce Thompson, state chair of New Hampshire Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, said in a news release. “Her assistance to our committee and helping us to recognize Dartmouth-Hitchcock supervisors who have been nominated by their employees is greatly appreciated.”

Clements joined D-H in 2013 and has been chief nursing officer since June 2016. She attained the rank of captain in the Army Nurse Corps, and has more than 20 years of experience in providing emergency care, strategic planning, operations and new program development in both tertiary and small specialty hospitals.

Support for service members and their families is something Clements knows well as a veteran of Operation Desert Storm.

“As an Army veteran myself, I believe strongly in service to our country,” she said in the release. “I want to thank all of our employees and their families who continue to serve our country. Freedom comes at a cost, and we thank you.”

— Compiled by Kelly Burch