It's easy for Fred Conner and Paul VanLeuken. They're the Tompkins County Red Cross Donors of the Decade and both men are proud of the fact that they've voluntarily donated 14 gallons and 19 gallons of blood respectively. Their amazing accomplishments, combined with the donations of other Tompkins County residents, have saved or bettered the lives of up to 18,933 people in hospitals in the Red Cross New York-Penn Blood Region. In a recent interview with both men, they talked casually about their accomplishments and their commitment to the Tompkins County Red Cross blood collection efforts.

(Left to right) Fred Conner and Paul VanLeuken, the
Tompkins County Red Cross Donors of the Decade.
Between them, they have voluntarily donated 33 gallons of blood.

Paul VanLeuken’s Tompkins County Red Cross Certificates of Recognition for his outstanding blood donations to the community

Fred Conner is an editor at Cornell and, at 47, has just reached his 14th gallon of donated blood. His habit began when he was an ROTC student at Cornell. He says that as part of being in ROTC you were expected to give blood regularly. He had also become familiar with donating blood as a youngster because his mother had a rare blood type and would be called periodically by the Red Cross to donate. This early exposure helped him develop a casual attitude about donating blood - "It just wasn't a big deal to pick it up in college," he says. When he settled in Ithaca in 1982 he began to donate blood regularly. "In the aftermath of the Gulf War, blood supplies dropped off appreciably because so many returning soldiers were afflicted with Gulf War Syndrome. At that point I started donating blood six times a year."

Well-worn donation cards listing just a few of the many scheduled
appointments to reach the many gallons of blood donated by both
Fred Conner and Paul VanLeuken

Both men claim it's not a competition. They compare their well-worn American Red Cross Volunteer Blood Donor Cards and are very supportive of each other's contributions. Over and over they talk about how easy it is to give blood. "It has really become a habit," says Fred. "I live and work downtown so it's really convenient to just walk over to the VFW every eight weeks and donate." He says that people sometimes ask him why he donates so much and he answers, "Because I can and because it's so easy and it doesn't hurt." Paul echoes those words and says that if you have an hour to spare, giving blood is quick and easy and the Red Cross staff takes great care of you. "I've had a running conversation with a Polish Red Cross staff person at the VFW for a long time," he says. "Whenever I donate, we talk about our old lives in Europe."

Fred and Paul have both been recognized by the Tompkins County Red Cross for their volunteer blood donations. Every year at the Blood Services Recognition Event they're recognized and honored as members of the American Red Cross Sixer Club - six being the maximum number of blood donations you're allowed to make per year. Paul beams as he displays all his awarded recognition certificates. Both men have no plans to slow down their blood donations. Paul, at 67, is still going strong and is a testament that older community members shouldn't shy away from donating blood because of their age. And Fred is a great example of how a "blood donation habit" can start at a young age and follow you through life. Both men do it because it's a unique gift they can give to save lives in the community.

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