Couple from Wiesbaden donated blood for the 101st time

After the 125th donation by a visitor from Bad Homburg last month, in December it was the turn of a couple from Wiesbaden to be awarded for an unusual combination of the 101st donation at the Red Cross in Oberursel.

Eberhard Böhm came all the way to Oberursel with his wife to donate blood for the 100th time.  He first blood donation had been in 1967 when he was an officer cadet at the marine training school in Flensberg and the platoon went to donate together.

Some years later he was working in Oberursel at first the Dresdner Bank and later the Frankfurter Volksbank and it was during this time that he started to donate regularly.

Now, even though he lives in Wiesbaden, he likes to come back to the town to continue the tradition.  There are, of course, a number of places closer to his home that would be nearer, but the dates fit in better for him.  “Saturdays are ideal for me”, he said.

For his loyal service he was presented with a watch, engraved with his name, as well as a certificate and pin with the number 100 on it.  The local group of the Red Cross also presented him with a hamper.

But the story doesn’t end there, because whilst she was waiting for him, his wife Angelika decided to donate blood as well – except in her case it was for the first time!  For this she was awarded the special “first time donor” pin.

Jürgen Swoboda from the Red Cross blood donation service  commented “it is particularly important during the run-up to Christmas that we make sure that enough blood reserves are available for the holiday season”.

During that Christmas season there is a chance to donate blood on Thursday, 26th December, 2013 between 1pm and 5pm at the fire brigade in Weißkirchen (Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Strasse 2a).  This has become something of a Christmas tradition, with many people giving up part of their Boxing Day afternoon to go there each year.