Man donates 17th gallon of blood

HURON — Phil Skinn achieved what few have accomplished as a regular blood donor. Since he started 53 years ago, Skinn, 71, of Norwalk, donated his 17th gallon of blood last month at Huron St. Peter Catholic Church, his home parish. For comparison, if it were fuel, that would be enough to fill up a large vehicle's gas tank. "I believe that blood donation fills a serious need that can not be filled in other ways," Skinn said. He was inspired to donate after accompanying his father, James, to a blood drive at the Norwalk Eagles Club in the 1960s. "Dad was a regular donor and I remember proudly when he achieved his 10th-gallon pin," he said. "At that time, I had already begun to donate. I set a goal to beat dad's 10-gallon achievement." Skinn started donating after turning 18 years old and graduating from St. Paul High School in 1967 when the Vietnam War raged on. "Many of the guys who I went to school with were in the military. It seemed the right thing to do at the time," he said. Later on, Skinn's employers encouraged donations. "At the Ford plant where I worked after high school, they sponsored periodic blood drives where they allowed time off the assembly line to donate," he said. "While I was in Air Force Tech School in the late 1960s, they allowed us an afternoon off work if we donated blood on Friday morning, which turned the weekend into a three-day event. Many organizations do such things to support the effort." After Sept. 11 happened, Skinn and his peers planned blood drives as members of Huron's Knights of Columbus, a Catholic service organization. "It's a cause supported nationally by the Knights of Columbus," he said. Huron's Knights of Columbus organization has sponsored blood drives at St. Peter Catholic Church for 20 years, an effort started by member Dennis Pell and his wife, Pat to support the military. Members regularly show up to donate and give food for the drives. "I have seldom donated blood at these drives where there wasn't at least one of our members on the table, or their spouses, who also support the blood drive effort, by donating and by baking the goodies," Skinn said. Giving blood is a "simple effort" and Skinn hopes more people donate, especially during the pandemic. Skinn averages about four donations each year and hopes to donate again next spring. "You will not regret the experience," he said. "When I started donating back then, it was a simple process with one donation bag and one tube. Today, there are several small vials in addition that allow the Red Cross to test the blood for any disease that the donor may be carrying and to support vital blood-related research." Potential first-time donors shouldn't fret about the donation process. "It's quick and no different than getting a lab test ordered by your doctor," Skinn said. Additionally, those who donate blood can receive updates from the Red Cross about when and where each donation was used. "There is a personal satisfaction to know you have helped someone," he said. Want to donate? Go to redcrossblood.org to find upcoming blood drives. Among local events available: • 1-7 p.m. Dec. 17 at Holy Angels Catholic Church, 428 Tiffin Ave., Sandusky. • Noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 29 and Jan. 8 at Firelands Regional Medical Center, 1912 Hayes Ave., Sandusky. Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com and follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood