Avoca Community Newsletter - January 23, 2019

Quack Off Week is Here!

January 26, 2019

Registration: 10am to noon

Races begin at 1pm

The Quack Off is an annual event held on the last Saturday of January. Thousands of people gather in Avoca from all over Nebraska, surrounding states, and even nation wide to race a live duck!  The Quack Off is the primary fundraiser for the Avoca Volunteer Fire Department. It is a family event with fun for everyone!

Check out this link to see Quack Off 2018!

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Due to our recent inclement weather Rural Water has postponed the repairs noted below. 

Once a new date is determined residents will be notified.

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Red Cross issues emergency call for blood donors
Fewer drives, busy holiday schedules lead to blood shortage

 

Avoca Blood Donation Opportunity
2/11/2019: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Town Hall, 623 House St

 

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (Jan. 14, 2019) — A donation shortfall over the winter holidays is prompting the

American Red Cross to issue an emergency call for blood donors to give now to prevent a blood
shortage from continuing throughout winter and affecting patient care.
The Red Cross collected more than 27,000 fewer blood and platelet donations the weeks of
Christmas and New Year’s than needed to sustain a sufficient blood supply. During this period,
about 1,350 fewer blood drives were hosted by volunteer sponsor groups than required to meet
patient needs as busy holiday schedules kept many donors away.
“Many people may not realize that blood products are perishable, and the only source of
lifesaving blood for patients is volunteer blood donors,” said Cliff Numark, senior vice president,
Red Cross Biomedical Services. “When donations decline – as they did around the holidays and
may further decline if severe winter weather and flu season pick up – lifesaving medical
treatments could be delayed.”
Right now, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of most blood types on hand, well
below the ideal five-day supply needed to respond to emergencies and daily hospital needs.
Blood products are currently being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in.
“We hope people can resolve to save lives now – when there is an emergency need – as well
as throughout the year,” added Numark.
All eligible donors, especially blood donors with type O blood, are urged to make an
appointment to give in the coming days to help restock the shelves for hospital patients.
Eligible donors can find a blood donation opportunity and schedule an appointment to donate
by using the free Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS
(1-800-733-2767). Volunteer blood drive hosts are also critically needed to prevent the
shortage from worsening this winter.
Winter weather poses risk to blood supply
With several weeks of winter ahead, severe winter weather poses an additional threat to an
already low blood supply. Snow, ice and extreme temperatures last January and February
forced hundreds of blood drive cancellations, causing about 23,000 blood and platelet donations
to go uncollected. In December, winter weather resulted in nearly twice the number of
uncollected blood and platelet donations as December 2017.
Who blood donations help
In May 2018, 4-year-old Branson Gibby was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare type of
childhood cancer that affects certain types of nerve tissue after complaining of pain in his arms
and legs and running a fever. After many tests, his mother, Erica Austin, was given the news
that no mother ever wants to hear: her son had cancer.

2019-APL-00024
Branson’s 18-month treatment plan includes many rounds of grueling chemotherapy, surgery to
remove the tumor near his kidney and spinal cord, stem cell transplants, and possibly radiation.
He has already endured several lengthy hospital stays and began receiving the first of his stem
cell transplants this fall.
Since his diagnosis, Branson has received 12 blood and 11 platelet transfusions. Of the
transfusions, Austin said, “They have been so important to keep him as healthy, active and
battle-ready, as possible. This is the hardest thing our family has ever faced. However, there is
hope in the generosity of strangers who are helping to heal my brave boy. Blood and platelet
donations truly are the gift of life.”

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2019 KCCB Membership Drive

We appreciate the financial support from all of you who have made donations to KCCB. Every dollar donated helps maintain our programs here in Cass County, like our 5th Grade Youth Environmental Fair (show above). As funding from NDEQ has greatly decreased, we look to our local members and donors to help sustain our programs. Help make 2019 our biggest membership drive ever. Click on the "DONATE NOW" button or simply mail a check to us at 513 Vine St., Louisville, NE 68037. Your donation is tax deductible.

Cass County "Beautiful News"

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Members of the Murray Christian Church, Murray, NE,  have been busy creating a new cookbook that's here just in time for holiday gift-giving.  There are still cookbook collectors out there that would appreciate this addition to their collection!  Included are 78 pages of recipes, along with cooking tips, too.

Cookbooks are only $10 each, with proceeds going to the church. 

Call Linda, 402-235-2831, for more information.

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 The Sarpy/Cass Health Department offers free transportation assistance to women with a mammogram appointment. The service includes home pick up, hospital/clinic drop off, and return home drop off. Eligibility includes women aged 40-75 years living in Sarpy or Cass counties. Please call the Health Department at 402-537-6968 for more information.

 New thrift/consignment store

Fairweather Finds

106 S. Nevada St.,

South Bend Ne.

Open Thursday - Saturday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Sunday, 1:00 - 4:00 pm

Phone # 402-417-3971

We have vintage items, some antiques, lots of glass things plus books,  toys and furniture.