May 17, 2024
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Will County Trail Riders hosting blood drive – but leave the horses at home

No horse photo ops at this event, just plenty of good will

By Denise M. Baran-Unland
Bruce Bochenek, president of the Will County Trail Riders, was searching for the right photo to promote the group's blood drive on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. He decided upon this one, hoping it would make people smile and, thus, encourage them to come out and donate.

Bruce Bochenek, president of the Will County Trail Riders, was searching for the right photo to promote the group's blood drive on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. He decided upon this one, hoping it would make people smile and, thus, encourage them to come out and donate. (Photo provided)

The Will County Trail Riders will host a blood drive from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 27 at Our Mother of Good Counsel Church in Homer Glen.

All members and the public is invited to attend. Versiti Blood Center will have its mobile unit in the church parking lots. Appointments are booked five minutes apart, according to a news release from the horse club.

The blood drive is for humans only.

“People who have horses should leave them at home,” Bruce Bochenek, president of Will County Trail Riders, said with a smile.

This means the club also won’t have photo ops with their own horses as they do at other events.

For instance, when members volunteer as bell ringers for the Salvation Army during the holidays, they often bring their horses so donors and horses can take pictures together, Bochenek said.

Sherry Miller and Andrea Pletzke of the Will County Trail Riders hold miniature horses as they ring the bell for the Salvation Army outside Wal-mart, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015, in New Lenox, Ill.

Sherry Miller and Andrea Pletzke of the Will County Trail Riders hold miniature horses as they ring the bell for the Salvation Army outside Walmart, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015, in New Lenox, Ill. Lathan Goumas - lgoumas@shawmedia.com (Lathan Goumas)

The blood drive is simply a community outreach to help address the blood shortage, Bochenek said. He said his wife Patricia Bochenek and another member Andrea Pletzke donate blood on a regular basis and that the blood drive was their idea.

“They got to talking and said, ‘You know, it would be nice if we asked others in the horse club to donate,’” Bruce said. “It [the idea] took me by surprise, too.”

Bruce said the idea was discussed at a meeting and members decided to open up the blood drive to the greater community, too.

“It’s the first time we’ve done it,” Bruce said. “I think we already have 15 people signed up.”

Our Mother of Good Counsel Church in Homer Glen is located at 16043 S. Bell Road in Homer Glen.

To schedule an appointment, call 800-786-4483.

For information about the Will County Trail Riders, visit willcountytrailriders.com.