The Brethren of Texas have developed an exemplary blood donation program.

The "Gift of Life" program sponsored by the Grand Lodge of Texas helps children throughout the "Lone Star State." Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas, the Shrine Burn Center in Galveston, and the Shrine Orthopedic Hospital in Houston require approximately 9,000 units of blood each year. Statistics show that the population of Texas uses more blood and blood products than its citizens are donating; therefore, blood is being imported into the state from other areas of the country. This places our hospitals in the position of bargaining for available blood with every other hospital in the state. In some cases, medical personnel have had to resort to walking the halls to secure blood donors for necessary surgeries.

The Gift of Life program in Texas is meeting the blood requirements of our hospitals and providing an annual surplus to be used in emergencies, both public and fraternal.

This not only meets an essential need for our hospitals but also helps our communities by making fresh blood available whenever it is needed and by providing an easy means of donation. It is important to understand that the Gift of Life program is not designed to secure donations only from Masons. All donations are important and welcome. The strength of the Gift of Life effort is in providing an easy opportunity for the general public to donate through our Masonic Lodges. There is a Masonic Lodge nearby for everyone in the state, and we have found that people want to donate blood, especially when children are involved.

By providing an easy means of donation, with the proper publicity, we can easily provide 20,000 units of blood annually. By unifying all of the Masonic Lodges in Texas under the common Gift of Life banner, we all gain the benefit of each local drive's publicity. We do this annually each fall. This provides fresh blood when the supplies are most critical and when demand is at its peak. The program also gives the public a sense of what Freemasons do in the community, especially our help for children.

The Gift of Life program came into being in 1994 with the help of the Masters, Wardens, and Secretaries Association of the 14th District. Garland Masonic Lodge had been running a successful Blood Drive Program for several years, and several key Masons saw that it could be expanded to a statewide program. Area coordinators were appointed and assigned several Lodges. Training sessions were held, and a Blood Drive Manual was created. With the cooperation of Carter BloodCare, the program flourished, and in 1996-97 the program became a Texas Grand Lodge Program under the supervision of Grand Master Joseph W. Regian, 33°

To date the Gift of Life program has produced the following results:

• Thousands of units of blood have been collected.
  
• Lodges have been visited by hundreds of non-Masons.
  
• Several petitions for membership have been received.
  
• Local Masons have demonstrated to their community the viability and involvement of the Masonic Fraternity.
  
• Masons have bonded in statewide fraternal fellowship for a worthwhile cause.

Left to right, Jenne Dariotis, President of America's Blood Centers, and Bobby Grigaby, Chief Operating Officer of Carter BloodCare, present a 2001 Platinum Blood Drive Award (pictured above) to Bro. James Roy Elliott, 32°, K.C.C.H., Chairman, Grand Lodge of Texas Gift of Life Committee.

Some claim our membership is old and most of them can't give blood. Even these members, however, can give an hour or two once a year and, by so doing, help assure the success of the program in a particular Lodge. Also, many younger members are not in a position to give the substantive time required of Lodge officers or Degree team members. For a project like the Gift of Blood program, however, they can participate on a limited basis periodically. Thus they are eager to help. In addition, the ladies have practically demanded an opportunity to assist. In particular, they provide valuable data processing support for registration and record keeping.

Today, the Gift of Life effort is making a difference, and we all win-our hospitals, our communities, our Lodges and, most importantly, the children we serve. There are no losers. You, too, can be a winner by joining or creating a Gift of Blood program in your state. For more information, write to the address at the head of this article, call 972-723- 8818, or e-mail jre3040@msn.com.

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James Roy Elliott is a Retired Dallas Police Officer and currently owns and operates a printing company in Midlothian, Texas. He is a Past Master of Midlothian Lodge No. 584 and is active in both Scottish and York Rites. Bro. Elliott was State Chairman of the Gift of Life Program for the Grand Lodge of Texas in 2001 and has been involved with the program since 1994. A member of the Scottish Rite Bodies in Dallas, he serves on the Sound Directors Committee and Chairman of the Ellis County Membership Committee.