The Bangor Region Knights of Columbus, Pine Cone Council 114 honored members of the Cormier Family on Dec. 5 at their monthly meeting at St Joseph Catholic Church in Brewer. A series of 14 American Red Cross Blood Drives have been sponsored by the Knights of Columbus since 2013, resulting in almost 500 units of blood having been donated in honor of the family patriarch, Paul Cormier. The 500 unit milestone was, additionally, recognized by Marie-Jaqueline (Jackie) Gershman-Mannocchi, account manager for donor recruitment for the American Red Cross of Northern New England.
Cormier, a well loved and respected 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, discovered in 2010, that he had Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, requiring that he be cumulatively transfused a total of 79 units of blood, at Cancer Care of Maine, before he went to meet his Lord on Dec 2, 2012. (See BDN obit.) Before his death, Paul, a very selfless man, explained that he was so grateful for the many blood donations that allowed him to spend two more years with his loving wife Germaine and his three daughters, Lisa, Sharon, and Monica. Paul asked his Knights of Columbus Brothers to hold a blood drive to “replace” the blood he had received… and “the rest of the story” is a 10-year celebrated history of American Red Cross Blood Drives between April 13, 2013 and Nov. 18! The ultimate goal of the blood drives is to extend and save lives, at a time where there is still a critical blood shortage.
The first, and the following several blood drives were organized by Sir Knight Ed Beaulieu, followed by Sir Knight Keith Forbes, and now directed by Sir Knight Rey Dubois. All the K of C sponsored American Red Cross Blood Drives have been held at St Mary’s Catholic Church, 768 Ohio St, Bangor, ME 04401, where they continue to receive faithful parish and community support. The Knights have their next Blood Drive scheduled for April 20, 2024, and highly recommend that donors sign up online, at redcrossblood.org.