LETTERS NEED FOR BLOOD DONORS IS URGENT.

Thank you to the 84 Santa Clarita residents who gave blood at the Valencia AutoSpa Blood Drive on April 11. Because these individuals so graciously gave of their time and their precious blood, the Red Cross collected 128 units. Since each pint of blood can be separated into three lifesaving components, the units of blood collected could potentially help save 192 patients in our local hospitals.

The American Red Cross is steward of one-half of the nation's blood supply and is suffering a severe blood shortage. In fact, the shortage is one of the worst in history. Hospitals in some of the hardest-hit regions throughout the nation have been forced to postpone scheduled surgeries because of inadequate blood supplies. Blood is now the weak link in the chain of health care. Patients should never have to worry whether there will be enough blood.

It is the gift of life, and there is no substitute. The Red Cross desperately needs the help of all eligible repeat and first-time donors.

Red Cross blood donations were tremendous last year, when President George W. Bush made an emergency request for all Americans to give blood just after the terrorist attacks happened at the World Trade Center in New York.

So many blood donors feel they have donated their share of blood, not realizing the shelf life of blood is just 35 to 45 days. We all expect blood to be there for us, but barely a fraction of those who can give blood do. Many people who need blood face life-threatening medical conditions such as accidents, organ transplants, surgical procedures and cancer. There are many of us who will someday face a time of vulnerability in which a family member, friend or even ourselves will need blood. And when that time comes, all too often it is unexpected.

I want to encourage all eligible donors in the Santa Clarita Valley to give blood. Blood donations in the Santa Clarita Valley not only serve Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital but 150 area hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Los Angeles is one of the hardest-hit areas when it comes to low blood supplies.

We are thankful to our customers who so willingly donated blood. Giving blood is one of the few things one can do to directly save another's life. So I want to urge all Santa Clarita residents to take 20 minutes out of their day, roll up their shirt sleeves and give blood. There are numerous blood drives being sponsored across the valley each month.

- Randy Cressall

Owner, Valencia AutoSpa

A rousing thank you to area's volunteers

On the heels of National Volunteer Week, I was reflecting on the volunteer spirit of the Santa Clarita Valley.

I especially want to thank some very special volunteers who graciously give their time, talents and energy to the Santa Clarita Valley School & Business Alliance.

As you know, the SCV School & Business Alliance is the organization created to connect students and educators to the workplace to bring learning to life. We could not carry out this very special work that affects the lives of kindergarten to post-secondary students in the SCV without our education, business and industry partners and our hard-working board.

I want to extend a very special thank you to: David Albee, Courtney Bourdas, Rick Byrum, Paul Cordeiro, Randy Cressall, Bob Deane, Diann DePasquale, Rick Drew, Dan Goetz, Phil Hartley, Joan Lucid, Gina MacDonald, Adele Macpherson, Cheri Marchaunt, Timothy Myers, Betty Peters, Pamela Ross-Smith, Ron Rudzinski, Carolynn Shaffer, Jay Schutz, Suzan Solomon, Peter Sozio, Richard Wahler and Bill White.

And I want to thank the companies and organizations like UVDI, U.S. Borax, Newhall Land, Lundgren Management, the city of Santa Clarita, the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce, College of the Canyons, the Boys & Girls Club, the Historical Society, and the Valencia Industrial Association, who along with more than 900 businesses open their doors to students and educators for job shadowing, internships and mentoring opportunities on a daily basis. Not only are they providing SCV students school-to-career experiences, they are truly creating the leaders of tomorrow as well as a skilled and educated work force for our valley.

- Ann Kerman

Executive Director

Santa Clarita School & Business Alliance

Wanted: better way to honor veterans

Memorial Day is a holiday set aside to honor U.S. veterans, living and dead.

This year I was analyzing what is different about Memorial Day from when I was a youngster. My time in the military was 1941 to 1945. So when I think of Memorial Day, I think of flags being waved, antique fire engines, women and children and other decorated men proudly walking in parades.

Today we go through the motions of putting out our flags and in some communities we will still have a parade with politicians riding in convertibles, veterans walking and hawkers selling cotton candy; relatives and friends will go to the cemetery to put flags on soldiers' graves.

We in Santa Clarita have not found a way to give our veterans the respect they earned.

-Harry Gratz

Canyon Country