VASLCHCS Employee organizes 40th blood drive in 20 years
By Gregory House, Public affairs specialist
Shelley Granger kept more than busy with the daily tasks as VA Salt Lake City Health Care System’s (VASLCHCS) Transfer Nurse Coordinator and when she was asked to help coordinate a blood drive, she did not hesitate to jump in and help
“They just asked me if I would like to help them,” Granger said. “Then that person got a different job, and they really couldn’t help with the blood drives anymore, so it got handed to me.”
She was surprised to oversee organizing this blood drive, but it was a success, nonetheless. By the time the Red Cross employees had packed the donations to start sending them to hospitals and trauma centers around the state, Granger helped collect dozens of blood donations.
Then she did it 39 more times over the next 20 years.
As she climbed the ranks, leading to her current role as the Deputy Associate Director for Patient Care Services, the blood drives have remained constant.
“I think I’ve always been somebody that has taken on a lot of collateral duties,” she said.
Granger said she was not allowed to donate for many years because she lived in the U.K. from 1983-1986. “This was my way of giving back until they took that exemption off a few years ago.”
Reaching 40 blood drives and around 1600 units of blood donated was not a milestone she was seeking out, but organizing the blood drives gave her work an additional purpose, even as her duties became more demanding.
As she looks ahead, Granger is helping future blood drives at VASLCHCS succeed, even after she retires, by bringing Kelli Farr, Chief of Nutrition and Food Services, into the fold.
“I’m roughly within three to five years of retiring, but I definitely don’t want to leave anyone in the lurch,” Granger said. “That’s why I want to bring her in now and have her as a backup for the blood drives.”
Granger’s ability to connect and form relationships with colleagues helps donors feel comfortable and to return year after year, according to Farr.
“At the drive, she welcomes each donor, knowing most of them by name and often has a specific question to ask each person because of the relations she has with so many,” she said.
Farr also said that working with Granger has helped her with more than learning how to set up blood drives for VASLCHCS.
“I have learned so many things from Shelley through knowing and watching her over the years as a leader,” Farr continued. “She is exceptional at understanding the nuts and bolts of anything she works on, she prepares early and owns all of the elements of the project, while welcoming feedback and also owning the little things.”
40 blood drives later, Granger know this is not a one-woman-show. She made sure to express her gratitude for the support staff, American Red Cross, and donors who come back time and time again.
“I appreciate everybody’s support over the years for myself and all the people who got to take a little time from their work to come donate,” Granger said. “The support for us to be able to do these drives here has been tremendous and I just want to make sure people know I appreciate it.”
After decades of organizing opportunities to give, her message is simple: one small act makes a meaningful difference.