By Jenny Farley and Alana Mauger

Missy Hinspeter doesn’t like needles. But on June 19th, the sixth-grade science teacher rolled up her sleeve anyway. Her A negative blood type is rare, found in only about 1 in 16 people.

“It’s good that I can give,” she said. It was her third time donating at the “I Bleed for Preston & Steve” Blood Drive, and as a big fan of the show, she was happy to see them again in person – even if the needle stick made her nervous.

Across the room, fellow Preston & Steve fan Bill Paoletti had a different reason for being there. After losing a leg in a motorcycle accident 8 years ago, he said that wearing a helmet and days of blood transfusions helped save his life.

Nearby, Erin Crew donated blood on her schedule of every 56 days. She’s been giving blood for years, starting after her father survived leukemia, relying on transfusions along the way.

“I was his life donor, so he’s gone through a lot of blood,” she said. “We figure as long as I’m able to keep donating, I’ll give as much as I can, because we know firsthand how important it is.”

Stories like these filled the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks as more than a thousand blood donors, volunteers and fans came together for the 21st annual 93.3 WMMR “I Bleed for Preston & Steve” Blood Drive — held in one location for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

By the end of the day, the American Red Cross collected 1,048 units of blood, retaining its distinction as one of the largest, single-day blood drives in the country.

“People were heeding the call,” Steve Morrison said during the show’s June 23rd broadcast as he and co-host Preston Elliott announced the totals.  

Preston reflected on the sheer number of donations. “A lot of blood drives, you’ll hear tens, maybe a hundred, couple hundred, but very rarely do you get in the 1,000 mark,” he said. “You just knocked it out of the park. You saved a lot of lives.”

Giving Back and Raising Awareness

This year’s blood drive took place on Juneteenth, a federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It also coincides with World Sickle Cell Day, adding a deeper layer of meaning and opportunity for education.

“Juneteenth is a holiday we are proud to be a part of and recognize, as well as World Sickle Cell Day. We’re making sure we’ve got a space for our blood donors to come in to be able to donate, help our diverse communities and have a little fun while they’re at it,” said Jennifer Graham, CEO, Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region.

She described the long-running event as “an amazing legacy” that serves as the Red Cross “unofficial official kickoff to summer.”

The day provided a bit of education in addition to the opportunity to have fun and give back. Throughout the drive, 93.3 WMMR DJs shared information about sickle cell disease and encouraged their listeners to step up to help ensure the Red Cross maintains a diverse blood supply.

Preston recalled a character from season one of the TV show “The Pitt” who was admitted to the hospital during a sickle cell crisis.

“She was in excruciating pain and came very, very close to dying until they diagnosed it and got her a transfusion,” he shared during the broadcast.  

Because they may receive frequent transfusions, people living with sickle cell disease may develop an immune response to blood that is not closely matched to their own. A patient in need is more likely to find a compatible blood match from a donor of the same race or a similar ethnicity, which is why the Red Cross is committed to maintaining a diverse blood supply at all times.

Collections supervisor Ashley Barrett talked listeners through the blood donation process and helped Preston identify which of his veins would work best for drawing blood. The Morning Show also tackled how seasonal challenges and a packed calendar of major events compete for people’s time.

“We are certainly in a spot where the number of people scheduling donations has dropped by about 20%,” Graham said during her live radio interview.

Preston issued a call to action for everyone listening, “If you can’t make this blood drive, go to RedCrossBlood.org to find out where you can find one in your general area. But donate this summer, for sure, and every 56 days.”

Powering a Life-Saving Effort

A blood drive of this magnitude wouldn’t be possible without dedicated Red Cross volunteers and staff.

Maureen O’Connell spent the first official day of her retirement volunteering as a Red Cross blood donor ambassador. She just retired after 41 years as a nurse, and you could tell she was still thinking of her patients.

“I worked in the hematology/oncology unit, so often I would just hang units and units of blood and platelets, and I always said I want to give back some day,” she shared.

Preston and Steve praised the dedication of Red Cross staff who showed up and put in long hours to make the day a success.

“Everybody is in such a great mood,” Preston observed. “Every time we do this, they love it.”

Steve gave a special shout-out to the Red Cross collections team. He said they “just really take great care of you, and the end result is, you know, again, you’re seeing a lot of smiling people.”

Preston and Steve, who both donated blood at the event along with producer Ryan Shuttleworth, are already gearing up for next year’s drive.

“So the question is, we’re back up into stellar numbers – should we make a real concerted effort next year to break that record?” Steve asked, referring to the 2019 drive, which collected more than 1,400 donations.

“For real, I think we could do it,” Preston responded. “After this many years of doing it, I thought maybe you’d see things wane a little bit; not even close.”

Celebrating a Movement

In front of an audience of excited blood donors and their friends and families, 93.3 WMMR hosts broadcast their shows live from Oaks for a full 12-hours. That included the drive’s namesake Preston & Steve Morning Show, followed by Jacky Bam Bam in for Matt Cord in the afternoon and Brent Porche who was on the air until the last blood donation appointment at 7 p.m.

The hosts and producers mingled with fans, launched boomerangs and even broke into an impromptu roller-skating party at one point. They patiently signed autographs and posed for hundreds of photos with thrilled blood donors who walked away with a limited-edition Preston & Steve T-shirt, along with other goodies.

With music blaring and crowds moving through the space, the event felt like part celebration, part mission-driven movement. It’s rooted in the megafans – like Tom VanDuyne and Craig Powell – who return year after year and in the 89 new donors who gave blood for the first time.

“It feels good that I’m able to do this and that Preston and Steve and the Red Cross have been doing this now for 21 years and it has kept going,” Powell said. “I hope that it continues on for many more years.”

CEO Jennifer Graham summarized the event best.

“You come for the party. You come for the experience. You come for the people. You leave helping save lives, and there’s nothing more impactful than that.”

Paying it Foreward

As seasonal challenges grow, the Red Cross has an urgent need for blood and platelet donors to give now to help ensure hospitals stay ready to help patients without delay. Book a time to donate blood or platelets by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

Above: American Red Cross photos from the 21st annual “I Bleed for Preston & Steve Blood Drive on June 19th at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks. Photos taken by Donn Greenberg, Jenny Farley, Kai Kwong and Alana Mauger. Check out our Flickr album for more!