As we celebrate National Friendship Day on Aug. 2, Jack Erwine and Jay Brenneman are celebrating their friendship by preparing to donate blood together – a tradition they've carried for the last five years.
Every eight weeks, Jay and Jack visit the WellSpan Blood Donor Center at Apple Hill in York, often in matching shirts, ready to give. The two friends help hold each other accountable.
For Jay, having Jack by his side makes the experience more meaningful – and more fun.
“We hold each other accountable to make sure we don’t miss an opportunity to donate,” Jay said. “It’s a great time together and we always catch up over lunch afterwards. Plus, it feels great knowing that I can double the blood donated that day by going with a friend.”
Long before they met 15 years ago, both Jay and Jack started their donation journey in high school. They found it an easy way to give back and save lives. Now more than 40 years later, Jay shares that he’s approaching 23 total gallons of blood donated.
“It’s such an easy thing you can do to help people,” Jay said. “It’s my way of being thankful for the fact that I’m healthy enough to donate. I will give as long as I’m capable of giving.”
Their commitment to giving back extends beyond the donor center. Jack has also supported Jay’s volunteer efforts to plant and donate thousands of trees over the years. No matter how they give back, Jay and Jack bring the same humor and playful teasing that make their blood donation visits so meaningful.
“Jay puts up with me,” Jack joked. “We like to give each other a hard time and have fun together. In this stage of my life, I have few friends and he is one of my best. We just get along and want to make a difference.”
They have also formed a bond with the team at the donor center – sharing laughs and stories over the common goal to give back.
“We love the team at Apple Hill,” Jack shared. “They are so kind and fun to be around.”
According to Steve LaCour, supervisor at the WellSpan Blood Donor Center at Apple Hill, Jack and Jay are a great example of how friendship can strengthen a commitment to blood donation.
“Jack and Jay inspire us because they remind you that donating blood doesn’t have to be an individual commitment,” Steve said. “By encouraging one another and donating together, they are doubling their impact while showing others how friendship can help save lives. It also shows that meaningful connections can happen anywhere – even in a blood donation center.”
Jack and Jay encourage others to donate as often as they can for one simple reason: “It saves lives.”
Learn how you can donate at a blood donor center near you here.
