[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 106 (Thursday, July 26, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1440]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO BILL EMMEL

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CAROLYN McCARTHY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 26, 2001

  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of Bill 
Emmel, lifelong blood donor and community advocate for blood donations, 
who I have named as Citizen of the Month in the Fourth Congressional 
District for July 2001.
  The significance of Bill's commitment is profound. Particularly now, 
when Long Island is faced with a blood shortage crisis, his example is 
so important. He has helped to inspire a whole new generation of blood 
donors.
  Bill has regularly donated blood since 1981. In his lifetime, he has 
donated 68 pints of whole blood and has made 91 platelet apheresis 
donations, for an incredible total of 159 donations as of July 12, 
2001.
  His extraordinary dedication is only one part of Bill's commitment to 
ensuring an adequate blood supply in the New York area. Understanding 
that his own enormous contribution is only a part of keeping Long 
Island adequately supplied, Bill advocates for blood donations both at 
work and at home. Upon learning that the Sewhanaka Union Free School 
District was not sponsoring blood drives due to liability concerns, 
Bill decided to pursue this great opportunity to recruit young donors. 
A resident of the school district, one of the largest in Nassau County, 
he met with insurance representatives, lawyers, Long Island Blood 
Service personnel, the superintendent and school board members, 
orchestrating a resolution in which the Sewhanaka School District would 
endorse blood drives. The effort paid off, and blood drives at the five 
Sewhanaka high schools have resulted in 775 donations since December 
1999.
  Not content to leave any stone unturned, Bill is working to get other 
districts which do not currently hold blood drives, such as the West 
Hempstead School District, to do so. He also serves as the blood drive 
chairperson for the Information Technology Department at the 
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, where he has worked for fourteen 
years.
  Long Island is lucky to have a person like Bill Emmel working so hard 
for such a noble cause. With any luck, the students in the Sewhanaka 
district that he inspired will become lifelong blood donors, helping to 
avoid another crisis in the future.
  A 26 year resident of Floral Park, Bill hopes to make his 100th 
platelet donation this year. He is a single parent with two sons, 
Chris, 20, a student at St. John's University and Floral Park EMT, and 
David, 24, a St. John's graduate and web designer. I congratulate Bill 
and his sons on this achievement.

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