2026 Blood Drive and Fundraiser -

another Huge Success!

Saturday, February 28 from 9 am to 4 pm, the gym at Daemen University’s Scott Beiler Center for Health and Wellness was the site for the 2026 Alison Rose Foundation’s annual blood drive and fundraiser. As has been the case the past few years, Connect Life staff was on hand to collect blood donations, while Alison Rose Foundation supporters conducted a basket raffle to raise funds for the organization.

These Connect Life weekend volunteers were awesome working with everyone who came out to donate blood. A new twist this year was sponsored by Barb Waclawek. She had the idea of “A pint for a pint” campaign. The first 50 donors were honored with a gift card to Big Ditch for a pint of their favorite beverage courtesy of Barb and her late wife, Cheryl Reinhart. The hope is that this incentive might help gain more donors not only this year, but for future years as well. This year over 80 units of blood were collected bringing the total for the Foundation’s blood drives to over 500.

Also going on was a basket raffle featuring 22 donated “baskets” of exciting items including a 23” Blackstone Griddle, gift certificates to a wide variety of merchants and restaurants, various beverages, lottery tickets and toys and games. This year $4000 was raised to support the ongoing mission of the Alison Rose Foundation!

We can’t begin to adequately thank everyone who supported this year’s event. Please know our appreciation runs deep to all the Connect Life volunteers, Daemen University staff and administration, volunteers who staffed and made donations for the basket raffle and especially to everyone who made the day a success by donating blood or purchasing tickets for the basket raffle. Thank you!!!

We are already starting conversations about the 2027 event! We hope you can join us!

Below are quite a few pictures from the day.