The first time Larry Schwartz donated blood, he was 19 years old and nervous.
It was June 6, 1977, at a community blood drive in his hometown of Westbury, Long Island. He took part at his mother’s suggestion.
“I guess I wasn’t into it and I guess it wasn’t what you call fun,” said Schwartz, now 61.
He had no plans to donate again, and in fact, he didn’t for another five years. But in 1982, he was encouraged to donate again, this time by a colleague.
“So, I decided to get on board,” he said.
Schwartz knows each date and place he has donated pints of blood. He’s now retired but had a career as a statistician and said his love for numbers led him to create spreadsheets about blood donations, household utilities and gas mileage. His notes and a spreadsheet detail every single blood drive he’s visited since 1977.
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