The American Red Cross, Central New York Chapter, recently presented a 2018 Fayetteville-Manlius High School graduate with the Marcy Henderson Scholarship Award — a $1,000 award.
The $1,000 scholarship was presented to F-M graduate Julia Hamilton at the chapter’s annual Volunteer Salute on June 20.
Hamilton first came to the Red Cross as a blood donor at a drive exactly two years earlier. Despite an adverse reaction to her first donation, Hamilton immediately became an ambassador for the Red Cross blood program, choosing to make the mission her Gold Award project for Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways.
Over the next two years, she helped organize and promote 12 blood drives at St. Matthew’s Church in East Syracuse and Fayetteville United Methodist Church, leading to the collection of 355 units of blood and potentially helping save up to 1,065 lives.
Hamilton is planning to attend Onondaga Community College and is currently recruiting volunteers at the churches to continue the blood drives after the completion of her Gold Award project. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest and most prestigious award in girl scouting, and is only open to girls in high school.
As a Gold Award Girl Scout, Hamilton joins an elite group of young women who challenged to change the world and their corner of it by solving a community problem.
“My mother would not be alive without the three blood transfusions she received after the birth of my brother,” Hamilton says. “I’m happy to be a small part of the Red Cross mission to help save lives.”
“Julia is a very special young woman,” said Katie Stepanian of American Red Cross Blood Services. “On behalf of those who have received her gifts of life, their loved ones and all of us at the Red Cross, it is an honor to present her with Marcy Henderson Scholarship Award.”
The Marcy Henderson Scholarship Award is open to any woman in her junior or senior year of high school who has a connection with the Red Cross in Central New York (volunteer, blood donor, support, contributor, employee or intern). The scholarship is to be used at an accredited institution to further education or professional development, or to help fund community service-related activities.
The American Red Cross is currently facing an emergency blood shortage and has issued an urgent call for eligible individuals of all blood types to give now and help save patient lives. All eligible individuals are urged to make an appointment to give now by using the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
