Enthusiasm ran high Friday when the Bonney Lake Senior Center hosted its first blood drive.

“Our initial goal was 15 donors but we ended up with 24,” said Rita Wells, community relations specialist for Cascade Regional Blood Services.

City employees comprised most of the donors but there were also plenty of residents stepping forward to donate, too – like first-time donor Tiffany Roberts.

“We were paying our water bill and saw that they needed blood,” she said. “And I thought, why not?”

The success of the drive was due in part to the work of Senior Services Assistant Staci Guirsch, who coordinated the event.

“She did such a great job and helped a lot by putting out signs along the street and in area businesses,” Wells said.

Another first-time donor was Eric Meyer, a maintenance employee with the city.

“I just decided to help out last week after the office staff told us about it,” Meyer said. He hoped to start giving regularly, he said during the 40-minute process. Blood donors can repeat the process every eight weeks.

Cascade Regional Blood Services is a not-for-profit organization based in Tacoma that provides blood and blood components to several medical facilities and hospitals in the Pierce County and South King County region and relies upon 150 donors each day to meet the area’s needs.

Wells said she was pleased with the response from the Bonney Lake community and because of its Friday turnout, the senior center has decided to host future blood drives every eight weeks.

“The community here has been really fantastic!” she said.

Reach Judy Halone at jhalone@courierherald.com or 360-802-8210.