On Thursday at 11AM, this reporter eagerly waited to donate blood to the annual Dragon Con Blood Drive, hosted by LifeSouth at the Hyatt on the Conference Level (LL3). There were already a lot of people, both with appointments and walk-ins, ready to raise their arms in the hopes of helping save a life. The staff was busy. The nurses ready and able. Nurses? Of course. What is their take on all this madness?
Lynn was the first nurse I encountered. She smiled encouragingly as she handed me a tablet. I asked her about what she thought about Dragon Con. “This is my fifth year coming, and I love it! The people are always so nice and patient. The costumes are creative. It’s like we get our own show down here.”
Maurice was next. As he checked my vitals, I asked him about his thoughts so far. “This is my first con. I’m both excited and nervous. There are so many people here, but everyone is great. I am appreciative of that.” I asked about the workload. “It’s not bad, just continuous. As one guest leaves, another enters. It does make the time go by.” Chuckling, he added, “I have a feeling I will sleep well tonight.”
Rachel took care drawing my blood. I asked about her experience so far.
Rachel: “This is not my first con. I love coming. Everyone is great here.”
Daily Dragon [DD]: So, what do you like most about coming?
R: Meeting all of the people and getting to briefly know them.
DD: What do you like least?
R: Meeting people who are grumpy from waiting in line.
DD: What are your hours?
R: During the con, we come in at 8AM and leave at 9PM. Luckily, we have a shuttle that takes us back to the hotel.
DD: Amazing. Do you get a bonus for working at Dragon Con?
R: No. We all get our regular pay.
That, my friends, is dedication. Nurses are one of the most hard-working people. Loving what they do is important, especially at an event as large as Dragon Con.
Please, consider donating blood. It may help save a life.
Remaining blood drive hours this weekend:
Friday–Sunday 10AM–7PM
Saturday 10AM–7PM
Sunday 10AM–7PM
Monday 9AM–3PM
