Normally, an adult will have approximately 1.2-1.5 gallons of blood in their body. The amount of blood is generally equivalent to 7-10 percent of body weight.

Denley Loge, St. Regis rancher and House District 14 Representative, is at a zenith with the American Red Cross. He was notified that he is at the 13-gallon mark of donating blood.

“The first time I gave blood was when I went to college and the Red Cross had a blood drive on campus and I thought why not? 

That was in 1968 at the U of M in Missoula. After a couple times on campus, I started going down to the Red Cross facility on Higgins Avenue,” he said. “At that time, I was playing rugby at the university and the old saying was "Give Blood, Play Rugby." 

Going with that idea, the rugby team challenged the university soccer team to see who could give the most blood.” 

Denley says he can’t remember who won the friendly contest, but he does remember that it stirred up interest in other campus organizations who started competitive donation drives of their own.

That was 52 years ago and since then, Loge stopped playing rugby, but not donating whole blood.

“After my college years, I was on the road working road construction and could only give blood in the winter months while I was off work if I found a blood drive going on, usually in Missoula. Those ended up being my lean years of giving.” 

All of Loge’s donations have been with the American Red Cross where a donor can only give once every eight weeks. Whole blood is used to help patients in two ways: It can be transfused into a single patient or it can also be separated into its specific components of red cells, plasma and platelets.

These components can be given to different patients, which is why the Red Cross says that a donation of one unit, or pint, of whole blood can help multiple people.

The donation itself takes about 1-hour after the pre-screening and questionnaire. Donation means donation when it comes to the American Red Cross as there is no financial compensation.

It’s a total volunteer gesture that comes from not only the blood donor, but some of the staff.

“I cannot forget to thank the volunteers that man the local blood drives and the facilities that allow the drive at their location. It gets to be a place to meet many of the same giving friends and enjoy a juice and snacks after giving,” Loge said with a chuckle.

The pandemic has shuttered blood drives in most areas, including Mineral County. However, the American Red Cross Donor Center at 2401 N. Reserve St in Missoula has openings if you care to contribute.

Call 800-448-3543 and tell them "Denley sent me."