Hicksville Blood Drive Being Held In Honor Of Local Man

HICKSVILLE, NY — A blood drive is being held in Hicksville this weekend in memory of race car driver and beloved father Wayne Marturano.

The blood drive is being hosted by Marturano's daughter, Kimberly, at Our Lady of Mercy Church, located at 500 S Oyster Bay Road in Hicksville, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10.

Marturano, who was battling cancer, relied on blood donations throughout his treatment. His family is hosting the blood drive to give back and ensure there is enough blood supply for people who need it.

The New York Blood Center, which is running the drive, announced a blood emergency earlier this month, as the region’s summer heat, travel and a recent spike in COVID-19 cases have caused a significant decrease in donations over the past several weeks. NYBC highly encourages all who are able to sign up to donate blood today.

People are not eligible to donate if they’re experiencing a cold, sore throat, respiratory infection or flu-like symptoms. Additional information on donor eligibility and COVID-19 precautions is available here.

To make an appointment at this blood drive, donors can call 1-800-933-2566 or visit this link. If you are unable to make it to this blood drive, you can donate in Marturano's memory using group number 71503.