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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2007)
14 I JUStpUt JUNE 1.2007 northwest Blood Ban Leader explains controversial policy Red Cross must observe by Jaymee R. Cuti hen Thomas Bruner left the helm of JRC: What battles are you fighting for the Red Cross? TB: Here is the single biggest challenge that 1 face. This organiza tion used to receive $1.8 million Cascade AIDS Project per year from the kx:al United Way. in August 2005, he This year, we received nothing. puzzled over whether Every year since 2001 it went down politics was in his future. Besides tripling a little. So figuring out what to do fund-raising records at CAP and doubling about that—how to replace as the organization’s budget, he was known much of that as possible—is No. 1 for lending his voice to HIV/AIDS on my list. Luckily, my previous activism in Congress and the Oregon board had the foresight to create Legislature. But three months ago he a healthy reserve fund, so that returned to the nonprofit sector, in which reserve fund has allowed us to not he has worked for 20 years. have to slash and burn. But we After a stint as policy director for can’t dip into it permanently. former Multnomah County Chair Increasing the bkxxl supply is Diane Linn in 2006, Bruner accepted another [challenge). About 60 a job as chief executive officer with rhe percent of the population is eligible Oregon Trail Chapter of the American to give bkxxl. Only 5 percent do. Red Cross. When there’s a tsunami in South Whilg many associate the organiza east Asia or some big earthquake in tion with the volunteer nurses on World Japan, people’s awareness of disaster War I battlefields or bringing relief to spikes temporarily. Just as quickly as Hurricane Katrina victims, to some in it spikes, it goes away. Somewhere the gay community, the Red Cross in between complete denial and means discrimination. this heightened level of angst is Bruner discussed the federal Food where we want people to be. I had and Drug Administration’s controversial these same debates in HIV/AIDS policy of banning bkxxl donations from work for 20 years: How do you take gay and bisexual men, which the Red a threat that to so many is concep Cross must enforce. Despite objections tual, and make that real, get people from the Red Cross and two other bkxxl concerned about it hxlay? groups, as recently as May 23, the FDA The third challenge is that the Thomas Bruner has been on the job at Oregon's chapter of the American vows to uphold the ban. American Red Cross is 125 years Red Cross for 90 days. Bruner also shed light on his goal to old. This chapter is 90 years old. change the policy, his plans for sexing about half the population for the state [and is| by I think there are some people who view the up the Jaymee company R. Cuti: image When and the we business last spoke after far the biggest in the state. American Red Cross as their grandmother’s organi of saving lives. from CAP, you voiced an inter your resignation We are training about 34,000 people a year in zation. They see voluntary nurses in starched white est in public policy work. What drew you back to first aid, CPR, how to use an [automated external unifonns tending to the World War 1 battlefield, and the nonprofit sector? defibrillator). The common theme between all we did that and we’re proud of it. But this is the Thomas Bruner: I’ve always loved public poli those trainings is, how do you save a life, whether piece that they don’t know much about. [Pointing to cy and government relations. I’ve done that work the life is Katrina fkxxl-related or somehxly’s house a modernly designed poster of volunteers responding to for a long time in various capacities. My trip goes up in flames at 2 a.m. or somebody faints in a fire] I want to make sure that our images are more through Multnomah County gave me a front-row the middle of a mall. current, that we’re a little bit hipper. It’s not chang seat to politics ar its meanest and most dysfunction In Oregon, the Red Cross supplies 97 percent of ing our skin—it’s expanding our relevance. al. While I loved my boss and my job, and the the blood in the state. issues we were working on were important and JRC: How great is the need for blood intellectually stimulating, I was just appalled at the nationally that we help with. What they may not donations? behavior that I witnessed, and it kind of tcxik some realize is every 36 hours we’re responding to a local TB: Our summer months are the most difficult. of the wind out of that sail. That’s not to say I’ll disaster. People spend their time boating and hiking and never go back to it, but by the time 1 left that build camping and traveling to visit family, and they are ing on Dec. 31,1 was not eager to go into any less likely to think about donating bkxxj or to make '7 government building for a while. the time to go. In the summer our bkxxl supply W '4 _ ROSE CITY VETERINARY HOSPITAL 809 ST POWE l . I 232-3I05 Bl VO Experience the Difference! EASTMORELAND CUSTOM $925,000 Fabulous updated home with open floor plan, gourmet kitchen, 2 fireplaces, formal dining & living, in-ground pool & more all in a private setting. OREGON CITY 1- LEVEL $389,000 11902 Gentry Way - Over 2100SF of living space with open floor plan, vaulted ceilings, great room, formal living & dining, wide hallways & more. KELLIE JENKINS Broker Direct: 503-784-3535 Office 503-775 4699*144 Fax: 1 800 866 0591 www lohnlscott com/kellie| 3ohn£. Scott AIAL ÍÍÍATÍ JRC: Most associate the American Red Cross with blood donation and disaster relief. What else is your organization responsible for? TB: One, it works to prevent disasters. Second, it works to prepare people and equip people for emergencies. The third is it responds to disasters and emergencies. The fourth thing is it’s the single largest provider of the national bkxxl supply. The state is broken up in six chapters and this one, the Oregon Trail Chapter headquartered in Portland, includes seven counties. That comprises had these same debates in HIV/AIDS work for 20 years: How do you take a threat that to so many is conceptual, and make that real, get people concerned about it today?" —Thomas Bruner dips, and it is a critical time of year for us in terms of meeting demand and getting the word out that just because it’s July and August doesn’t mean we need less bkxxl. JRC: Please tell me about the ban on accept ing blood from gay men? TB: The ban on accepting blood donations from gay or bisexual men is not a Red Cross policy. It’s a U.S. Food and Drug Administration policy, and it applies not only to the Red Cross but to the entire bkxxl banking industry in the county. The
