Submitted Photo Trish Timko, at 80 years old, donated blood for the first time in her life during a blood drive this week at Brooks Hospital.

On June 23, Brooks Hospital, collaborating with ConnectLife, held a blood drive due to a critical need for blood donations in the area.

Brooks Hospital accepted walk-ins for people who wished to donate, but those individuals could also make appointments. And the day before the event, the hospital made an appointment for a particularly interesting client: 80-year-old Trish Timko.

“I’ve thought about it for a long time,” Timko said. “My family has given blood a lot, and I saw the announcement for it so I decided I’d go and donate blood.”

Timko, who owns the Larson-Timko Funeral Home, donated for her first time after setting up her appointment on Tuesday, and decided on Brooks because, thanks to ConnectLife, the blood she gave will stay local. Timko also said when she showed up, she was surprised there weren’t more people her age.

“What’s cute about the whole thing is that who knew it was odd to have an older person donate blood?” Timko said. “I’m 80, and they were all making a really big deal out of me being there. I’m pretty healthy and not on a lot of medication. All the girls there were warm and friendly.”

Timko thinks because she isn’t on a lot of medication, her process of donating was made easier. Any person over the age of 75 looking to donate for their first time has to receive clearance from the ConnectLife medical director, which Timko of course cleared. And she liked the experience so much, she’s going to go back.

“I did expect to see other seniors there,” Timko said. “But it was mostly like 50 or 60 year olds. It was a really good experience. I plan on doing it again in August.”

Timko said she felt perfectly fine after giving blood, and while she was there, even winning an inflatable pool float from a raffle, which she also plans to give away to a member of her family.

“When my family comes to visit, they feel the house is like a bed and breakfast,” Timko said. “When relatives spend the night, I put a gift behind their pillow. I’ll be sticking someone’s pillow when someone visits.”

Beyond donating blood, Timko isn’t your average 80-year-old. When asked for identification upon arriving to donate, Timko didn’t give a driver’s license; rather, she showed her pistol permit. And beyond giving both blood and a pool float, Timko and her husband, Carl, who died in January 2021, have given a lot of things to the Fredonia community.

“My husband and I donated the clock in Barker Commons,” Timko said. “My husband was a real big donator, we donated body cams to the Fredonia Police Department.”

“We don’t have any kids, so even before we moved to Fred, we loved playing Santa,” Timko added. “We’d find a family that needed it, and I would shop for months before and drop it on the doorstep and run. We never wanted any recognition for it, but now I’m hoping that it might inspire someone else to do the same.”

And much like she has lived her life so far, Timko’s donations aren’t going to stop after giving blood again in August.

“Every once in a while, I call the Fredonia Police Department and ask them to make out their wish list,” Timko said. “I plan on making another donation to the Fredonia Police soon.”

During a time where a lot of people are in need, Timko continues to do what she has done her entire life and hopes others may follow suit.