The April Blood Drive, like Spring, is right around the corner. Those who come to give blood April 13, 2026 at the Fire Dept/EMS Community Building from Noon – 5 p.m., will receive a $15 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice. For details, see RedCrossBlood.org/Hope.
Many people wonder “What is a Power Red blood donation?” During this type of donation, red blood cells are separated from other blood components, and the plasma and platelets are returned to the donor. You can provide twice the lifesaving power with each Power Red donation. Eligible donors with types O, B negative or A negative blood are encouraged to make a Power Red donation. Appointments are encouraged for this type of blood donation as only a limited number of slots are available.
Historical Fun Fact: April 13, 1891 is the birth date of Vesta Stoudt, the inventor of Duck Tape.
While working at an ordnance plant during World War II, she noticed that the way ammunition boxes were sealed made them difficult to open quickly and cost soldiers precious time in battle. So, she developed a waterproof, tearable cloth tape to solve the problem. Her bosses at the plant were unimpressed, so she wrote a letter to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt:
“I suggested we use a strong cloth tape to close seams … it worked fine, so I showed it to different government inspectors and they said it was all right, but I could never get them to change tape.”
Roosevelt liked the idea and sent it to the War Production Board who implemented her tape. The tape was made with a woven fabric, known as “duck cloth”, coated in waterproof plastic with a layer of rubber-based adhesive and could be torn by hand without the need for scissors. The tape worked great on ammo boxes and soon GIs found it was also useful for fixing leaks, repairing equipment, and even closing up wounds on the battlefield.
Stoudt received Chicago Tribune’s War Worker Award for her idea.
So yes, it was originally called “Duck Tape”, because it was first made from duck cloth. It wasn’t used for duct work until many years later.