A Holiday Gift from Vermont - The Gift of Life

By David Ullman, American Red Cross Writer and Visual Storyteller

Every December for more than two decades, hundreds of residents of Rutland, Vermont, and the neighboring counties have congregated together for a very special gift giving tradition. In a winter month characterized by cold temperatures and warm sentiments, by friendly gatherings and family plans, by whimsical pranks and heartwarming intentions, hundreds of men and women come together, partnering with the American Red Cross to generously donate the gift of life. They give blood.

The metaphoric “Father Christmas” figure who initiated this crusade is Steve Costello. Over the years Costello has organized the annual Gift of Life Marathon Blood Drive, along with organizing other blood drives across Vermont.

In 2013, the Gift of Life Marathon Blood drive established a record for the most units collected in a single day, over 2,000 units. As with all records, it was eventually bested. However, for a time, this town and county share the same moniker proudly brandished the reputation for giving the most. To this day, that area of the nation retains recognition, consistently surpassing the national average of blood collections.

Dawn Carlson

This year, the 23rd drive, has an inspiring connection to three generations of a local Rutland family. The 2025 Gift of Life Marathon is in memory of Dawn Carlson; she lost her battle with cancer this past May. Carlson was a committed Red Cross blood drive ambassador, inheriting the honor from her mother, Yvonne Daley.

Yvonne Daley was a native of Rutland, a journalist, and an award-winning reporter. In the last two years of her life, she was a committed blood donation advocate. Daley had been diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), a cancer of the blood that is temporarily managed through blood transfusions. It was the transfusions of O+ blood every two weeks that extended her life for almost two years after the diagnosis. Daley chose to use those days and weeks to encourage, entice, and appeal to her community to donate blood for those in need.

“My mother was not able to donate blood herself and it wasn't until she got sick and needed blood that she saw how vital donating is,” explained Shanti Gallo-McKenna, Daley’s daughter and Carlson’s sister. “She was the recipient of other people's generous gifts and that was such an important thing.”

While Daley was working with the American Red Cross to organize and host blood drives, she was joined by her daughter, Dawn Carlson. Together they spread information, made public appearances and fulfilled the roles of Blood Drive Ambassadors across their community and state. Yvonne succumbed to her disease in August of 2022.

Once again working with Costello, Carlson and the Red Cross dedicated Rutland’s annual February blood drive to celebrate the life and influence of Yvonne Daley.

“My mother's drive was Dawn’s first-time giving blood,” recalled Gallo-McKenna. “She continued to do it from there. She was leery of needles, so she didn't want to do it because she thought, ‘oh no, this is going to be something horrible’. After she did it, she realized that it was nothing.”

For almost a decade Carlson’s sister, Shanti Gallo-McKenna, and her husband, John McKenna, had been devoted blood donors. Before Daley’s death, Gallo-McKenna and Carlson witnessed their mother receive transfusions every two weeks. For them ritualistically donating blood was gesture of civic generosity that morphed into a cause that was deeply personal. All three women shared a rare and highly demanded blood type.

Gallo-McKenna and Carlson bore the understanding that every day the transfusion was delayed equated to endure a day of pain and misery. Gallo-McKenna’s daughter, Haley Wells, joined the family donation crusade during the annual drive in the year’s following Daley’s death. Calling Maine home, Wells journeyed to Rutland every year to donate at the “family drive.” So influential is the memory of her grandmother and the family crusade that Wells is working towards hosting a drive in her town of Kennebunk, Maine.

Although Carlson’s own physical battle with cancer ended in the spring of 2025, her family and community influence continues. The 2025 Gift of Life Marathon drive, the largest annual drive in Vermont, will memorialize the life and influence of Dawn Carlson. “I'm glad that we're doing it for my sister this year,” shared Gallo-McKenna, Carlson’s sister and the 2025 Gift of Life Blood Ambassador. “It's been a crazy couple of years.”

“Doing the drive for my mother, I started seeing some familiar faces,” continued Gallo-McKenna. “At each of the drives, I start seeing people that trigger thoughts, ‘oh yeah, I know that person. I've seen that person before.’ Then you have volunteers that you see each time, and they're fantastic.”

Possibly new additions to this year’s family crusade are Carlson’s children, Mackenzie and Zachary.

“Mackenzie is going to try and come home for this drive so that she can be supportive of this in her mother's name,” explained Gallo-McKenna. “Her son, Zachary, is still in the area. They're an important part of this and they're going to try and be at this drive and maybe can be convinced to donate.”

From Yvonne to Dawn, to Shanti, to Haley, and to the next generation, the town of Rutland has spawned several heroes supporting the hometown campaign of providing the Gift of Life.

“The angels that donate are exactly that, angels. Please continue to donate and attend the drive. We as individuals wouldn't be here without these donations,” expressed Gallo-McKenna.

This year’s Gift of Life Marathon Blood Drive will be held over four days in December starting December 9th and 10th in the Rutland area. There are still appointments available, and we encourage those who can donate blood this holiday season to roll up their sleeves and make a difference. 

To make an appointment to donate go to RedCrossBlood.org and use the sponsor code GOLM2025.