What to Expect When You Donate Blood for the First Time

A graduate of Oregon's Crescent Valley High School, Cody Gotchall is pursuing a degree in business at Chemeketa Community College. Since he was in high school, Cody Gotchall has donated blood to the American Red Cross.

As much as potential donors might want to support a great cause, not everyone is eligible to give blood. Donors must be at least 17 years old in most states, although some states allow 16-year-olds to donate with parental consent.

Blood donors must also be in good general health and weigh at least 110 pounds. To improve hemoglobin levels in advance of a blood donation, donors are encouraged to eat a well-balanced diet with foods high in vitamin C and rich in iron, such as red meat, fish, and spinach.

Upon arriving at a blood donor clinic, individuals are asked to sign in, present identification, read required information, undergo a general health check, and answer some private interview questions. The blood donation process takes less than 30 minutes, after which donors are given a snack and a drink in a 15-minute resting period. Blood donors need to wait at least 56 days before they donate again.

Longtime Oregon State Head Coach Pat Casey Announces Retirement

An accounting major at Chemeketa Community College, Cody Gotchall previously studied at Oregon State University (OSU). A passionate baseball fan, Cody Gotchall enjoys watching OSU Beavers games and is a fan of former head coach Pat Casey.

After winning back-to-back College World Series titles in 2006 and 2007, Casey won his third championship with OSU this past summer to conclude his 24-year career with the team. Casey, who announced his retirement in September, led the Beavers to five conference championships and 12 NCAA tournament appearances while posting a career record of 900-458-6. 

This past season, Casey's team won 55 of 68 games en route to sweeping the regional and super regional rounds. Ultimately, the Beavers defeated Arkansas in the best-of-three College World Series finals. 

In an emotional press conference, Casey attributed his retirement to the fact that he's unsure if he could continue giving the same effort that he expects of his players. Despite no longer serving as the team's coach, Casey will continue to work at OSU as a senior associate athletic director. In honor of Casey and his accomplishments, the newly installed right-field deck at Goss Stadium will be named Casey's Corner.

OSU Beavers' Luke Heimlich Enjoying Impressive 2018 Season

A lifelong Oregon resident, Cody Gotchall is interested in studying STEM subjects and has attended Linn-Benton Community College and Oregon State University (OSU). While he no longer attends OSU, Cody Gotchall has been a passionate fan of the school's baseball team for more than a decade. 

The OSU Beavers were the top-ranked college baseball team in the country as of March 26, according to D1Baseball.com, and a major reason for the team's success was the play of pitcher Luke Heimlich. A native of Puyallup, Washington, Heimlich earned his fifth career Pac-12 Player of the Week for the week ending March 26 after picking up his fifth win of the year in OSU's 16-1 victory over Washington earlier in the week. In that game, Heimlich struck out a career-high 13 batters while allowing only one run and four hits through 7.33 innings. 

Following that game, the senior ranked first in wins (5) and strikeouts (44) among all Pac-12 pitchers. He also ranked sixth in opposing batting average (.191) and earned run average (2.01). Other pitchers nominated for the award included Juan Aguilera of Arizona, Matt Ladrech of California, and Kris Bubic of Stanford, while OSU's Adley Rutschman was nominated for Player of the Week.

2018 OSU Beavers Baseball - A Chance at Redemption

A former student at Oregon State University (OSU), Cody Gotchall has supported the school’s athletic teams for many years. Cody Gotchall particularly enjoys following the OSU Beavers baseball team.

The 2018 OSU baseball team held the No. 2 ranking in five preseason polls, with 2017 College World Series winner Florida ranked just ahead of it. OSU’s 2017 season was one of the best in college baseball history, with two 23-game winning streaks and a 31-1 record at home, but losses late in the season kept the Beavers from claiming the elusive No. 1 spot. 

OSU’s 2018 season got off to a good start in the early-season tournaments. During both the Sanderson Ford College Baseball Classic and the Spring Training College Baseball Challenge, the Beavers went undefeated against New Mexico, Cal Poly, Gonzaga, Nebraska, and Ohio State. This strong early opening should give OSU plenty of momentum as it continues its quest for a College World Series title in June.

Tips for Barbecuing Great Pork Ribs

Cody Gotchall studies at Linn-Benton Community College, which is located in Albany, Oregon. One of Cody Gotchall’s favorite foods is barbecued pork ribs.

When grilling barbecued pork ribs, the first step is to select a high-quality cut of meat. Experts recommend spare ribs or baby back ribs, preferably of a heritage breed. These tend to be juicy and flavorful, unlike supermarket specimens bred for leanness.

Some choose to remove the membrane that grows on the ribs, but keeping it on will help the cut to stay moist. Applying a yellow mustard rub and leaving it to sit in the refrigerator for one to 24 hours helps tenderize the meat and retain the flavor of the dry rub mixture. 

You can buy a pre-made dry rub, though many people prefer to make their own because you can choose the spices that you want to taste. Many find that paprika adds not only color, but flavor, and sugar creates a caramelization that enhances the final effect.

The cooking should take place over low heat. Approximately 10 to 15 minutes before the ribs are ready, you should add any sauce. Adding sauce too early can cause ribs to blacken and prevent full cooking of the ribs.

Ribs are done when their internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Some cooks, however, prefer to follow visual cues, such as the meat pulling away from the bone by no more than an inch or the bending of the slab when you lift it with a pair of tongs.

Blood Processing and Testing at the Red Cross

Cody Gotchall graduated from Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis, Oregon, as a member of the National Honor Society. Involved with his community, Cody Gotchall has donated blood to the American Red Cross since 2012.

The American Red Cross accepts blood donations from generous volunteers for the benefit of patients who need blood and blood products. After the blood is collected, the Red Cross sends it for processing and testing. First, the blood is labeled and scanned into a computer database, then it is spun through a centrifuge to separate it into the transfusable components of plasma, red cells, and platelets. Both the red cells and the platelets are leuko-reduced.

Simultaneously, the blood is tested at one of the three Red Cross National Testing Laboratories to determine the blood type and the presence of any infectious diseases, while single donor platelets undergo testing for bacteria. If any of the test results are positive, the blood is disposed of, and the donor notified. This information is kept confidential unless the law specifies disclosure for public safety reasons.

What is Cribbage?

A student at Linn-Benton Community College, Cody Gotchall stays active in his leisure time through volunteer work and a variety of interests and hobbies. As someone with an interest in mathematics and pattern recognition, Cody Gotchall enjoys cribbage, a British card game with a storied history, still enjoyed around the world by those of all ages.

Invented by British soldier and poet Sir John Suckling, cribbage came about in the 17th century and arrived in America with English settlers. Popular in the New England colonies, it requires only two players and was often enjoyed by fishermen to pass the time. The game remained popular for hundreds of years and was even played often by those in the Navy during the second World War.

At its heart, cribbage is all about math. A player collects points by combining cards together and seeking out beneficial combinations. It involves strategy, as one must decide whether to score points or stop his or her opponent from scoring. A game is quick, with experienced players finishing in less than 15 minutes, even though the rules and etiquette are quite complex.