By Tim Mastro

DOVER — Lynda Letts was scheduled to work at the Blood Bank of Delmarva’s Christiana center at 2 p.m. Sept. 11, 2001.

Before she left her home though, a neighbor ran across the street, banged on her door and asked if she saw what happened.

Ms. Letts turned on the television and witnessed the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and Flight 93’s crash in rural Pennsylvania. She said she rushed to pick up her children at school, thinking, “Lord, I can’t leave my children.”

She called BBD and asked the director if she could stay home with her children. She was told yes, but it would be really appreciated if she could still help out. So Ms. Letts went in, and to this day, she is so glad she did.

“It was the most profound experience in my life that showed true human kindness and love for all mankind,” said Ms. Letts, who was a phlebotomist in 2001 and is now a technical training specialist at BBD. “People were waiting hours and hours to roll up their sleeves to donate. The overwhelming sense of ‘how can I help’ was exemplified in those days following 9/11.”

The BBD call center fielded more than 7,000 calls Sept. 11 and 12, 2001, compared to 600 calls taken on a normal day, as documented by David Bonk’s book, “Giving Blood: Blood Bank of Delmarva’s First 60 Years.”

Dozens of Delawareans began arriving at donor centers and mobile blood drives within an hour of the first twin tower collapse. Blood Bank of Delmarva was one of the first centers to send blood to New York, with a shipment sent before noon Sept. 11, thanks to the help of Delaware State Police.

More than 1,000 people donated blood through midnight that day.

“When someone asks, ‘What were you doing on 9/11?’ I’m proud to say that I was working in a place where we saw firsthand the goodness of people who took the time to stop and help others during a tragic day,” said Holly Wilson, who also worked as a phlebotomist on 9/11. She is now a blood collection technician.

Ms. Letts shared those sentiments.

“I will never forget the way it made me feel,” she said. “And how honored I am to have done my small part to help.”

On Friday, BBD, Dover International Speedway and Dover Downs Hotel & Casino hosted their annual 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive to pay tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks. The event has been held every year since 2006.

“Giving blood is a powerful way to observe 9/11 because you are literally saving lives by taking time to donate,” said BBD spokesman Tony Prado. “What better way is there to observe such a solemn occasion? Blood cannot be manufactured outside the human body. It can only come from generous donors who give back to their community.”

The response from the community was so great in 2001 that BBD President Bob Travis did something unheard of in the field — the facilities stopped taking donors for the day of Sept. 12. Mr. Travis made the decision to stop collecting blood to avoid wasting such a lifesaving resource that could have expired if not used in time.

Mr. Prado said BBD is hopeful the 20th anniversary of 9/11 can help bring back some of those who donated blood back then. BBD had to declare a blood emergency late this summer.

“If people donated today like they did on that solemn day, we would never have a blood shortage,” Mr. Prado said.