The second annual blood drive in memory of Lampeter-Strasburg alumnus Ryan Smith will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 9, from 1 to 6 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 101 S. Decatur St, Strasburg. The date has been chosen to align with what would have been Ryan's 23rd birthday, and the drive will be held in partnership with American Red Cross.

Ryan battled acute myeloid leukemia and passed away in March 2021. "He was always very grounded in faith and family and was a hard worker in every respect of the word," said Ryan's mother, Kim. "He had such a kind heart. If you met him, you would never forget him." Ryan had been studying exercise science at East Stroudsburg University and was a remarkable athlete; he was named Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Freshman of the Year in 2019 prior to his diagnosis and wore jersey #5 as a member of the basketball team.

Kim began the blood drive in her son's memory after a member of the community outreach group Mitzvah Moms connected her with the American Red Cross. "It was such a success last year," she said. "I decided I would love to make it an annual event."

The blood drive is not the Smiths' only effort to help the community; they have actively coordinated multiple projects over the last year and have big plans for the future. In the wake of Ryan's death, his family and friends have persistently worked to aid their communities in his name. The Ryan N. Smith RelentlesS Fund was established through the Lancaster County Community Foundation as a way to use the funds raised for Ryan during his treatment for the good of the community. "The fund is a place for us to put the money raised for Ryan so it can be used for community outreach," said Kim.

Additionally, several scholarships have been created in his name, including the Ryan N. Smith Youth Scholarship Fund through Millersville Community Church. The scholarship helps students pay for a variety of camps and programs as well as secondary education. Each year, a senior at Lampeter-Strasburg High School receives a RelentlesS Scholarship. The Smiths have also coordinated two stem cell bone marrow drives in East Stroudsburg, yielding over 500 donors.

Among many upcoming projects, the RelentlesS Fund will be used to restore a dilapidated basketball court on the Lampeter-Strasburg school campus, beginning in August. Ryan's mother first had the idea to rebuild the court while driving past it on the way to Hans Herr Elementary, where she teaches. "I drive past it twice a day and noticed the nets were broken and it had fallen into disrepair," said Kim. "I thought it would be a great project. All of the kids at the school are so excited." Ryan's friends have also organized a golf scramble in early August, which will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Walk-ins will not be accepted for the drive. To register, visit http://www.redcrossblood.org/ with sponsor code RYAN.