Blood drive planned in memory of Congressional Medal of Honor awardee Gary Beikirch

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Red Cross is hosting a blood drive in memory of Gary Beikirch on Saturday, Aug. 12, at the Northwest Family YMCA on Long Pond Road, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Beikirch was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism in Vietnam in 1970.

He was a 22-year-old combat medic when he was hit twice by North Vietnamese fire — and pushed through a shrapnel would to his spine to help the wounded.

He died in 2021 at the age of 74.