American Red Cross honors Wendi Winters with 16th Memorial Blood Drive

A woman who touched countless lives in her community, but lost her own in 2018 from a shooting at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, was honored on Saturday in a special blood drive event.

Around a hundred community members rolled up their sleeves to donate blood, a life-saving decision, in memory of the beloved Capital Gazette journalist Wendi Winters.

"Connor is my phlebotomist today, and he got it on the first go, very happy about that, " said Scott Poyer, a Wendi Winters blood donor. "Now I sign up every time they have a Wendi Winters blood drive."

Who was Wendi Winters?

The 16th Memorial Blood Drive was held at the Crown Plaza in Annapolis.

The event honored Winters, who died at the age of 65 attempting to save several of her colleagues from a shooter in their workplace.

Scott Poyer said he not only donates in memory of his father, who passed away from blood cancer, but also to pay tribute to his friend, Wendi.

"She was just such a caring person, she really had a way about her to make people feel at ease, just a terrific person, terrific," Poyer told WJZ's Stephanie Douglass.

Wendi was described as a proud Navy mom, a church youth advisor, and a dedicated Red Cross volunteer who organized countless blood drives.

"That was her. When you volunteered for everything, she was everywhere. She was really part of the fabric of the community," Poyer said.

The National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region of the American Red Cross has hosted the event twice a year to continue her legacy of life through service.

"Since her death, nearly 2800 units of blood have been donated in her memory," said Bethany Bray Patterson, Communications Director for the Red Cross of the National Capital and Greater Chesapeake Region.

The American Red Cross said just a little goes a long way towards a great cause.

The next Wendi Winters blood drive is scheduled for February 21, 2026.