A crowd.

UPMC UPMC Chautauqua and the Bucket Brigade Pizza Co. worked together recently to help bring people to a Community Blood Bank drive being held at the hospital. The company’s pizza making trailer set up camp outside of the hospital from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and provided free pizzas to those who donated blood during the hospital’s blood drive.

“We decided to go to UPMC because the Community Blood Bank and the hospital invited us to help draw blood donors. Our local hospitals are facing a critical blood shortage right now, and all blood donated to Community Blood Bank stays right here in our region. CBB had a goal of 25 blood donors that day, and they were able to end the blood drive with 48 donors,” said Natalie Hastings, who owns the Bucket Brigade Pizza Co. along with her husband, Eric. “We had 165 people come through our line that day. Forty eight of them were blood donors, and the rest were individuals excited to see us in Jamestown and wanted to try our pizza.”

The Sugar Grove company created the business in honor of Eric Hastings’ chosen profession, firefighting, and they revolve their pizza making endeavors around their fully restored, 1955 Pirsch Engine fire truck, in which the back end of the apparatus has been converted into a firestone/brick pizza-making oven. However, all the truck’s original firefighting equipment is still fully functional, including water lines, lights, sirens and removable handheld gear like a ladder and an axe. Additionally, the Hastings purchased an additional apparatus, a converted, pull-behind trailer, to augment and support the Pirsch Engine’s pizza making wares.

Pictured are Natalie and Eric Hastings, the owners of the Bucket Brigade Pizza Co., July 3, at UMPC- Jamestown to support a community blood drive with free pizzas for those who donated blood. P-J photo by Christopher Blakeslee

The Bucket Brigade Pizza Co. also has a variety of times where they do Give-Back-Days. Give back days are when they provide free pizzas to community members, homeless individuals and needy families. Representatives of UMPC Chautauqua spoke highly of the partnership.

“I’ve heard that people enjoyed the visit by Hastings, and hope they return,” said Linda Sampson, an administrative clerical specialist with UMPC-Jamestown.

According to Natalie Hastings, the feeling is mutual.

“We enjoyed being at UPMC Chautauqua. They were very hospitable and made sure we had everything we needed for the event,” she said. “We are grateful for them allowing us to use their space and look forward to coming back in the future.”