Along with collecting blood donations, the Red Cross provides service to those who have been through a disaster of some kind.
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September is National Preparedness Month, and the American Red Cross is educating the community about how to prepare for an emergency.
The blood donation program, which began in 1940, supplies 40 percent of the nation’s blood, platelets and plasma supply.
Since its inception, the drive has provided nearly 250 pints for transfusions needed by medical patients, said Michele Zindars, account manager for the Red Cross.
“I know people need blood and not a lot of people give it”, said Jacquelyn Clardy, a freshman from Pope County studying radiology who has donated seven times.
The American Red Cross is looking for some blood donors to help stock up over Labor Day weekend.
The Red Cross said their blood supply is usually low during the summer months because people are out of town. Participants also should not have donated in the last 56 days. However, the demand stays the same.
September 10 in Westmoreland – 8:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m., Town Hall, 100 Station Road.
Shelton: Sept. 7, 9-2, OEM Controls, 20 Controls Drive; Sept. 12, 8-1:45, R.D. Scinto Towers, 2 Corporate Drive; Sept. 15, 1:30-6:30, First United Methodist Church, 188 Rocky Rest Road. The entire process, which includes registration, a mini-physical and the actual donation, takes about one hour.
“Volunteer donors are wanted year-round, but to at least have some newcomers during September would be a great gift to us and those in need, for sure”, King said.
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Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. “The more new faces we see, the more we’re able to save”.
