Find a Blood Drive
Find a Blood Drive
Arlene’s Costumes is celebrating its 60th anniversary by giving back to the community. Rochester’s premiere costume retailer is teaming up with the American Red Cross by sponsoring a blood drive on Saturday, October 22 from 11a.m. to 4 p.m. at Marketplace Mall, One Miracle Mile Drive. All presenting donors will receive a coupon for 25 percent off their entire purchase at Arlene’s Costumes.
“Having blood available when patients need it can be a matter of life or death,” said Red Cross Donor Recruitment Manager for the Rochester District Debra Dunn. “It’s thanks to sponsors like Arlene’s Costumes and our dedicated donors that the Red Cross can fulfill its lifesaving mission.”
“This is a special year for our company and we want to celebrate it by making a difference in our community,” said Arlene Stephens, owner of Arlene’s Costumes. “We’re glad to partner with the Red Cross to help patients fighting cancer, undergoing surgery and facing other serious illnesses.”
Every day, the Red Cross must collect 14,000 blood donations to help support cancer patients, transplant patients, burn victims, trauma patients and others. In the New York-Penn Region which includes Rochester, approximately 1000 units of blood must be collected every day to meet the needs of nearly 90 hospitals the Red Cross serves in the Region.
All blood types are needed. Eligible donors with types O, B negative or A negative blood are especially needed and encouraged to give double red cells, if available. During a double red cell donation, two units of red blood cells are collected while most of the plasma and platelets are returned to the donor.
Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood.
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
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. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
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