Join the American Red Cross in helping to save lives Monday, Nov. 14, from noon to 6 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Christ United Methodist Church, 112 Hall St., Watertown, sponsored by Steve’s Citgo. Everyone who attends will receive a coupon for a free pint of Culver’s Custard. Appointments can be made for Tuesday. Walk-ins are always welcome.
The Red Cross provides Watertown Regional Medical Center with blood products that patients need, so donating at the Christ United Methodist Church Blood Drive could very well help save the life of a local friend or neighbor.
“The Red Cross is grateful to Watertown community members for supporting those in need by donating lifesaving blood,” said Jenelle Blavat, donor recruitment account manager for the American Red Cross Badger-Hawkeye Blood Services Region. “Blood is needed for many different reasons. Accident and burn victims, heart surgery patients, organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease may all need blood.”
The need for blood is constant. On average, the Red Cross must collect about 14,000 pints of blood every day to meet the needs of patients in Wisconsin and across the country. Donors with all blood types are currently needed.
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org using 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 in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), 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.