Find a Blood Drive
Find a Blood Drive
PADUCAH, Ky., June 23, 2021 — Join the American Red Cross, WPSD Local 6, The Paducah Sun, Electric 96.9, WKYQ, and Pizza Inn in filling the critical need for all blood types. Give blood at the 38th Annual Donor Days Blood Drive. The blood drive is Wednesday, July 7 and Thursday, July 8 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Schroeder Expo Center, 415 Park Street in Paducah. Donors can also go to Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois, 10400 Terminal Drive, in Marion, Illinois between 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. those same days.
All presenting blood donors will receive a Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last. Kentucky donors will also be entered into drawings for $25 gift cards each hour. Plus, starting at 11 a.m. each day, donors will receive a slice of pizza from Pizza Inn., while supplies last. If you come to donate July 7-31 you can also receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email! PLUS, a chance to win gas for a year, a $5,000 value! There will be 3 winners! Terms and conditions apply; visit rcblood.org/fuel.
“We are continuing to see a dire need for blood donations this summer all across the nation, and now the need is greater than we saw this time last year,” said Anthony Tinin, donor recruitment manager, American Red Cross Tennessee Valley Blood Services Region. “Right now, just 3 out of every 100 people in the U.S donate blood, and that’s not enough. Donor Days is a great opportunity to team up with community partners to encourage new, lapsed and regular donors to help boost the severe shortage in the blood supply and ensure lifesaving blood does not go missing from hospital shelves.”
The 38th Annual Donor Days blood drive comes as the Red Cross is in a severe blood shortage for hospitals. There is an urgent need for all blood types, especially type O blood type. Hospitals are also in dire need of platelet donation this summer.
Donated blood may be used to help accident victims, surgery patients, organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. There is no substitute for donated blood products. Each day, the Red Cross must collect more than 13,000 blood donations to meet the needs of patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals across the country.
While all blood types are needed, those with types O, A negative and B negative blood are encouraged to make a Power Red donation at this blood drive. Power Red donors give a concentrated dose of red blood cells during a single donation, allowing them to maximize their impact.
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter sponsor code: PDD or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. Walk-ins are also welcome. 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 and platelet donors can 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, from a computer or mobile device. To get started and learn more, visit RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.
If you receive a COVID-19 vaccine, knowing the name of the manufacturer is critical in determining your blood donation eligibility. In most cases, there's no deferral time if you receive a vaccine. Only those feeling healthy and well should present to donate and appointments are strongly encouraged.
The Red Cross follows the highest standards of safety and infection control. In accordance with CDC guidelines, donors who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to wear a face mask. Donors who are not fully vaccinated are still required to wear a face mask. Valve face masks are not permitted. Face shields can be worn in addition to face masks but not as a substitute. The Red Cross will adhere to more stringent face mask requirements per state and/or local guidance or at the request of our blood drive sponsors.
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/Tennessee or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCrossTN.