Find a Blood Drive
Find a Blood Drive
The American Red Cross, Adirondack Thunder, and Southern Adirondack Realtors are calling for all hockey fans to roll up their sleeves and donate blood. The organizations are sponsoring a Red Cross blood drive on March 31 from 12 to 6 p.m., at the Glens Falls Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza. Presenting donors will receive a ticket to an upcoming Adirondack Thunder home game on either April 1 or April 4.
The March 14 winter storm forced approximately 60 regional blood drives to cancel and blood donations to shut down, causing about 1500 donations to go uncollected. There is a critical need for platelet and type O negative donors.
“The shortfall caused by the mid-March snowstorm had a significant impact on our region’s blood supply,” said Patty Corvaia, communications manager, for the Red Cross New York-Penn Blood Services Region. “We are urging all eligible donors to give blood or platelets to offset the shortfall.”
All blood types are needed, especially type O negative and AB blood donors. Type O negative blood and type AB plasma are two of the most in-demand blood products by hospitals. Those who give can help patients locally or across the country as the Red Cross has the ability to move blood products where and when they are needed most.
Blood and platelets are needed to respond to patient emergencies including accidents, burns, heart surgery, organ transplants and leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease.
Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are recommended. To make an appointment to donate at the Adirondack Thunder/Southern Adirondack Realtors blood drive, call 1-800-REDCROSS or visit redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code: SOUTHERNADKREALTORSNY
After the blood drive, hockey fans can support the Red Cross by attending “Red Cross Night with the Thunder”. For every $15.00 game ticket sold at www.tinyurl.com/ThunderRC, the Adirondack Thunder will donate $2.00 to the American Red Cross. The Thunder will also recognize a local Red Cross hero during the Friday night game, which starts at 7 p.m. All online ticket orders must be submitted before 3 p.m. on March 30.
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 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.
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