Find a Blood Drive
Find a Blood Drive
Board of directors hopes to collect 100 pints of blood June 7-8
The American Red Cross is celebrating 100 years of serving residents of Central Illinois. In conjunction with a yearlong celebration, the Red Cross is partnering with the Pantagraph to host the 18th annual Friends and Family 100 Pints for 100 Years Blood Drive. The event will take place Wednesday, June 7, and Thursday, June 8, from noon to 6:00 p.m., at Eastland Mall, JCPenney Wing,1615 E. Empire, Bloomington.
“Not only does the 100 Pints for 100 Years Blood Drive commemorate a century of the Red Cross serving the community, those who roll up a sleeve June 7-8 will give the gift of life to patients,” said Lynda Hruska, regional chief executive, for the American Red Cross Central and Southern Illinois Region. “There’s no better way to celebrate this occasion than by helping the Red Cross maintain a sufficient blood supply.”
To celebrate this special milestone, each Red Cross board member has pledged to obtain 10 blood donors to help reach the 100 pint goal for the day.
All presenting blood donors will receive a Red Cross T-shirt and $5 in “Moe Bucks”, courtesy of Moe’s Southwest Grill, while supplies last.
Blood donations often decline during the summer months when busy summer schedules and vacation plans can cause some donors to be less available to give. Additionally, blood donations at high school and college blood drives, which account for as much as 20 percent of blood donations during the school year, decline when many schools are out of session. But, the need for blood remains constant.
Every two seconds in the United States blood is needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. The Red Cross must collect nearly 14,000 blood and platelet donations every day for the patients at about 2,600 hospitals nationwide. There is no substitute for donated blood products.
From disaster response, health and safety classes, to blood collection and support of military members and their families, the Red Cross will continue to serve the needs of the community.
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.