The American Red Cross invites area residents to celebrate Independence Day and support patients in need during the summer months by donating blood, including at an upcoming local drive.
“We’re having an Elizabethtown Holiday Hero Blood Drive that is going to be on Thursday, July 2 at Back Home Catering Event Center (444 South Mulberry Street in Elizabethtown) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,” said American Red Cross Account Manager Lou Zimmerman.
Zimmerman says the Holiday Hero Blood Drives are important as the summer season is one of the hardest times to collect blood.
“Schools are out and many regular blood drive sponsors pause for the summer, vacations and travel reduce donor availability, and at the same time hospital needs do not slow down, and the Independence Day week creates a critical drop in donations based upon holiday plans and long weekends, which leads to lower turnout,” Zimmerman said.
If you have never donated blood before, the process is a simple one.
“By the time you register and then answer a few questions, it’s probably going to take maybe 45 minutes, shouldn’t take any longer than that,” Zimmerman said. “The actual process of donating blood is probably between five to 15 minutes.”
Blood donors who donate between June 29 and July 12 will receive a Looney Tunes Red Cross t-shirt and a ticket to a Six Flags theme park of their choice, while supplies last.
Visit www.redcrossblood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS for more information or to schedule a donation.
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