Red Cross Blood Drives Scheduled – 2 Today

The American Red Cross will conduct open blood drives at the following Marion County sites during May:

• 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Thursday, May 13th, Elgin High School, 1239 Keener Rd. S.
• 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Thursday, May 13th, American Legion Post #584, 142 Olney Ave.
• 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Friday, May 14th, Ridgedale High School, 3165 Hillman-Ford Rd., Morral.
• 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, May 14th, Heartland of Marion, 400 Barks Rd. W.
• 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Saturday, May 15th, The Alber Red Cross Center, 1849 Summerset Dr. (For an appointment to this particular drive, please call 740-725-9142).
• Noon – 6 p.m., Monday, May 17th, Marion Public Library, 445 E. Church St. (2nd floor).
• 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Friday, May 21st, Marion County Building, 222 W. Center St., Prospect Room (lower level).
• 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Monday, May 24th, Wal-Mart SuperCenter, 1546 Marion-Mt. Gilead Rd.
• 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Thursday, May 27th, Marion General Hospital, 1000 McKinley Park Dr. (lower level).
• 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Friday, May 28th, Hayes Elementary School, 750 Silver St.
• 2 p.m. – 8 p.m., Friday, May 28th, Marion Centre, 1509 Marion-Waldo Rd.

All addresses are Marion unless otherwise indicated.

Appointments for most drives may be arranged by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767); follow the prompt to choose your preferred language, then choose option 4 to make an appointment to give blood). As an alternative, you may book your own appointment for some drives online at www.redcrossblood.org. The Marion County Chapter can also assist with setting appointments. Call 740-725-9141, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.

Donors who are on time for appointments will be given priority at all drives. Donors with appointments who arrive other than at their scheduled times and walk-ins will be welcomed whenever openings in the schedule permit.

CiCi’s Pizza of Marion in the University Forum shopping center rewards every Marion County blood donor with a coupon for a free 7” personal “Pizza to Go.” Contact the restaurant at 740-386-2191 for complete details.

During May and June, blood donors signing in at drives throughout the 27-county Central Ohio Region can enter a free drawing for a Lowe’s gift card. Each week, one donor from our region will win a $100 Lowe’s card. At the end of this period, one donor will win a grand prize: a $1,000 shopping spree from Lowe’s.

The Central Ohio Region of the Red Cross encompasses 27 counties – including Marion County – and assists patients at 41 area hospitals. The region needs approximately 650 donors daily to maintain the supply.

Every two seconds someone in America needs blood. Blood transfusions are used for trauma victims, heart surgery, organ transplants, women suffering from complications of childbirth, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, sickle cell disease, cancer and other serious conditions.

Under normal circumstances, a donor can give one unit of whole blood every 56 days (8 weeks) or double red cells every 112 days (16 weeks).

Individuals who are at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in Ohio), who weigh at least 110 pounds, and who are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.

If you have questions about your eligibility to give blood (such as medications you may be taking, your health history, or the height and weight requirements for donors under 19), please call our Donor Suitability unit at 1-866-426-0922.