Marion-area blood drives announced for May 2015

The American Red Cross will conduct open blood drives at the following Marion County locations this month:

  • Friday, May 1st – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Elgin High School Gymnasium, 1150 Keener Rd. S.
  • Monday, May 4th – Noon to 6 p.m. – Marion Public Library, 445 E Church Street
  • Tuesday, May 5th – 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Anytime Fitness, 154 McMahan Blvd
  • Friday, May 8th – 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Superior Automotive, 1253 Mount Vernon Avenue
  • Friday, May 8th – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – MARCA Inc., 2387 Harding Highway East
  • Saturday, May 9th – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Marion Flower Shop and Gift Center, 1045 E Church St.
  • Wednesday, May 13th -10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – YMCA, 645 Barks Rd. East
  • Thursday, May 14th -11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – American Legion Harold L. Bradley Post 584, 142 Olney Ave.
  • Friday May 22nd -10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Marion First Church of the Nazarene, 233 W Church St.
  • Saturday, May 23″, – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. – The Alber Red Cross Center, 1849 Summerset Dr.
  • Sunday, May 31″ , – 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Timothy Lutheran Church, 3004 Marion Mt. Gilead (In honor of Lt. David Grounds II)

Appointments for most drives may be arranged by calling, toll-free, 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). As an alternative, you may book your own appointment for many drives online at www.redcrossblood.org. You may also ask the Marion County Office for assistance with setting appointments. Call 740-725-9141, Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donors who are on time for appointments will be given priority at all drives. Walk-ins and donors with appointments who arrive other than at their scheduled times will be welcomed whenever openings in the schedule permit.

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.

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.

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. Donors under age 19 may have to meet additional weight requirements, depending on gender and height. Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.

If you have any 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 the American Red Cross Donor Suitability unit, toll-free, at 866-426-0922.

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