11/13/13 Some say Thanksgiving should be more than just a single day. When you donate blood through the American Red Cross, you can give thanks for a lifetime.

“As you reflect on what you are grateful for this holiday season, set aside time to come donate blood,” said Tracy Fox, spokesperson for the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross. “Your donation can give someone another moment, another day, another holiday to spend with love ones and friends. And that’s something to feel thankful for.”

Patients rely on blood from volunteer donors. In fact, patients across the U.S. need more than 44,000 pints of blood each day to treat emergency and ongoing medical conditions. Locally, about 500 blood donations are needed daily for patients in the more than 60 hospitals served by the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region of the Red Cross.

But while the need for blood is constant, the supply of blood sometimes isn’t. Blood donations can dip around the holidays, making it important for donors to make and keep appointments to ensure a strong and stable blood supply for sick and injured people.

Upcoming American Red Cross Blood Drives in our area are:

·        Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Ancilla College in Evergreen Room C231, located at 9601 S. Union in Donaldson.

·        Monday, Nov. 25, from 1 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. at Kindred Nursing & Rehabilitation, located at 316 Woodies Lane in Bremen.

·        Tuesday, Nov. 26, from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Bremen High School in the Lion’s Den, located at 511 W. Grant St. in Bremen.

·        Tuesday, Nov. 26, from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Washington Discovery Academy in the gymnasium, located at 1500 Lake Ave. in Plymouth. This is a Pint Size Heroes blood drive.

How to Donate Blood

To schedule an appointment to donate please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org for more information. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in Indiana and Ohio), meet weight and height requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height) and 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.