Blood donations needed in summertime

Van Wert independent/contributor content

Summer means sun, fun and sometimes, a drop in blood donations. That’s because school’s out, and donors who regularly give throughout the academic year might wait until fall before donating blood again.

High school and college students donate about 20 percent of the blood collected through the American Red Cross. Many give at scheduled drives at their high schools and colleges, typically held two to three times during the traditional school year. And when those drives stop, most students probably won’t think about going to a summer drive, or hosting a blood drive of their own.

“We encourage everyone who can to connect with friends and family, then pick a date to donate blood and help keep the blood supply strong,” said Sharyn Whitman, CEO for the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross. “You’ll find Red Cross blood drives at churches, community centers, businesses and even at some schools with summer sessions. Perhaps there’s a drive in a town you’ve never visited, or there’s a special occasion you want to honor by hosting a drive of your own.”

Current and potential blood donors will also find a wealth of opportunity to build a virtual community through the growing Red Cross presence on Facebook, You Tube, Twitter, Flickr and foursquare.

“Just because summer is here, it doesn’t mean donating blood is on vacation, too,” said Whitman. “You might find there’s a lot of fun to be had in donating blood, or even sponsoring a blood drive of your own.”

Come to donate June 1 through September 11 and be entered into a region-wide drawing to win free gasoline for a year ($3,000 gift card).

Upcoming area Red Cross blood drives:

Thursday, June 2, from 12:30-6:30 p.m. at Trinity Friends Church in the Fellowship Hall, 605 N. Franklin St. in Van Wert.

Friday, June 3, from 1-6 p.m. at Van Wert County Hospital in the Health Center, 140 Fox Road in Van Wert.