Red Cross announces blood drive dates

American Red Cross information

There are 100 days of summer and the American Red Cross urges eligible donors to choose their day to give blood and help ensure a sufficient blood supply.

Summer is a difficult time to collect enough blood to meet patient needs. Nearly 90 percent of donors surveyed this past spring said they planned to take a vacation this summer, potentially making them less available to give.

In addition, many schools that host blood drives are out of session during the summer. But the need for blood donations is constant. Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.

Donors of all blood types — especially those with types O negative, A negative and B negative — are needed. The Red Cross must collect 15,000 blood donations every day to meet the needs of patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.

To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800.RED CROSS (800.733.2767).

A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Upcoming blood drives

Paulding County

• June 17, 1-6 p.m., United Methodist Church, 202 E. River St. in Antwerp
• June 29, 2-7 p.m., Paulding Church of the Nazarene, 210 Dooley Drive in Paulding.
• June 30, noon-6 p.m., St. Paul United Methodist Church, 312 S. Main St. in Payne.

Van Wert County

• June 18, 2-6 p.m., Redeemer Lutheran Church, 6727 Ohio 49 in Convoy.