Day of Caring blood drive coming Friday

VW independent/submitted information

Thousands of blood donations are needed each and every day to help meet the needs of accident victims, cancer patients, children with blood disorders, and others. To help make a difference, the community is invited to give blood with the American Red Cross at the Van Wert Day of Caring blood drive this Friday, September 29.

This special blood drive is part of the United Way Day of Caring in Van Wert, which promotes community service. The drive will be held from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. at Trinity Friends Church’s Family Life Center, 605 N. Franklin St. in Van Wert. To schedule an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800.RED CROSS, sponsor code: VWDOC.

All those who come to donate blood at this blood drive will receive a Day of Caring t-shirt, food specially prepared by Vantage Career Center, and will be entered to win one of four $25 gas gift cards, courtesy of Westwood Behavioral Health Center of Van Wert. The Red Cross is seeking 220 donors to roll up a sleeve and give.

As the American Red Cross responds to wildfires and historic hurricanes, eligible donors are reminded that giving blood during National Preparedness Month in September is one way to help ensure the Red Cross is prepared to respond to patient emergencies across the country every day.

Hurricane Irma has forced the cancellation of approximately 100 Red Cross blood drives in the Southeast, resulting in more than 2,800 uncollected blood and platelet donations. Natural disasters like hurricanes can disrupt blood drives and prevent donors from giving, but hospital patients still depend on lifesaving transfusions. Volunteer blood donors are the only source for blood products needed by hospital patients.

“Van Wert is a caring community, and what better way for its residents to show they care than by helping patients in need and giving blood at the Day of Caring Blood Drive?” said Marianne Hardesty, account manager for the Red Cross.

Every two seconds in the United States blood and platelets are needed to respond to patient emergencies. The Red Cross must collect approximately 14,000 blood and platelet donations every day for the patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.