Chinook Blood Drive set for Tuesday

Carla Jenewein

Chinook Red Cross blood drive coordinator

Thankful for your good health? Pass it on! Make your appointment to give blood with the Red Cross at our blood drive Tuesday, Nov. 9, from noon to 6 p.m. at Wallner Hall in Chinook, 330 Ohio behind the Methodist Church.

Currently, the American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage and donations are needed immediately. Your help is vital in filling the empty appointment slots. Healthy individuals are strongly urged to donate now to help patients counting on lifesaving blood.

Eligible donors with types O, B negative or A negative are encouraged to make a Power Red donation. Power Red donors give a concentrated dose of red blood cells during a single donation, allowing them to maximize their impact. During this type of donation, red blood cells are separated from other blood components and the plasma and platelets are safely and comfortably returned to the donor. This type of donation takes approximately one hour and donors will only give at every other drive as two units of blood are donated rather than one unit. 

Appointments are highly encouraged by the Red Cross.  If you have not made an appointment to donate, you can go on-line at redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767 (1-800-REDCROSS). Walk-ins are always welcome. There will be walk-in availability throughout the day along with the scheduled appointments. 

Any healthy person age 18, or age 16 or 17 with a signed parental consent, or older and weighing at least 110 pounds is eligible and encouraged to donate blood. Valid identification is required for all blood donations — driver’s license or school ID are acceptable. Parental consents for those 16 or 17 years of age can be picked up at the high school office or at the registration table at Wallner Hall the day of the drive.  

Masks will be required regardless of vaccination status.

Before donating it is recommended that you: Get a good night’s sleep; have a good breakfast or lunch; drink extra water and fluids to replace the volume you will donate but try to avoid beverages with caffeine; eat iron-rich foods; and avoid fatty foods.

Blood donation is a great way to make new friends, safely get out of the house, and potentially help save more than one life. From check-in to check-out, the entire visit only takes about an hour. And to thank you for making the time to donate you’ll get a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email when you come to give Nov. 1-23, thanks to Amazon.

Will you sign up to give more life?

Looking forward to seeing you on Nov. 9.