Give the gift of life this season
People get busy during the holiday season, which can make it hard to keep up with regular activities.
But one thing that never takes a break is the need for blood.
People have surgeries or are involved in car crashes and need transfusions. There are dozens of reasons a patient might need blood — and those needs don’t take time off for the holidays.
That’s why it’s important to make time to donate blood and give someone the gift of life this year. To help encourage people to donate, nonprofit Vitalant, the region’s largest supplier of blood, is giving out gift cards.
From Dec. 2 through 20, Vitalant will provide donors with a $10 gift card and a chance to win one of five $5,000 gift cards through Vitalant’s Donor Rewards Program. Prospective blood donors can schedule donations via vitalant.org, the Vitalant app or by calling 1-877-258-4825.
Local blood drives will take place in Butler from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at Holy Sepulcher Roman Catholic Church, 1304 E. Cruikshank Road; from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Center for Community Resources, 212 S. Main St.; and from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at Eagle Printing Company, 514 W. Wayne St.
There also will be blood drives from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 16 at Karns City Area Jr./Sr. High School and from noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 27 at St. Faustina Parish — St. Peter Church in Slippery Rock.
Between scheduled blood drives and scheduled donations, it is easy to find a time where you can help ensure blood is available when patients need it.
— JK
