Marion-area Blood Drives planned for December

The American Red Cross will conduct open blood drives at the following Marion County locations this month:

• 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday, December 2, Ridgedale High School (Gymnasium), 3165 Hillman-Ford Road, Morral
• 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Friday, December 5, River Valley High School (Auditorium), 4280 Marion Mount Gilead Road
• 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, December 11, American Legion Harold L. Bradley Post 584 (Bingo Hall), 142 Olney Avenue
• 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, December 13, In Honor Lt. David Grounds II Timothy Lutheran Church  (Fellowship Hall), 3004 Marion –Mt. Gilead Road
• 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, December 19, Prospect Community Drive, 200 East Water Street, Prospect
• 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, December 20, Waldo Community Drive, St. Paul Lutheran Church, 138 West Main Street, Waldo
• 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday, December 22, The Alber Red Cross Center (Training Room), 1849 Summerset  Drive
• 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday, December 23, Marion General Hospital (Lower Level, Marion and Morrow Rooms), 1000 McKinley Park Drive
• 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday, December 24,  Lowe’s Marion (Bus), 1840 Marion Mt. Gilead Road
• Noon to 6 p.m., Monday, December 29, Marion Public Library (Bus), 445 East Church Street
• 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, December 30, Blue Fusion Fun Center (The Venue), 1340 Mount Vernon Avenue
• 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, December 31, Family Video Marion (Bus), 560 North Main Street

Appointments for most drives may be arranged by calling, toll-free, 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).  As an alternative, you may book your own appointment for many drives online at www.redcrossblood.org.  You may also ask the Marion County Office for assistance with setting appointments.  Call 740-725-9141, Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Donors who are on time for appointments will be given priority at all drives.  Walk-ins and donors with appointments who arrive other than at their scheduled times will be welcomed whenever openings in the schedule permit.

CiCi’s Pizza of Marion continues to reward every Marion County blood donor with a coupon for a free 7” personal  “Pizza-to-Go.”  Contact the restaurant at 740-386-2191 for complete details.

Every two seconds someone in America needs blood.  Blood transfusions are used for trauma victims, heart surgery, organ transplants, women suffering from complications of childbirth, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, sickle cell disease, cancer and other serious conditions.

The Central Ohio Region of the Red Cross encompasses 27 counties – including Marion County – and assists patients at 41 area hospitals.  The region needs approximately 650 donors daily to maintain the supply.

Under normal circumstances, a donor can give one unit of whole blood every 56 days (8 weeks) or double red cells every 112 days (16 weeks).

Individuals who are at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in Ohio), who weigh at least 110 pounds, and who are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood.  Donors under age 19 may have to meet additional weight requirements, depending on gender and height.  Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.

If you have any questions about your eligibility to give blood (such as medications you may be taking, your health history, or the height and weight requirements for donors under 19), please call the American Red Cross Donor Suitability unit, toll-free, at 866-426-0922.