Donors can choose their day to help save lives during summer awareness campaign
The American Red Cross urges blood and platelet donors to choose their day to give and help ensure blood is available for patients all summer long during its annual summer awareness campaign, sponsored by Suburban Propane.
“Many Americans will be celebrating the unofficial start to summer this Memorial Day weekend, but seasonal activities that bring joy to so many can also lead to a shortage of blood and platelet donations when regular donors become busy,” said Donna M. Morrissey, director of national partnerships for the Red Cross Biomedical Services. “Patients don’t get a summer holiday from needing lifesaving blood and platelet donations and are counting on generous volunteers to help maintain a sufficient supply this summer.”
To encourage donations around the Memorial Day holiday, those who come to give blood or platelets from May 27 through 31 will receive a Red Cross t-shirt, while supplies last. The Red Cross relies on volunteer donors for the 14,000 blood donations needed every day to support patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide; however, during the summer months of June, July and August, about two fewer donors schedule an appointment to give blood at each Red Cross blood drive than what patients need.
Suburban Propane supports the Red Cross summer campaign As official national sponsor of the summer campaign, which begins Memorial Day weekend and runs through Labor Day weekend, Suburban Propane will help promote the need for blood and platelet donations and will encourage its employees and customers to give.
“Suburban Propane is proud to partner with the Red Cross and help raise awareness of the ongoing need for blood and platelets – especially during the crucial summer months,” said Suburban Propane’s Chief Development Officer Mark Wienberg. “By expanding our partnership with the Red Cross this year, we can continue to support the life-changing work of the Red Cross and make an even bigger difference in communities across the country.”
Suburban Propane employees will also volunteer at Red Cross blood drives nationwide in one of the largest national volunteer commitments to the Red Cross Blood Services from a corporate partner. Additionally, this year Suburban Propane is expanding its partnership with the Red Cross to include participation in the Home Fire Campaign in some markets, as well as support for disaster relief efforts and Service to the Armed Forces.
The Red Cross has touched the lives of many Suburban Propane employees including Debbie Traub. In May 2014, her 74-year-old father fell from a ladder while power washing his home and suffered life-threatening injuries. He spent 20 days in the intensive care unit and received many blood transfusions. Traub said that she now knows the importance of giving blood and makes a point to donate in honor of her father at the Suburban Propane headquarter blood drives. Her story is just one of many reasons Suburban Propane continues to advocate for blood and platelet donations to the Red Cross.
“The Red Cross has partnered with Suburban Propane since 2012, and last year’s ‘100 Days of Summer. 100 Days of Hope.’ campaign marked our first nationwide, summerlong partnership,” said Morrissey. “The Red Cross depends on corporate partners like Suburban Propane to help ensure blood and platelets are available for patients in need of lifesaving transfusions and to help our communities prepare for and respond to disasters large and small.”
Upcoming blood donation opportunities
American Red Cross Blood Donation Centers:
Liverpool Blood Donation Center, 7359 Oswego Rd., Liverpool, Monday & Wednesday 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Thursday-Sunday: 7:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Cayuga
Auburn
6/6/2016: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Family Video, 48 East Genesee St.
6/11/2016: 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Holy Family Church, 85 North St.
Union Springs
6/8/2016: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Union Springs FD – Cayuga Lake National Bank, 257 Cayuga St.
Cortland
Cortland
5/25/2016: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Cortland YMCA, 22 Tompkins St.
5/26/2016: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Port Watson Mini Conference Center, 131 Port Watson St.
5/26/2016: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Cortlandville Fire Department, 999 State Route 13
5/31/2016: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Interfaith Center, 7 Calvert St.
6/7/2016: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Cortland County Office Building, 60 Central Ave.
6/10/2016: 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., YWCA of Cortland, 14 Clayton Ave.
Homer
5/28/2016: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 16 Cayuga St.
Madison
Madison
5/24/2016: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Madison High School, 7303 Route 20
Oneida
5/26/2016: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Oneida Baptist Church, 242 Main St.
6/2/2016: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Joseph’s Church, 121 St. Joseph Place
Onondaga
Camillus
6/20/2016: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., St Michaels Lutheran Church, 5108 West Genesee St.
Cicero
5/24/2016: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Girl Scouts – CNS District, Girl Scout Promise Center, 8170
Thompson Rd.
5/26/2016: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., American Legion Post 787, 5575 Legionnaire Dr.
Dewitt
5/31/2016: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists, 5719 Widewaters Pkwy.
Fayetteville
6/4/2016: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Church of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Salt Springs Rd.
Manlius
6/9/2016: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Eastern Hills Bible Church, Route 92
Marcellus
5/28/2016: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Marcellus United Methodist Church, 1 Slocombe Ave.
Marietta
5/28/2016: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., United Christian Church of Marietta, 2851 Sevier Rd.
Skaneateles
6/9/2016: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Skaneateles Community Center, 97 State St.
Syracuse
5/25/2016: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Natur-Tyme, 3160 Erie Blvd. East
5/26/2016: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Galleries, 441 S. Salina St.
5/27/2016: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., St Josephs Hospital and Health Center, 301 Prospect Ave.
5/31/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Crouse Hospital, 765 Irving Ave.
6/1/2016: 7 a.m. – 1 p.m., Crouse Hospital, 765 Irving Ave.
6/1/2016: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Holy Cross Church, 4112 East Genesee St.
Syracuse
6/2/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Crouse Hospital, 765 Irving Ave.
6/3/2016: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Dr. Anthony Grasso Jr. DDS, 502 Walnut Ave.
6/6/2016: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Holy Family Church, 126 Chapel Dr.
6/10/2016: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., St Josephs Hospital and Health Center, 301 Prospect Ave.
Oswego
Central Square
6/6/2016: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., American Legion Post 915, 3301 Fulton Ave.
Fulton
6/8/2016: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Believers’ Chapel, 614 South 4th Street (Route 481)
Mexico
5/28/2016: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Mexico First United Methodist Church, 4372 Church St.
Oswego
5/25/2016: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., St. Luke’s Health Services, 299 E. River Rd.
6/2/2016: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Oswego YMCA, 265 W. 1st St.
6/7/2016: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Oswego Walmart, 341 Rte. 104
Parish
5/28/2016: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., East Coast Resorts, 132 Crim Rd.
Phoenix
5/28/2016: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Enterprise Fire Company #1, 457 Main St.
Williamstown
6/4/2016: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., William Britton Center, 2910 County Rte. 17
How to donate blood
For more information and to make an appointment to donate, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Donors of all blood types are needed. 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.
Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.