SIDNEY — Fairlawn High School in Sidney will host a community blood drive Friday, March 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the auditorium, 18800 Johnston Road.
The blood drive is open to all eligible students, faculty, staff, parents and community members. Everyone who registers to donate will receive the Community Blood Center “Be The Red” spring high school t-shirt. To schedule an appointment, visit www.DonorTime.com or call 800-388-GIVE.
The “Be The Red” T-shirt was designed by 2017 CBC/Vectren Lead The Way Creative Scholarship winner Aliya Stine from Newton High School. Her theme combines patriotism and unity with the common bond of blood donations. The t-shirt features a waving American flag with three red stripes and the others white and grey, and her slogan, “Without You There’s Only White and Blue – Be The Red.”
With cold weather and flu season expected to continue into March, CBC is being especially cautious about maintaining the regional blood supply. CBC urges those who must miss an appointment to donate to reschedule as soon as possible.
CBC is also focusing in 2018 on recruiting more platelet and plasma donors. The automated process of giving platelets and plasma is called “apheresis” and the number of these special donors is dwindling. CBC’s most dedicated donors are aging, with about 53 percent of the donor base now over the age of 50.
CBC is calling on young people to become the “next generation of donors” and asking new and current donors to help CBC meet the challenges of the future by becoming apheresis donors.
