Blood Drives Saturday and Monday Need Your Help

[April 03, 2008]  SPRINGFIELD -- Your help is vital to protecting your community's blood supplies for cancer patients, burn victims, accident patients and others facing surgeries. Chances are that you or someone special to you will need a blood transfusion during your lifetime. Help protect your community, family and friends by ensuring that blood is available at your local hospitals when it is needed.

To help ensure an adequate blood supply for the central Illinois area, there are two upcoming opportunities to donate in Lincoln. The first will be on Saturday at the Community Health Fair at the Lincoln Park District Sports Complex, 1400 Primm Road. The hours of this blood drive are 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The second opportunity, sponsored by Lincoln Woman's Club and Lincoln Junior Woman's Club, will be on Monday at the Lincoln Masonic Center, 2022 N. Kickapoo. The hours of this blood drive are noon-6 p.m.

For your convenience, please call Tara to sign up toll-free at 1-866-GIVE-BLD, ext. 56, or schedule online at www.cicbc.org (Saturday appointments; Monday appointments). Of course, walk-ins are always welcome and sincerely appreciated.

The Central Illinois Community Blood Center is a not-for-profit organization that provides blood to 19 area hospitals. Blood collected at these drives is intended for local hospitals.

The 2007-2008 Springfield Clinic High School Blood Challenge ends May 11. Donate blood at one of these drives and ask that your donation be credited to Lincoln High School or a participating high school in your community. The high school that wins the challenge will receive a $1,000 college scholarship from Springfield Clinic to award to a graduating senior who plans on furthering his or her education.

The blood supply is totally dependent upon volunteers who will take a few minutes to roll up their sleeve and donate blood. If you are healthy, please do your part by donating blood. Blood has a shelf life of only 42 days. Fortunately it is a renewable resource, but it depends on people who care.

The CICBC donor room, located at 1134 S. Seventh St. in Springfield, is open to collect blood on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

For more information about blood drives, blood facts and blood types, visit www.cicbc.org. Please give what's in your heart and donate blood.

[Text from file received from Central Illinois Community Blood Center]