Blood Drive at Mount Pulaski High School on Friday

[March 04, 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. The blood supply is totally dependent upon volunteers who will take a few minutes to roll up their sleeve and donate blood.

To help ensure an adequate blood supply for area hospitals, there will be a blood drive at Mount Pulaski High School, in the old gymnasium located at 206 S. Spring, on Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For your convenience, please call the high school to sign up at 792-3209 or schedule an appointment online at www.cicbc.org. Walk-ins are also welcome and truly appreciated.

The 2007-2008 Springfield Clinic High School Blood Challenge started May 12, 2007, and ends May 11, 2008. Donate blood at this drive and your donation will be credited to Mount Pulaski High School. 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 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.

If you are healthy, please do your part by donating blood. It takes only an hour to donate, but the benefits last a lifetime for someone. 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]