American Red Cross expresses need for blood donations

UPPER PENINSULA — As summer winds down, the American Red Cross urges individuals to give blood and platelets to help end an emergency summer blood shortage that began in July.

A critical need remains as many regular donors delay giving to take final summer vacations and prepare for school to start. To ensure lifesaving treatments remain available for patients in the coming weeks, donations are needed now, especially type O.

As a thanks for helping at this urgent time, all those who come to donate blood or platelets through Aug. 30, 2018, will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email. (Restrictions apply; see amazon.com/gc-legal. More information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Together.)

Appointment to make a blood or platelet donation can be done by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Those who donated blood earlier this summer may be eligible to give again. Blood can be safely given every 56 days, and Power Red donations can be given every 16 weeks.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities are as follows:

Aug. 16-31

Delta

Escanaba

8/22/2018: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Delta Plaza Mall, 301 N Lincoln

Dickinson

Kingsford

8/21/2018: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 395 Hamilton

Houghton

Houghton

9/5/2018: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Michigan Tech JR Van Pelt & Opie Library, 1400 Townsend Drive

9/6/2018: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Michigan Tech JR Van Pelt & Opie Library, 1400 Townsend Drive

Menominee

Menominee

8/17/2018: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Bethel Lutheran Church, 1309 14th Ave