During Red Cross Month in March, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to join in its lifesaving mission by giving blood.
Since 1943, every U.S. president has designated March as Red Cross Month to recognize how the Red Cross helps people down the street, across the country and around the world.
Red Cross Month is a celebration of the everyday heroes, like Karla Essmiller, who are the face of the Red Cross in their communities. Essmiller began donating blood and even coordinated a few blood drives when she was in college. “Donating blood is a simple gift that I can make that may help up to three people live another day,” she said. “That makes me feel like a hero!”
The Red Cross depends on blood donor heroes across the nation to collect enough blood to meet the needs of patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals nationwide. Donors of all blood types are needed to help accident and burn victims, patients undergoing organ transplants, those receiving cancer treatments and others who rely on blood products.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities in southwest Washington:
• Battle Ground – Mon., March 7 from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church Battle Ground, 1603 N. Parkway; Thu., March 10 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Battle Ground High School, 204 W. Main St.
• Brush Prairie – Tue., March 8 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Prairie High School, 11500 NE 117th Ave.
• Vancouver – Tue., March 1 from 1:30 to 7 p.m. at Vancouver Blood Donation Center, 5109 NE 82nd Ave.; Wed., March 2 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Vancouver Blood Donation Center, 5109 NE 82nd Ave.; Fri., March 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Vancouver Blood Donation Center, 5109 NE 82nd Ave.; Fri., March 4 from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church Vancouver, 12513 SE Mill Plain Blvd.; Sat., March 5 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Vancouver Blood Donation Center, 5109 NE 82nd Ave.; Mon., March 7 from 1:30 to 7 p.m. at Vancouver Blood Donation Center, 5109 NE 82nd Ave.; Tue., March 8 from 1:30 to 7 p.m. at Vancouver Blood Donation Center, 5109 NE 82nd Ave.; Tue., March 8 from 2 to 7:30 p.m. at Latter-day Saints - Vancouver North Stake, 11101 NE 119th St.; Wed., March 9 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Vancouver Blood Donation Center, 5109 NE 82nd Ave.; Fri., March 11 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Vancouver Blood Donation Center, 5109 NE 82nd Ave.; Sat., March 12 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Vancouver Blood Donation Center, 5109 NE 82nd Ave.; Mon., March 14 from 1:30 to 7 p.m. at Vancouver Blood Donation Center, 5109 NE 82nd Ave.; Tue., March 15 from 1:30 to 7 p.m. at Vancouver Blood Donation Center, 5109 NE 82nd Ave.
• Woodland – Mon., March 7 from 1 to 6 p.m. at Woodland High School, 1500 Dike Accesses Road.
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red CrossBlood Donor App, visitredcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients.
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 www.redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families.
The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, visitredcross.org or visit us on Twitter at@RedCross.
