Blood Drive set for Sept. 15 in Chinook

Press release

The Chinook community will be hosting a community blood drive with the American Red Cross Tuesday, Sept. 15, from noon to 6 p.m. at Wallner Hall, 330 Ohio in Chinook.

For more information or to make an appointment to donate, call 1-800-RED-CROSS — 1-800-733-2767 — or sign up online at http://redcrossblood.org . People may also sign in to their Red Cross donor account and sign up there.

The Red Cross highly encourages appointments, but they have assured organizers that there will be walk-in appointments available if people are unable to make an appointment. Again, masks will be required.

Temperature and hand sanitizing will take place at the front door. People should drink plenty of fluids, especially water, so that they are well hydrated in order to replace the volume of blood they will be donating. A valid ID is required, or a donor card.

People can pre-register for your appointment by completing RapidPass. This may reduce the time donors spend at the blood drive by up to 15 minutes. Red Cross staff scan the RapidPass form, review the donor’s answers and complete all other aspects of the health history exam. To complete a RapidPass, follow the instructions at http://redcrossblood.org/RapidPass .

Chinook is committed to strengthening the community and helping meet hospital and patient needs through blood donations. This blood drive is a way of giving to the community as well as surrounding communities and neighbors an opportunity to help save lives.

Blood is a perishable product that can only come from volunteer blood donors. With someone in the U.S. needing blood every two seconds, blood products must be constantly replenished, according to the Red Cross.

“We urge our community members, surrounding community members and neighbors to donate blood and help ensure that patients in local hospitals have a supply of blood ready and waiting before an emergency occurs,” organizers said in a press release. “There’s no better feeling than knowing that your blood donation may give someone a second chance at life.”

According to the Red Cross, donors with all blood types are needed, especially those with types O negative, A negative and B negative.