School is out, and summer is in full swing. During this prime time for vacations, many people do not make it to a blood drive or donation center, making this time of year one of the most difficult for organizations like the American Red Cross and others that depend on donors.
“The need for blood doesn’t get to go on summer vacation,” said Michelle Rupp, biomedical field marketing and communications manager for the American Red Cross.
As an incentive for people to donate during the upcoming holiday weekend, the American Red Cross will present donors with a Red Cross-embroidered baseball hat today through Monday, while supplies last.
“That’s our special Independence Day promotion,” Rupp said. “It’s just a little added incentive to keep blood donations at the forefront of their minds during the holiday. … Before you celebrate, save a life.”
Summer is traditionally a time of low donations, and Rupp said the combination of school being out and people going on vacation is part of that drop in contributions.
“The summer presents a unique challenge,” she said. “About 20 percent of our blood donations come from blood drives on high school and college campuses. They’re out in the summer, but we still need the blood.”
Rupp said she has been a regular donor for a long time, and she often tells people how easy — and important — it is to donate blood if possible.
“What an easy way to give back,” she said. “The most it’s costing me is about an hour of my time — 60 minutes, and I could be saving three lives. I can do that. It makes so much sense.”
The American Red Cross is in its 100 Days of Summer — 100 Days of Hope campaign, and Rupp said the organization is emphasizing the theme “Choose Your Day” to remind people to donate at least once between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
“You have 100 days of summer, so choose your day,” she said.
While all blood types are needed regularly, Rupp said there is a special need for O-negative, A-negative and B-negative types, as well as blood platelets.
According to the American Red Cross, every two seconds, someone needs blood in the United States, and more than 41,000 blood donations are needed every day. The average red-blood-cell transfusion uses approximately 3 pints, and donations help a variety of people, including accident victims, cancer patients and sickle-cell patients.
Unlike other body components, such as heart valves and bones, blood cannot be manufactured and becomes available only through donations. The American Red Cross estimates that 38 percent of people living in the U.S. are eligible to donate blood, but less than 10 percent actually do so each year.
The entire blood-donation process — including registration, a medical history and mini-physical, the donation and refreshments — takes about an hour. The donation portion typically takes 10 to 12 minutes or less. A healthy donor may donate red blood cells every 56 days.
To find out how to donate, visit www.redcrossblood.org. Listed below are blood drives scheduled for July in the Three Rivers Edition coverage area:
July 2
Summit Hospice Providers
403 S. Poplar, Suite F
Searcy
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
First Electric Cooperative
1000 S. J.P. Wright Loop Road
Jacksonville
Noon to 4 p.m.
July 3
Walmart Supercenter
2000 John Harden Drive
Jacksonville
2-6 p.m.
July 7
American Red Cross Blood Center
1120 S. Main St.
Searcy
Noon to 5 p.m.
Defiance Metal Products
944 Bypass Road
Heber Springs
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
July 8
Arkansas State University-Beebe
1000 Iowa St.
Beebe
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
July 10
American Red Cross Blood Center
1120 S. Main St.
Searcy
Noon to 5 p.m.
July 11
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
424 E. Main St.
Batesville
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
July 14
Eaton Hydraulics
400 Lincoln
Searcy
1-5 p.m..
July 15
Merchants and Planters Bank
915 Arkansas 367 N.
Newport
2-6 p.m.
July 17
Oakdale Nursing and Rehabilitation
101 Cynthia St.
Judsonia
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
July 18
Arkansas State University-Beebe’s Owen Center Gym
1000 Iowa St.
Beebe
8 a.m. to noon
Mount Zion Lodge No. 10
985 Batesville Blvd.
Batesville
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Walmart Supercenter
3150 Harrison
Batesville
Noon to 5 p.m.
July 20
First Baptist Church
204 N. Third St.
Cabot
2-6 p.m.
July 21
American Red Cross
Blood Center
1120 S. Main St.
Searcy
Noon to 5 p.m.
July 22
Searcy Fire Department
501 W. Beebe-Capps Expressway
Searcy
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
July 23
Flatwoods Baptist Church
2709 E. Main St.
Mountain View
1-6 p.m.
July 24
American Red Cross Blood Center
1120 S. Main St.
Searcy
Noon to 5 p.m.
Walmart Supercenter
304 S. Rockwood
Cabot
2:30-6:30 p.m.
First United Methodist Church
308 W. Main St.
Jacksonville
3-7 p.m.
Walmart Supercenter
3150 Harrison St.
Batesville
Noon to 5 p.m.
July 26
First Baptist Church
611 Van Buren St.
Judsonia
Noon to 4 p.m.
July 27
Walmart Supercenter
2003 W. Center St.
Beebe
2-6 p.m.
July 28
American Red Cross Blood Center
1120 S. Main St.
Searcy
Noon to 5 p.m.
First Security Bank
1801 W. DeWitt Henry Drive
Beebe
11 a.m to 3 p.m.
White River Medical Center
1710 Harrison St.
Batesville
1-6 p.m.
Walmart Supercenter
1500 Arkansas 25B N.
Heber Springs
Noon to 3 p.m.
July 30
Veterans Park Community Center
508 N. Lincoln
Cabot
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
July 31
American Red Cross Blood Center
1120 S. Main St.
Searcy
Noon to 5 p.m.
Pinnacle Structures Inc.
2665 Arkansas 321 Bypass
Cabot
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Staff writer Angela Spencer can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or aspencer@arkansasonline.com.