Valley Service Organization (VSO) will sponsor a blood drive on Jan. 16th from 12:30 to 5:30 at the Platte Valley Community Center. Blood banks are in short supply and donations of your blood can make a difference.
Anyone wishing to make an appointment is asked to contact chair Roxie Baldwin at 307-329-6332. People wishing to donate may also schedule their appointments online at Vitalant.org.
According to information from the Vitalant website, donors must meet the following basic requirements: must be at least 16 years old, must weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, be in general good health. Additionally, potential donors must bring identification, have eaten two hours prior to the donation, be well hydrated with non-alcoholic fluids and not have donated whole blood for eight weeks.
When arriving at the donation site, members of VSO will check you in for your appointment. Then, prior to the donation, donors will be interviewed by Vitalant staff. VSO will help donors following the blood donation by providing refreshments. Donors are asked to eat something and drink something, waiting for approximately 15 minutes before leaving.
“When you give blood with Vitalant, you have the potential to help hospital patients within your community and nationwide. Our experienced team members can quickly deliver blood where it’s needed most. The benefits of our larger footprint are vast, including leveraging our coast-to-coast network of donation centers so every donation has the potential to impact more lives. Daily personal emergencies and ongoing medical needs of thousands of patients require a constant and ready blood supply. It’s the blood already on hospital shelves that saves lives,” according to information on the Vitalant website.
Every day in the U.S. patients in hospitals, surgical centers and emergency treatment facilities need approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells, 5000 units of platelets and 6,500 units of plasma, the website states.
Baldwin said she is hoping to get all the appointment slots filled. New donors are always welcome.
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