Tag Archive for: #americanredcross

TownTalk: The Red Cross And International Humanitarian Law

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Whether it’s conducting a blood drive to ward off a summer shortage at local hospitals or providing aid to civilians caught up in the turmoil of armed conflict, one of the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross is to reduce human suffering.

And Thomas Harper, senior legal advisor for the American Red Cross in international humanitarian law, told guest co-host Phyllis Maynard that the Red Cross/Red Crescent doesn’t take sides; rather, it works to protect civilians and civilian property by upholding international humanitarian law, which Harper described as “the law of armed conflict, the rules that govern warfare.”

It may sound strange that warring factions are supposed to comply with certain international rules, but thanks to an array of agreed-upon rules among nations throughout the world such as the Geneva Conventions that were established after World War II, Harper said it’s a role of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to help ensure those rules are followed.

Harper was the guest on the regular monthly “Former Active Duty, Still Boots on the Ground” segment of TownTalk Tuesday.

Harper, a North Carolina native, needed his parents to sign for him to enlist in the Army at age 17. He was in the Army ROTC at NC State, where he earned his commission as a lieutenant. The Army gave him some time to complete law school at Campbell University and he was a JAG (Army attorney) for about seven years before transitioning to the Army Reserve in 2018. During his active duty, he served in Afghanistan as a prosecutor, special victim counsel and an operational law attorney during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Harper currently holds the rank of major and is a deputy regional defense counsel. “I still wear the uniform, just part-time, nowadays,”he said.

Harper advises the Red Cross on international humanitarian law, a specific subset of policies enacted during wartime.

The evolution of International humanitarian law is the result of “repeated carnage and destruction and just lack of humanity that’s in warfare and saying ‘enough is enough,’” Harper said. Through global treaties like the Geneva Conventions, nations across the globe strive for ways to rein in the destruction that war inevitably creates, while protecting innocent civilians and civilian property.

As international humanitarian law has evolved over time, it has put in place protections and a series of rules that serve to protect the innocent in warfare.

Since February, the world has been focused on the events in Ukraine. Reports of shelling shopping areas, apartments and other civilian areas surface regularly, and it’s instances such as these that come to the attention of the International Red Cross.

The Youth Action Campaign is a Red Cross program that introduces students in the 13-23 age range to the basic tenets of international humanitarian law.

The youth advocates as they are called, form teams in their schools and then are given the task of creating and designing public awareness campaigns to educate others about the ins and outs of IHL.

Just in the past year alone, the youth action campaign has reached more than 40,000 individuals, Harper said. “That’s 40,000 individuals who (now) know more about IHL  and how those protections work today,” he said. “It wasn’t the work of some lawyer in DC or some official at a school somewhere – that was the work of students in a classroom and going out and making an impact in their communities.”

Youth who participate in programs like the Youth Action Campaign are helping to support IHL in everyday, real time.

Harper said it’s grass-roots programs like the YAC, as well as stories, interviews and even radio shows that help the country comply with the Geneva Convention of 1949 – whether it’s a group of teens developing a social media campaign to share in the community or participating in a discussion about current IHL issues.

“These rules have to be respected by all sides,” he reiterated. “Every single person’s voice matters.”

“We don’t take sides, we don’t get into the mix of who’s right or wrong because the goal at the end of the day is to reduce suffering. We’re impartial, we’re neutral, because we have to be.”

CLICK PLAY!

 

TownTalk: Red Cross Makes A Difference In The Life Of Mike Peoples

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It was March 2002 and Navy veteran Mike Peoples was getting a tour of an American Red Cross facility, mainly just so he could get a couple of persistent staffers off his back. Little did he realize that it would be that day – March 22, 2002 – that he says the Red Cross saved his life.

“I was broken,” he said, reflecting on those days a couple of decades ago. But since then, his full-time volunteer work has helped to make him whole again. He works with veterans and Red Cross staffers to create meaningful, healthy programs that can help others feel whole again, too.

Being part of an organization, he says, can help get you out of your funk.

He knows that first-hand. Peoples spoke on Tuesday’s Town Talk with John C. Rose and guest co-host Phyllis Maynard to share his experiences as a veteran and as a Red Cross volunteer.

Peoples said he missed out on an overseas station assignment because of some physical problems that ultimately resulted in him having several back and knee surgeries. He was in a body cast for two and a half years, he said.

He was discharged from the Navy, and had to live with his parents because he physically couldn’t manage by himself.

“I was in a pretty dark place,” he recalled.

In an effort to help her son, Peoples said his mother “schemed up this idea with a local board she was on.” It was at these board meetings of a housing improvement program that he met a couple of folks from the Red Cross.

Topics like building resiliency and preparedness in the community were right up his alley, Peoples said, and it didn’t take long for him to raise his hand to contribute to the conversation. “I felt sorta, kinda, close to my old self,” he said. One of the Red Cross reps approached him after a meeting and said, “you know, the Red Cross really likes military folks. Come be our disaster chairman and our disaster action team coordinator.”

He protested, saying that his daily doctor visits and physical therapy six days a week would interfere with his ability to do a job. “They were persistent,” Peoples said. He was floored when, during the tour, one of the staffers pulled a key ring full of keys out of her desk and gave them to Peoples. “We made you a set of keys because we know that you’ll have to come and go” on your own schedule,” he said.

He is the Central Atlantic Division’s hospital recovery veterans and caregiver services lead, and supports Red Cross personnel primarily in hospitals. There are volunteers and programs in VA hospitals, medical facilities and Department of Defense medical facilities. “I support the folks on the ground, building capacity, programming, and executing those program and making sure they’re executing healthy programs for the military-connected communities.”

He also serves on the disaster cycle services side of things, reconnecting people who have been separated by disaster.

Another program he helped roll out, designated by the VA as a signature program for the Red Cross, pairs volunteers with veteran patients. A check-in by phone to make sure the person on the other end is doing ok can be a lifesaver. Literally.

“I’ve made a phone call and I’ve taken a phone call,” Peoples said.

He knows what it feels like to be broken and in a dark place. And he also knows that those feelings can be temporary.

Watch the Youtube video featuring Peoples here: https://youtu.be/QkWj6SCfYhM

 

 

American Legion Post 60, Red Cross to Host Community Blood Drive

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Information courtesy Jeremy Hetrick, American Legion Post 60

Henderson American Legion Post 60 will host a community blood drive with the American Red Cross on Saturday, May 23, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Legion Post Corner of Garnett and Spring Streets.

For more information or to make an appointment to donate, call 252-204-4742, or sign up online at
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=Legion60.

“Post 60 is committed to strengthening our community and helping meet hospital and patient needs through blood donations,” said Jeremy Hetrick, Post Adjutant. “This blood drive is our way of giving staff, colleagues 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 community members to donate blood and help ensure that patients in local hospitals have a supply of blood ready and waiting before an emergency occurs. 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.

The American Legion is a Non-Profit Veterans Organization. Henderson American Legion Post 60 is active in Vance County with over 100 members and supports both veterans and the local community.

Town Talk 01/15/20: ‘Sound the Alarm’ Fire Campaign Coming to Vance Co.

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Kelly Ferrell, American Red Cross Disaster Program Specialist, and Captain Lee Edmonds with the Henderson Fire Department appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Ferrell and Edmonds were on-air to discuss the upcoming “Sound the Alarm” event, an Eastern North Carolina fire campaign sponsored by the American Red Cross. The in-home smoke detector and fire safety inspection will be held Vance County-wide from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Monday, January 20, 2020.

During the first half of the day, volunteers from local fire departments and organizations will be visiting homeowners in the county who made previous appointments for an inspection. The focus will then shift to City of Henderson residents who have not already been visited by the Henderson Fire Department during its local 2019-2020 smoke detector campaign.

Participants include local fire departments, Henderson Collegiate representatives, Red Cross volunteers, NC Central University representatives and community volunteers. Ferrell said she is looking forward to working with those who will “all come together for a day of service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day”

Ferrell thanked Chick-fil-A of Henderson for demonstrating its commitment to the cause by donating lunch for all volunteers.

One of 53 counties that comprise the American Red Cross Eastern NC district, Ferrell said the general population of Vance County was examined when considering areas of concentration for the day’s event.

“I really try to be mindful of where I install the smoke alarms,” Ferrell explained. “I review the population of the county and examine their home fire risk. We look at areas with concentrations of residents over the age of 65, those below the poverty line and those with disabilities, for example. We are really trying to ensure that we are installing these smoke alarms in the areas that need them the most.”

While impossible to reach all residents of a county in one day, Ferrell stated that those interested in having their home inspected can make an appointment with the fire department or can request a fire alarm through the American Red Cross by visiting www.soundthealarm.org/enc.

To hear the interview with Ferrell and Edmonds in its entirety, including additional discussion about the mission of the American Red Cross and the local annual smoke detector campaign, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Red Cross: Blood, Platelet Donations Needed in Wake of Florence

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-Press Release, American Red Cross

As the American Red Cross responds to Hurricane Florence, providing food, shelter and comfort to those affected, blood and platelet donors are urged to give when it’s safe to travel to care for patients in the storm’s path and across the country. People can also help by making a financial donation to support relief efforts.

Hurricane’s impact on blood and platelet donations

Hurricane Florence’s wrath left catastrophic damage behind and also took a toll on blood and platelet donations. Nearly 200 Red Cross blood drives in the Southeast were forced to cancel, resulting in more than 5,200 uncollected blood and platelet donations. In North Carolina, 57 blood drives were called off due to the storm, causing nearly 2,100 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected.

“Natural disasters like hurricanes can disrupt blood drives and prevent donors from giving, but hospital patients still depend on lifesaving transfusions,” said Cliff Numark, senior vice president, Red Cross Blood Services. “There is an especially critical need for platelets to help cancer patients and type O blood donations for ongoing patient care and emergencies. Every donation can be a lifeline for patients.”

How to help

As conditions improve, donors of all blood types are urged to make an appointment to give blood or platelets and replenish the blood supply. Appointments can be made by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS  (1-800-733-2767).

Financial donations are also needed and allow the Red Cross to provide disaster relief immediately. Help people affected by Hurricane Florence by visiting RedCross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word FLORENCE to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Up-to-date information about how the Red Cross is responding to Hurricane Florence is available at RedCross.org.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities in your area:

Franklin County

Louisburg

9/22/2018: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Rock Spring Baptist Church, 34 Rock Springs Church Rd.

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Granville County

Creedmoor

9/28/2018: 2  – 6:30 p.m., Creedmoor United Methodist Church, 214 Park Avenue

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Warren County

Norlina

10/13/2018: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Zion United Methodist Church, 141 Zion Church Rd.

How to donate blood

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 in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), 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 and platelet donors can 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, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

About the American Red Cross:

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, please visit RedCross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

Volunteers Needed for Red Cross’ Disaster Action Team

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The American Red Cross will hold Disaster Action Team Boot Camp sessions on Saturday, June 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday, June 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Franklin County Emergency Services building, 8146 NC-56 in Louisburg, NC.

Sessions are free of charge to Franklin, Warren, Vance and Granville County residents who are interested in being trained to respond to local disasters, such as house fires, on a volunteer basis. Attendance is required at both sessions to serve as a disaster response volunteer. Lunch will be provided to participants.

Jennifer VanGundy, senior volunteer specialist with the American Red Cross, was on WIZS’ Town Talk Thursday to provide details regarding the Disaster Action Team Boot Camp and its purpose.

“In this area, we are in need of Disaster Action Team members to help respond to single-family fires or small disasters,” said VanGundy. “365 days a year, we have volunteer teams that are on standby in the local community and are second on the scene of a disaster. Internally, we often refer to them as second responders.”

According to VanGundy, teams respond within a two-hour call time and go on site to evaluate the situation; address family needs including clothing, food, shelter, a place to sleep for the night; take documentation to start the family’s case; help with long-term care needs; identify the possible need for mental health and/or spiritual assistance.

Responding teams usually consist of two trained volunteers and a response driver. VanGundy’s goal is to have at least three or four volunteers from each of the four local counties participate in the boot camp sessions.

The American Red Cross recently started the faster-paced two-day boot camp training approach as a way to bring volunteers up to speed more quickly so they are ready to respond to disasters sooner.

At the two-session boot camp, participants will:

  • Learn the Red Cross role and values for engaging with disaster clients, first responders, and the public
  • Understand functions of the Disaster Action Team (DAT), and expectations for DAT workers on a response
  • Discover roles a DAT member may perform on a large-scale disaster response
  • Learn casework and recovery planning processes and the system used
  • Learn how direct client assistance is issued and how referrals are made to community partners
  • Complete training through a simulation drill, practicing the skills learned during the classroom sessions
  • If desired, be assigned to a Disaster Action Team, and support the Red Cross in Franklin, Warren, Vance and Granville Counties

The local four-county area is part of 53 counties that make up the Eastern North Carolina region of the American Red Cross. VanGundy said the region averages eight disasters a day.

“Up to 94 percent of the American Red Cross workforce is volunteers,” VanGundy said. “Our disaster response team volunteers have gone out on Christmas Day, left their meals and left their families to respond to someone who has had a disaster happen in their home.”

VanGundy addressed the common concern volunteers have about being on-call, “We know the on-call part sometimes scares people. We understand that you have full-time jobs, children and other commitments.”

To make it easier for volunteers to communicate their availability, the American Red Cross now has an app that allows the Disaster Action Team member to select or “go” green when they are available and to “go” red when they are not available to respond to a call. “We do ask that volunteers go green more than they go red,” said VanGundy.

VanGundy believes that anyone who has a fairly flexible schedule and a desire to help others in need would make a good fit for the volunteer team, including retirees. “The only thing you need is to want to help in your own community and to have some flexibility in your schedule. Once you come in, we will provide the training you need and will have you ready to go by the end of the boot camp.”

For more information on the American Red Cross and volunteer opportunities, visit www.redcross.org and click the Volunteer tab. To participate in the June 2 and June 16 Disaster Action Team Boot Camp in Louisburg, please call Jennifer VanGundy at (919) 231-1602.

American Red Cross Disaster Bootcamp

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Disaster Bootcamp Action Team

Franklin, Warren, Vance and Granville Counties

Saturday, June 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday, June 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Attendance is required at both sessions)

LOCATION: Franklin County Emergency Services 8146 NC-56, Louisburg, NC 27549

PARTICIPANTS WILL:

  • Learn the Red Cross role and values for engaging with disaster clients, first responders, and the public
  • Understand functions of the Disaster Action Team (DAT), and expectations for DAT workers on a response
  • Discover roles a DAT member may perform on a large-scale disaster response
  • Learn casework and recovery planning processes and the system used
  • Learn how direct client assistance is issued and how referrals are made to community partners
  • Complete training through a simulation drill, practicing the skills learned during the classroom sessions
  • If desired, be assigned to a Disaster Action Team, and support the Red Cross in Franklin, Warren, Vance and Granville Counties

RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW! Call 919-774-6857 or email Jennifer.Vangundy@redcross.org or Gehrig.Haberstock3@redcross.org

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Red Cross and Sport Clips Haircuts offer free haircut coupon to blood and platelet donors

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DURHAM, N.C. (Aug. 21, 2017) – Feel good, do good and look good this September by donating blood or platelets with the American Red Cross and get a free haircut coupon from Sport Clips Haircuts. Blood and platelet donors of all blood types, especially type O negative and O positive, are urgently needed to replenish the blood supply following a critical summer blood shortage.

“We are excited to continue the Saving Lives Never Looked So Good campaign and partnership with Sport Clips this September,” said Donna M. Morrissey, director of national partnerships, Red Cross Biomedical Services. “We are grateful for Sport Clips showing its support of the Red Cross and saying ‘thank you’ to those helping save lives through blood donations.”

Those who come out to give blood or platelets Sept. 1-30 will receive a coupon for a free haircut via email several days after their donation. The coupon is valid through Nov. 11, 2017, at participating Sport Clips locations. Donors must have a valid email address on record to receive the coupon.

“Sport Clips is proud to support the blood collection efforts of the Red Cross on a national level,” said Amanda Palm, corporate communications manager of Sport Clips. “There is always a need to maintain the blood supply in our country, and a free haircut is a simple way we can thank donors for their lifesaving donation.”

Donors are urged to make an appointment to donate using the free Blood Donor App, online at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross and Sport Clips encourage donors to use the hashtag #SavingLivesLooksGood to share their new looks and invite others to give.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities

Granville

Stem

9/12/2017: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Granville Central High School, 2043 Sanders Rd

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Vance

Henderson

9/5/2017: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Vance Granville Community College, 200 Community College Road

 

How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.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 in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), 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 redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

About the American Red Cross:

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, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

About Sport Clips Haircuts

Sport Clips Haircuts is headquartered in Georgetown, Texas. It was established in 1993 and began franchising in 1995. The sports-themed haircutting franchise, which specializes in haircuts for men and boys, is ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the “Fastest-Growing Franchises” and in the top 10 in its “Franchise 500.” There are more than 1,600 Sport Clips stores open in the U.S. and Canada. Sport Clips is the “Official Haircutter” of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), offers veterans preferential pricing on haircuts and franchises, and was named a “2016 Best for Vets: Franchises” by Military Times. Sport Clips provides “haircuts with heart” through its annual Help A Hero fundraiser that has given $5 million to the VFW; national partnership with St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants; and other national and local philanthropic outreach. Sport Clips is a proud sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing’s NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin and Furniture Row Racing’s Erik Jones, and partners with numerous NCAA and professional sports teams. To learn more about Sport Clips, visit sportclips.com.

Thousands answer the call, but Red Cross blood shortage continues

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In appreciation, $5 Target eGiftCard™ available for all those who come out to give

DURHAM, N.C. (July 25, 2017) — Thousands of people have responded to the emergency call for blood and platelet donations issued by the American Red Cross in early July, but there continues to be a critical summer blood shortage. Eligible donors of all types are urgently needed.

After issuing the emergency call, the Red Cross has experienced a 30 percent increase in blood donation appointments through mid-July. About half of the appointments were scheduled by donors using the free Blood Donor App or at redcrossblood.org. Despite this improvement, blood products are still being distributed to hospitals as fast as donations are coming in, so more donations are needed to meet patient needs and replenish the blood supply.

“The blood supply is like a cell phone battery, it constantly needs recharging,” said Maya Franklin of the Carolinas Blood Services Region. “We sincerely appreciate those who have responded to the call to help save lives and encourage those who haven’t to consider rolling up a sleeve and give the gift of life. It only takes about an hour but can mean a lifetime for patients.”

Nearly 61,000 fewer blood donations than needed were given through the Red Cross in May and June, prompting the emergency call for donations in early July. The shortfall was the equivalent of the Red Cross not receiving any blood donations for more than four days.

How to help

To schedule an appointment to donate, use the Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to help reduce the time it takes to donate.

As a special thank you, those who come out to give blood or platelets with the Red Cross July 26 through Aug. 31 will be emailed a $5 Target eGiftCard™.*

Who blood and platelet donations help

Blood shortages could lead to delays in patient care, something Arthur Bourget learned firsthand after being diagnosed with leukemia in July 2007. When he arrived for his second blood transfusion, he was told the blood he needed was not available. He waited eight hours for blood to arrive and to receive the transfusion he needed that day.

“One thing that I committed to my wife was that I was going to beat leukemia, no matter what, and I was going to do that,” said Bourget. “But what I wasn’t going to be able to do was survive without the blood that I needed.”

Bourget went into remission following a successful treatment plan, which included 28 blood and 34 platelet transfusions. He has been a faithful advocate for blood donations ever since.

“If it wasn’t for the generosity of volunteer blood donors, I would not be here today,” he said. “My daughter would not have a father, and my wife would not have a husband. Thank you and please give blood. You may never know the life you have saved, but I guarantee they will never forget you.”

Upcoming blood donation opportunities July 25-Aug. 15

Franklin

Youngsville

7/30/2017: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Youngsville Masonic Lodge #377, 110 W. Main Street

_______________

Granville

Creedmoor

7/28/2017: 2:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Creedmoor United Methodist Church, 214 Park Avenue

8/8/2017: 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., South Branch Library, 1550 S. Campus Drive

Oxford

8/1/2017: 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Thornton Branch, 210 Main Street

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Person

Hurdle Mills

8/13/2017: 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Walnut Grove United Methodist Church, 7215 Walnut Grove Church Road

Roxboro

7/27/2017: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., National Guard Armory, 605 Burlington Rd

8/7/2017: 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Person Family Medical & Dental Center, 702 N. Main St.

8/10/2017: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Person County Human Services Building, 355 A South Madison Blvd

8/11/2017: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Roxboro Police Department, 109 Lamar St.

Vance

Henderson

8/2/2017: 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., MR Williams, 235 Raleigh Rd

_______________

What to know about giving blood

To make an appointment or more information, simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). 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 in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), 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 redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

About the American Red Cross

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, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

*Restrictions apply. Additional information and details are available at redcrossblood.org/summer. The Bullseye Design, Target and Target GiftCard are registered trademarks of Target Brands, Inc. Terms and conditions are applied to gift cards. Target is not a participating partner in or sponsor of this offer.

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Critical Red Cross blood shortage prompts emergency call for donations

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RALEIGH, N.C. (July 5, 2017) — The American Red Cross is facing a critical blood shortage and is issuing an emergency call for eligible blood and platelet donors of all blood types to give now and help save lives.

Blood donations have fallen short of expectations for the past two months, resulting in about 61,000 fewer donations than needed and causing a significant draw down of the Red Cross blood supply. The shortfall is the equivalent of the Red Cross not collecting any blood donations for more than four days.

“It’s crucial that people donate now to meet the needs of patients every day and to be prepared for emergencies that require significant volumes of donated blood,” said Nick Gehrig, communications director, Red Cross Blood Services. “Every day, blood and platelet donors can help save lives, and right now these heroes are needed to give as soon as possible.”

How to Help

To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross has added more than 25,000 additional appointment slots at donation centers and community blood drives across the country over the next few weeks to accommodate more donors. Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to help reduce the time it takes to donate.

Summer Months Lead to Shortage

Blood shortages often worsen around Independence Day due to many fewer volunteer-hosted blood drives at places of work, worship or community gathering, and this year is no exception. Nearly 700 fewer blood drives are scheduled during the Independence Day week than the weeks before and after the holiday.

Overall, the summer months are among the most challenging times of the year for blood and platelet donations as regular donors delay giving while they vacation and participate in summer activities. In a recent survey of Red Cross blood donors, more than 73 percent indicated vacation plans this summer, many of them occurring the weeks before and after Independence Day.

New donors and those who haven’t given in a while are especially encouraged to roll up a sleeve and help save lives. Nearly one-third fewer new blood donors came out to give last summer than during the rest of the year due in part to schools – where blood drives are held and where new donors give – being out of session during the summer months.

Who Blood Donations Help

Every two seconds in the United States blood and platelets are needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant procedures, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. The Red Cross must collect nearly 14,000 blood donations every day for patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals across the country.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities July 5-25

 

 

 

Franklin

Louisburg

7/15/2017: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Maple Springs Baptist Church, 1938 NC 56 Hwy E

Person

Roxboro

7/16/2017: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Theresa Baptist, 3919 Chublake Rd

7/18/2017: 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Person Memorial Hospital, 615 Ridge Rd.

Semora

7/21/2017: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Semora Ruritan Club, Hwy. 119 N

 

About the American Red Cross

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, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

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