Tag Archive for: #americanredcross

September Is National Preparedness Month – Be Ready For Emergencies

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-Information courtesy of American Red Cross, Eastern North Carolina Region

People everywhere are feeling the impacts of climate change with more frequent and intense weather events threatening our communities. September is National Preparedness Month and the American Red Cross Eastern North Carolina Region urges everyone to get ready for these emergencies now.

In 2021 more than 40 percent of Americans — some 130 million people — were living in a county struck by a climate disaster. Recent deadly flooding in Kentucky and Missouri, fast-moving wildfires in California and multiple heat waves nationwide are clear examples of how more intense climate-related disasters are happening more often and devastating communities. You can get prepared by visiting redcross.org/prepare.

The Red Cross suggests three steps to keep your family safe during disasters: 1- Get a Kit, 2- Make a Plan and 3- Be Informed.

  1. Build your emergency kit with a gallon of water per person, per day, non-perishable food, a flashlight and a battery-powered radio. Also include a first aid kit, medications, supplies for infants or pets, a multi-purpose tool and personal hygiene items. And don’t forget to add copies of important papers, cell phone chargers, blankets, maps of the area and emergency contact information.
  2. Plan what to do in case you are separated from your family during an emergency and what to do if you have to evacuate. Make sure to coordinate your plan with your child’s school, your work and your community’s emergency plans.
  3. Stay informed by finding out what emergency situations may occur where you live, work and go to school, how local officials will contact you during a disaster and how you will get important information, such as evacuation orders.

Include your pets in your emergency plans. Remember, if you and your family need to evacuate, so does your pet. It’s important to plan in advance to know which pet-friendly hotels are in your area, and where your pets can stay in an emergency situation.

Take any special considerations into account as part of your emergency planning. Older adults or people with mobility, hearing, learning or seeing disabilities may need to create a support network of people that can help during an emergency. Create a plan that takes into account your capabilities, any help you may need and who can provide it, especially if you need to evacuate or if the power goes out for several days.

You can help ensure your community is ready for an emergency by volunteering, donating blood or learning lifesaving skills. Visit redcross.org to learn more.

Red Cross volunteers play critical roles in their local communities, including helping families affected by home fires and other disasters get back on their feet. Join us as a Disaster Action Team volunteer to help make sure that families don’t have to face tough times alone.

Learn lifesaving skills so you can help people in a crisis until medical professionals arrive. Sign up for first aid, CPR or other classes available online or in-person.

A strong blood supply is key to preparedness for disasters and medical emergencies, and donors can ensure blood is on the shelves the moment it’s needed. As a thank-you, all who come to give Sept. 1-18 will get a limited-edition Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last. Plus, those who race to give Sept. 1-30 will automatically be entered for a chance to win a VIP NASCAR experience, including two tickets to a 2023 race, and will also receive a coupon for a free haircut by email, all thanks to Sport Clips Haircuts.* Donors can schedule an appointment to donate using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). If you are unable to give blood you can volunteer to support blood collections. Visit redcross.org/volunteer to learn more.

Keep Pets’ Safety In Mind – Never Leave Them In Vehicles

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  -information courtesy of American Red Cross Eastern North Carolina Region

The excessive heat that has been reported all across the country is not to be taken lightly, and the American Red Cross urges everyone to take precautions to avoid dangerous – and sometimes deadly – situations.

Pet owners are especially encouraged to keep their pets’ best interests at heart by never leaving them in vehicles, even for just a few minutes while running errands.

“It’s critical that you don’t leave your pet in a hot vehicle, even for a few minutes,” said Barry Porter, Regional CEO of the American Red Cross Eastern North Carolina Region. “The inside temperature of the car can quickly reach 120 degrees in minutes, even with the windows cracked open.”

The advice for humans is to stay inside and out of the heat, if possible, and to stay hydrated to prevent medical emergencies like heat stroke. The same is true for pets – keep them inside, out of the heat, and make sure they have access to cool, fresh water all day long, according to advice from the Red Cross.

And just like humans, animal also can suffer heat stroke. Animals can suffer heat stroke in warmer weather. Dogs especially vulnerable are those breeds with short noses or snouts – think boxers and bulldogs – as well as overweight animals, or those with an extremely thick coat or who have been diagnosed with other upper respiratory problems.

Some of the signs of heat stroke to watch for:

  • Heavy panting and inability to calm down, even when lying down
  • Brick-red gum color
  • Fast pulse rate
  • Unable to get up

If you suspect your pet has heat stroke, take their temperature rectally. If the temperature is above 105 degrees, cool the animal down. The easiest way to do this is by using the water hose. Stop cooling the animal when the temperature reaches 103 degrees. Bring your pet to the veterinarian immediately as heat stroke can lead to severe organ dysfunction and damage.

RESOURCES Download the Red Cross Pet First Aid app for step-by-step instructions for first aid emergencies, toxic substances, a pet profile for storing tag ID, photo and medical information, early warning signs for when to contact a veterinarian and an animal hospital locator. You can find it in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross, texting GETPET to 90999 for a link to download the app or going to redcross.org/apps.

You can also take the Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid online course so that you’ll know what to do in an emergency until veterinary care is available. Access the course on your desktop or tablet and go through the content at your own pace.

The interactive course includes:

  • How to determine a pet’s normal vital signs so owners can notice if there are any irregularities
  • Step-by-step instructions and visual aids for what to do if a pet is choking, needs CPR, has a wound, or is having a seizure; and information on preventative care, health and tips for a pet’s well-being.

Find more information about pets and their safety during warm weather here.

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.