Have a heart, give blood this Valentines Day!

Blood supplies are always lowest in the winter even though the need for blood is still high.

Give the gift of blood this Valentines day and help save a life!

Click this link to find a place to donate near you

Happy Valentines Day from your American Red Cross! ♥

Blood Donor Appreciation Month

January is Blood Donor Appreciation Month!

The American Red Cross wants to thank everyone who has donated blood and as a result helped thousands of people in need.

Never donated blood before? Why not start now! January is the time when blood donations are needed the most, since supplies of blood tend to dip due to fewer donations, but the number of people in need of blood is still great.

Click here to Find out the benefits of donating blood and the donation Process

Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood

About 5 months ago I decided that I needed to donate blood. My main job here at the Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter is to coordinate, book, and attend Community Disaster Education Events. A group of volunteers and myself go out into the community and talk about being prepared! (You can book a presentation at your school, church, or organization too)

During these presentations and at health fairs, many people ask questions about blood donations. The Blood Services Division is separate from our chapter office, and also happens to be about 9 miles away. Therefore, I didn't have the answers to their questions, like how long do you have to donate after getting a tattoo (12 months if the needles were not sterile).

Finally I had time to go down to the American Red Cross Donor Center in Murray. I made an appointment online, received a confirmation e-mail and I was on my way. My experience was great and the people working there were extremely friendly and excited that it was my first time donating. I was nervous to say the least, but the process was painless and the guy who took my blood was conversational and made me forget I even had a needle in me. (Thank you Jed at Blood Services!)

Moral of this blog post: Your blood is needed! As the title of this post suggests, every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. So sign up for an appointment today!