The Red Cross is urging eligible donors to donate blood during the next few days and weeks. While all types are needed, some types are in desperately short supply. Todd Kulman is Communications Manager with the organization.
“Right now the Red Cross has a critical need for type O Negative also B Negative donors to roll up a sleeve and help save patients’ lives,” according to Kulman. “Of course the type O Negative is the universal blood type and that’s blood that can be transfused into anybody before their actual blood type is known. That’s of course what emergency room workers will reach for before the patient’s blood type is determined.”
Kulman says the weeks from Thanksgiving into the first week of January are particularly challenging in getting enough donations.
The number of donations declines during the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day when busy holiday schedules cause regular donors to be less available to give and many blood drives may be canceled due to severe winter storms. Last year, nearly 64,000 fewer blood and platelet donations were given through the Red Cross during the seven weeks from Thanksgiving through the first week of January than the average during the rest of the year.
To find a blood drive near you, call 1-800-Red Cross, visit www.redcrossblood.org RED CROSS blood dot org, or use the free red cross blood donor app.
Area Blood Drives:
12/19/2017: 2 - 7 p.m., Central Community Church, 11157 City Pond Road Covington
12/19/2017: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Northeast Georgia Medical Center North Tower, 743 Spring St. Gainesville
12/19/2017: 12:30 - 7:15 p.m., Gainesville Blood Donation Center, 311 Jesse Jewell Parkway SW Gainesville
12/19/2017: 3 - 7 p.m., Kroger, 505 Dacula Road Dacula
12/19/2017: 1 - 6 p.m., Grayson City Hall, 475 Grayson Parkway Grayson
12/19/2017: 2 - 6 p.m., City of Sugar Hill, 1166 Church St. Sugar Hill
12/19/2017: 12:45 - 7:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, 3525 Atlanta Highway Athens
12/19/2017: 1 - 6 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 327 North Lumpkin St. Athens
12/20/2017: 12:30 - 7:15 p.m., Gainesville Blood Donation Center, 311 Jesse Jewell Parkway SW Gainesville
12/20/2017: 2 - 7 p.m., Georgia Fitness, 245 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Buford
12/20/2017: 2 - 7 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2208 East Main St. Snellville
12/20/2017: 1 - 6 p.m., Dill's Food City, 12260 Augusta Road Lavonia
12/20/2017: 12 - 5 p.m., University of Georgia Main Library, 320 S Jackson St. Athens
12/20/2017: 12 - 5 p.m., Georgia Power, 205 Dairy Pak Road Athens
12/20/2017: 12:45 - 7:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, 3525 Atlanta
Highway Athens
12/20/2017: 1 - 5:30 p.m., Eaton, 695 Indian Hills Drive Athens
12/21/2017: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., First Baptist Church, 25 Church St. Cleveland
12/21/2017: 12 - 5 p.m., Walton EMC, 842 Highway 78 NW Monroe
12/21/2017: 2 - 7 p.m., Glad Tidings Assembly of God, 243 Collier Road Toccoa
12/21/2017: 12:30 - 7:15 p.m., Gainesville Blood Donation Center, 311 Jesse Jewell Parkway SW Gainesville
12/21/2017: 3 - 7 p.m., St. Edwards Episcopal, 737 Moon Road Lawrenceville
12/21/2017: 11:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Centerville Community Center, 3025 Bethany Church Road Snellville
12/21/2017: 8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, 3525 Atlanta Highway Athens
12/22/2017: 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Gainesville Blood Donation Center, 311 Jesse Jewell Parkway SW Gainesville
12/22/2017: 2 - 7 p.m., Mayfield Baptist Church, 8930 Old Keith Bridge Road Gainesville
12/22/2017: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Eastside Medical Center, 1700 Medical Way Snellville
12/22/2017: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Pete Nance Boys & Girls Club, 1441 MLK Drive Greensboro
12/22/2017: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Dawson County Library, 342 Allen St. Dawsonville
12/22/2017: 8:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, 3525 Atlanta Highway Athens
12/23/2017: 7:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Gainesville Blood Donation Center, 311 Jesse Jewell Parkway SW Gainesville
12/23/2017: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, 3525 Atlanta Highway Athens
12/24/2017: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, 3525 Atlanta Highway Athens
12/26/2017: 1 - 7 p.m., Jackson EMC, 85 Spratlin Mill Road Hull
12/26/2017: 12:30 - 7:15 p.m., Gainesville Blood Donation Center, 311 Jesse Jewell Parkway SW Gainesville
12/26/2017: 12 - 5 p.m., Mall of Georgia, 3333 Buford Drive Buford
12/26/2017: 12:45 - 7:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, 3525 Atlanta Highway Athens
12/27/2017: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Lumpkin County Parks and Recreation, 365 Riley Road Dahlonega
12/27/2017: 3 - 7 p.m., The Meeting House, 5615 Grand Reunion Drive Hoschton
12/27/2017: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Spout Springs Library, 6488 Spout Springs Road Flowery Branch
12/27/2017: 12:30 - 7:15 p.m., Gainesville Blood Donation Center, 311 Jesse Jewell Parkway SW Gainesville
12/27/2017: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Ruby S. Fulbright Aquatic Center, 120 Paul Franklin Road Clarkesville
12/27/2017: 12 - 5 p.m., Mall of Georgia, 3333 Buford Drive Buford
12/27/2017: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Lilburn Branch Library/City Hall, 4817 Church St. NW Lilburn
12/27/2017: 12:45 - 7:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, 3525 Atlanta Highway Athens
12/28/2017: 2 - 7 p.m., Crossroads Baptist Church, 227 Highway 229 Social Circle
12/28/2017: 2 - 7 p.m., City Hut, 400 West Marion St./Lafayette St. Eatonton
12/28/2017: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., Bell Family YMCA, 281 Opal St. Extension Hartwell
12/28/2017: 12 - 5 p.m., Mall of Georgia, 3333 Buford Drive Buford
12/28/2017: 2 - 7 p.m., Tom M. Wages Funeral Services, 120 Scenic Highway Lawrenceville
12/28/2017: 2 - 7 p.m., Gwinnett County Library Snellville Branch, 2740 Lenora Church Road Snellville
12/28/2017: 8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, 3525 Atlanta Highway Athens
12/29/2017: 1 - 7 p.m., Loganville First United Methodist Church, 221 Main St. Loganville
12/29/2017: 1 - 6 p.m., Covington Family YMCA, 2140 Newton Drive Covington
12/29/2017: 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Gainesville Blood Donation Center, 311 Jesse Jewell Parkway SW Gainesville
12/29/2017: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Walmart, 1550 Scenic Highway Snellville
12/29/2017: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Old Atlanta Recreation Center, 810 Nichols Road Suwanee
12/29/2017: 8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, 3525 Atlanta Highway Athens
12/30/2017: 7:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Gainesville Blood Donation Center, 311 Jesse Jewell Parkway SW Gainesville
12/30/2017: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, 3525 Atlanta Highway Athens
12/31/2017: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Athens Blood Donation Center, 3525 Atlanta Highway Athens