With the month of July in full swing, American Red Cross officials would like to thank everyone who has attempted to donate blood this summer and encourages all eligible donors to make an appointment before summer’s end.

“Thanks to our dedicated blood donors, we are able to provide our hospitals with the blood products their patients need,” said Sharon Jaksa, CEO for the Great Lakes Region of the American Red Cross. “The summer is a difficult time for blood collections and we depend on our generous donors to help us maintain a healthy blood supply.”

The Red Cross needs to collect about 700 units of blood every day for hospital patients throughout the Great Lakes Region. Patients need blood for ongoing and emergency medical treatments. Vacation-related travel accidents can increase that need.

While the need for blood doesn’t go away during the summer, blood donors sometimes do. Please make an appointment to donate blood before the summer slips away.

The following is a list of American Red Cross blood drives in the area through August 13.

July 29 – Resurrectioin Life Church, 714 S. Main Street, St. Louis, 1 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.

Aug. 2 – Gratiot Isabella RESD, 1131 E. Center St., Ithaca, 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Aug. 3 – East Superior Christian Church, 605 E. Superior, Alma, 1 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.

Aug. 13 – Pine River Health Care, 1149 W. Monroe, St. Louis, 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

How to Donate Blood

To schedule an appointment to donate please call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit www.RedCrossBlood.org  for more information. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet weight and height requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height) and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.