News release from the American Red Cross:
TinCaps Team Up With Red Cross to Rally Summer Blood Donations
Annual community blood drive to take place August 22nd at Parkview Field
(August 18, 2014) — The Fort Wayne TinCaps are rallying to help boost the blood supply with a special blood drive at Parkview Field on Friday, August 22nd. The American Red Cross continues to have an urgent need for blood and platelet donations, even as thousands of people answered the urgent call to donate last month.
The TinCaps blood drive will take place on Friday, August 22, from 7:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Parkview Field in the Lincoln Financial Event Center, located on the right field concourse. Come to donate and receive a ticket to an upcoming TinCaps game and an American Red Cross T-shirt. Call 1-800-RED CROSS or log onto redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code “tincaps” to schedule your blood donation appointment. Appointments are recommended; walk-ins are also welcomed.
Through the end of July, the Red Cross saw an increase of approximately 7.5 percent in the number of donors coming to give blood, resulting in more than 11,800 additional donations beyond what was anticipated. Despite the increase, blood products are currently being distributed to hospitals as quickly as donations are coming in, maintaining the urgent need. To prevent a shortage and ensure an adequate blood supply for patients the rest of the summer, the Red Cross especially needs platelet donors and those with types O negative, B negative and A negative blood.
“We are thrilled to be teaming up with the TinCaps for this special blood drive,” said Sharyn Whitman, CEO of American Red Cross, Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region. “During a summer that has been especially difficult for blood collections, the TinCaps are coming through for the community once again.”
Every day this summer is a chance to give hope to patients in need and their network of family and friends. Blood and platelet donations are needed now and for the rest of the summer. Individuals who donated blood earlier this summer may now be eligible to donate again and help patients such as accident victims, heart surgery patients and children with blood disorders.
How to donate blood
Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org 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 (16 with parental consent in some states), 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.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 visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
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