Start the year right: "Save a Mate. donate."
Michigan Blood encourages donors to save lives in 2013!
Michigan Blood is hosting its "Save a mate. Donate" campaign in the first few days of the New Year. Not only will donors be helping to shore up the blood supply after the holidays, but they'll also be setting themselves on a path of saving lives all year long.
"Save a life and you can check 'Do more good' off your resolution list!" said Jim Childress, Vice President of Community Relations at Michigan Blood. "Because we don't have blood drives on Christmas and New Year's Day, we lose two days of donations and we will need to give the blood supply a boost so we can keep it at a safe level as we start 2013," said Childress.
When you donate to Michigan Blood, you could end up helping a friend, neighbor, or family member who needs blood. Michigan Blood supplies blood to more than 40 hospitals in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, including Spectrum Health, St. Mary's, and Metro. As a 'thank you' for stepping up during the "Save a Mate. Donate." campaign, anyone who attempts to donate will receive a $10 Outback Steakhouse gift card.
Main Donor Center: 1036 Fuller Ave NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503
December 31st 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
January 2nd and 3rd 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Michigan Blood hopes donors won't stop with this first blood drive of the year. Donors are eligible to give every 56 days, but the average Michigan Blood donor gives less than twice a year. Just one more donation would help greatly: if all blood donors gave three times a year, blood shortages would be rare.
Any healthy person 17 or older (or 16 with parental consent) who weighs at least 110 pounds may be eligible to give blood every 56 days. Blood donors should bring photo ID (or two forms of non-photo ID). Appointments are preferred and can be made online at www.miblood.org or by calling 1-866-MIBLOOD.