ATLANTA, Ga. — The American Red Cross Southern Blood Services Region issued an urgent call for blood donors on Aug. 22, 2010.
The Red Cross closely monitors national and local blood supplies to ensure donations are keeping pace with hospital need for blood products in order to meet ongoing and emergency patient care.
"There is a critical need for blood donors now," said Randy Edwards, CEO for the Southern Blood Services Region of the Red Cross. "This summer we have had a particularly difficult time recruiting enough blood donors to meet the requirements of our community's hospitals and the patients they serve."
Meeting this need is particularly challenging now since the extremely high temperatures are keeping donors inside, most schools are not in session to hold blood drives and we are experiencing a high number of donors who are unable to keep their appointments.
Donors with all blood types are needed, but especially those with type O negative. Red Cross officials say type O negative donors can make the difference between an adequate blood supply and a shortage. That's because type O negative blood can be transfused to patients with any blood type, and is most readily given to patients in emergency and trauma situations.
Every day, more than 39,000 pints of blood are needed for patients in the United States. Blood is used for the treatment of cancer patients, people with blood disorders, premature babies, transplant recipients, trauma victims and more. Each whole blood donation can help save up to three lives.
"We urge people to make and keep an appointment to donate blood now," said Edwards. "Chances are, someone is counting on you right now for their very life."
AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DONATION CENTERS IN YOUR AREA:
· Alpharetta Donor Center: 3000 Old Alabama Road, Suite 110, Alpharetta, GA 30022
· Camp Creek Donor Center: 3645 Marketplace Blvd., Suite 180, East Point, GA 30344
· Cobb Donor Center: East Lake Shopping Center, 2145 Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30062
· Duluth Donor Center: Meadow Church Road, 3090 Premier Pkwy, Suite 500, Duluth, GA 30097
· Midtown Donor Center: 1955 Monroe Drive, Atlanta, GA 30324
· Sandy Springs – Dunwoody Donor Center: 1155 Hammond Drive, Bldg A, Atlanta, GA 30328
· South Metro Donor Center: 675 Southcrest Pkwy., Suite 120, Stockbridge, GA 30281
UPCOMING AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES IN YOUR AREA:
Bartow County:
Cartersville
8/31/2010: 12:00 PM - 5:30 PM, Cartersville Civic Ctr., 435 West Main Street
9/3/2010: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Walmart Store 615, 101 Market Boulevard
Carroll County:
Carrollton
8/27/2010: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Tanner Medical Center, 705 Dixie St.
8/30/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Club Fitness - Carrollton, 830 Maple Street
Villa Rica
8/27/2010: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Chick-fil-A, 85 Commerce Drive
Cherokee County:
Ball Ground
8/23/2010: 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Ball Ground United Methodist Church, 3045 Canton Highway
Canton
8/23/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Canton United Methodist Church, 930 Lower Scot Mill Rd
8/26/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, G. Cecil Pruett Community Center YMCA, 151 Waleska St
8/31/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Bruster's Riverwalk Canton, 101 Riverwalk Court
Woodstock
9/1/2010: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Woodstock High School, 2010 Towne Lake Hills
9/3/2010: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Walmart Supercenter #5275 Bells Ferry, 6435 Bells Ferry Road
9/3/2010: 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM, Walmart Store 575, 12182 Hwy 92
Clayton County:
Morrow
8/26/2010: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, United Education Institute, 1564 Southlake Parkway
Cobb County:
Acworth
8/27/2010: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Acworth Beach House, 2293 Beach Street
Kennesaw
8/25/2010: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Ravine I, 245 Town Park Drive
8/26/2010: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Administaff, 1940 Lodge Rd. NW
8/23/2010: 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Lakeside at Towncenter, 425 Williams Street
Marietta
8/24/2010: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM, LA Fitness Sprayberry, 2550 Sandy Plains Rd.
8/24/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 3455 Canton Rd.
8/24/2010: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM, St. Catherine's Episcopal Church, 571 Holt Road
8/30/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Bruster's Famous Ice Cream - Trickum Rd., 3735 Trickum Rd.
9/1/2010: 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM, EastWest Church, 1521 Hurt Road
9/1/2010: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital, 2540 Windy Hill Rd
9/6/2010: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, 955 Johnson Ferry Road
Powder Springs
8/24/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Oakleigh Subdivision Powder Springs, 4751 Oakleigh Manor Drive
9/6/2010: 2:30 PM - 7:30 PM, American Legion Post 294, 3282 Florence Road
Smyrna
8/23/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Cumberland Community Church, 3110 Sports Avenue
8/24/2010: 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Ed Voyles Honda, 2103 Cobb Parkway
8/25/2010: 2:45 PM - 7:45 PM, First Baptist Church of Smyrna, 1275 Church Street SE
Coweta County:
Newnan
8/23/2010: 12:30 PM - 5:30 PM, American Legion Post 57-VFW Post 2667, 130 Veterans Club Road
9/2/2010: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Asa M Powell Expo Center, 197 Temple Avenue
9/2/2010: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, University of West Georgia Newnan Campus, 7 Fuller Circle
9/3/2010: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Piedmont Newnan Hospital, 60 Hospital Road
Dekalb County:
Atlanta
8/23/2010: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Emory University School of Medicine, 1648 Pierce Drive
8/23/2010: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Sterling Pointe, 303 Perimeter Center North
8/23/2010: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, ASHRAE Atlanta, 1791 Tullie Circle
8/27/2010: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Reit Management & Research LLC, 3 Corporate Square Blvd, Suite 100
8/30/2010: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Egleston Children's Hospital - Clifton Road, 1405 Clifton Road
9/2/2010: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Emory University Hospital, 1364 Clifton Road, NE
Decatur
8/26/2010: 2:30 PM - 7:30 PM, East Metro Service Center, 3486 Covington Highway
8/31/2010: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Veterans Medical Center, 1670 Clairmont Avenue
Lithonia
9/5/2010: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, New Birth Missionary Baptist Lithonia, 6400 Woodrow Road
Stone Mountain
8/25/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Stone Mountain First United Methodist Church, 5312 West Mountain Street
8/25/2010: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Berean Christian Church Family Life Center, 2201 Young Road
Tucker
8/31/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Starbucks #8243 -Tucker, 3983 Lavista Rd
8/31/2010: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM, AT&T Northlake, 2300 Northlake Center Drive
Fayette County:
Peachtree City
9/3/2010: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Peachtree City Gathering Place, 205 McIntosh Trail
Forsyth County:
Cumming
8/30/2010: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Abba House Thrift Store, 3427 Keith Bridge Road
8/31/2010: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Memories Florist, 226 Atlanta Road
9/3/2010: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Cumming Service Center Family Life Center, 133 Samaritan Drive
Fulton County:
Alpharetta
8/30/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Bruster's Holcomb Bridge Rd, 8450 Holcomb Bridge Rd
Atlanta
8/23/2010: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Georgia Institute of Technology, 350 Ferst Drive
8/24/2010: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Simmons Bedding Co, 1 Concourse Parkway
8/24/2010: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Caribou Coffee Atlanta, 4520 Roswell Rd
8/24/2010: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Georgia Institute of Technology, 350 Ferst Drive
8/25/2010: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Georgia Institute of Technology, 350 Ferst Drive
8/25/2010: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, St Joseph's Hospital Atlanta, 5671 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd
8/26/2010: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Georgia Institute of Technology, 350 Ferst Drive
8/26/2010: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, St Joseph's Hospital Atlanta, 5671 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd
8/26/2010: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Fulton County Fire Department Headquarters, 5440 Fulton Industrial Blvd.
8/27/2010: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Atlanta City Employees-City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave
9/6/2010: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Carl E. Sanders Family YMCA, 1160 Moore's Mill Road
Duluth
8/27/2010: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Johns Creek Office Park, 11460 Johns Creek Park- Ciba Vision
Roswell
8/29/2010: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Roswell United Methodist Church, 814 Mimosa Blvd
Gordon County:
Calhoun
8/30/2010: 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM, First United Methodist Church Calhoun, 205 East Line Street
Gwinnett County:
Buford
9/4/2010: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Mall of Georgia, 3333 Buford Drive
9/5/2010: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Mall of Georgia, 3333 Buford Drive
9/6/2010: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Mall of Georgia, 3333 Buford Drive
Centerville Branch
9/3/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Centerville Community Center, 3025 Bethany Church Road
Dacula
9/3/2010: 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM, Bruster's, 2700 Braselton Highway
Duluth
9/3/2010: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, RBC Bank, 3764 Old Norcross Rd
Lawrenceville
8/24/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Prospect United Methodist Church, 1549 Prospect Road NE
8/25/2010: 2:30 PM - 7:30 PM, Gold's Gym, 860 Duluth Hwy
8/29/2010: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Bethesda UMC, 444 Bethesda Church Road
9/6/2010: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Walmart Supercenter 3388, 1400 Lawrenceville Hwy
Lilburn
8/25/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Lilburn Municipal Complex, 76 Main Street
Norcross
8/27/2010: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Technology Park, 157 Technology Parkway Ste 800
8/28/2010: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Feria de la Familia, Norcross High School, 5300 Spalding Drive
8/29/2010: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Victory World Church, 5900 Brook Hollow Parkway
8/29/2010: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Atlanta Unity Church, 3597 Parkway Lane
8/30/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Bruster's Indian Trail, 1590 Indian Trail Rd
8/31/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Bruster's Jimmy Carter, 6359 Jimmy Carter Blvd
Snellville
9/3/2010: 1:30 PM - 6:30 PM, Snellville City Hall, 2342 Oak Road
9/6/2010: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Walmart Supercenter 1720, 1550 Scenic Highway
Sugar Hill
8/31/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, White Oak Elementary School, 6442 Suwanee Dam Road
Suwanee
9/2/2010: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Pediatric Dental Town Johns Creek, 4330 Johns Creek Parkway, Suite 100
9/3/2010: 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM, Walmart Supercenter 3462, 3245 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Hwy
Haralson County:
Tallapoosa
9/2/2010: 1:30 PM - 6:30 PM, First United Methodist Church Tallapoosa, 191 Alewine Ave.
Henry County:
Stockbridge
8/26/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Union United Methodist Church, 4600 Highway 138 SW
Newton County:
Covington
8/26/2010: 12:30 PM - 6:30 PM, First Baptist Church of Covington, 1139 Usher Street
Paulding County:
Dallas
8/23/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Wellstar Paulding Hospital, 600 West Memorial Drive
Rockdale County:
Conyers
8/31/2010: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Rockdale Medical Center East Tower, 1412 Milstead ave
9/6/2010: 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM, American Legion Post 77, 674 American Legion Road
Spalding County:
Griffin
8/31/2010: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM, First United Methodist Church of Griffin, 1401 Maple Drive
9/2/2010: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Spalding Regional Medical Center, 601 South 8th Street
Walton County:
Social Circle
9/1/2010: 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Social Circle High School, 145 Alcova Drive
How to Donate Blood
To schedule an appointment to donate please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit 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.
About the American Red Cross
The Southern Blood Services Region serves over 160 counties and needs to collect 1,200 units of blood a day to meet patient need in more than 120 hospitals. In addition to supplying nearly half of the nation's blood, the American Red Cross teaches lifesaving skills, provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization—not a government agency—and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.
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