Community college to host
Red Cross blood drive Oct. 26
PRESQUE ISLE — With the supply of blood and the number of regular blood donors across the state and country down, two student organizations at Northern Maine Community College are hoping their efforts to sponsor an American Red Cross blood drive on campus later this month will help.
The NMCC chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa student honor society and the Student Nurses Association will host the blood drive in the college gymnasium Wednesday, Oct. 26 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. In addition to encouraging members of the student body, faculty and staff to donate blood, the sponsors are inviting community members to join in the effort.
The NMCC blood drive comes at a time when blood supplies are urgently needed throughout the state and region. A series of recent storms, coupled with a decrease in donations over the summer months, has created an above average need for supply. On average, the state receives approximately 70,000 units of blood donations each year, but in order to keep up with the daily demand for blood in central and northern New England, the Red Cross must receive a minimum of 350,000 units per year — that means that a total of 1,400 pints of blood must be collected every working day in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont to meet patient needs.
Eighty percent of the blood donations given to the Red Cross are collected at mobile blood drives set up at community organizations, companies, high schools and colleges, places of worship or military installations. The remaining 20 percent are collected at fixed Red Cross donor centers.
As an extra incentive for helping to save a life, everyone presenting to give blood will be entered into a drawing and have the chance to win a seven day cruise for two from Boston to Bermuda on the Norwegian Dawn, courtesy of CruiseOne.
Community members who would like to donate blood can log on to www.givelife.org or call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE to make an appointment or for more information. Appointments are not necessary, but are encouraged.
