DL Jaycees host American Red Cross blood drive Thursday

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – The Northwest Water Carnival continued Thursday with an American Red Cross blood drive at Grace Lutheran Church hosted by the Detroit Lakes Jaycees.

Forty people filled up the signup sheet to donate at the event and the nurses filled every bag with potentially life-saving blood that they had on hand.

Allie, an event supervisor for the American Red Cross, said their donation team is based out of St. Cloud, but they have been conducting blood drives in west-central Minnesota all week with stops in Fergus Falls and Fargo before the Detroit Lakes event on July 20.

“There is always a need for blood,” she said. “Minnesota itself is doing pretty good. A lot of times we end up sending it out of state to people that do need it. So that’s why (people should donate) because there is always a need for it.”

Allie said she can take about 200-300 blood donations every month and the American Red Cross tries to schedule a blood drive for them to work five days a week.

“Along with there just always being a need, but free snacks, and we’re giving away free t-shirts right now, which is always super fun,” she said.

She also said she started working for the American Red Cross because, when she donated blood in her teenage years, she thought everyone seemed to be having a good time and she also wanted to provide a service that could potentially save lives.

“I like the fact that I can help people and know that doing what I do that someone is going to get some good out of it and I want everyone to get that and hopefully help them,” said Allie. “I donated when I was 16 for the first time and I just remember looking around and thinking that it looked like everyone was having fun … and everyone worked together so well. And it’s still like that now, so I’m glad that I did get into it.”

The American Red Cross was founded in 1881 by Clara Barton and has even since been dedicated to serving those in need. The Red Cross is also charged with providing services to members of the miliary and their families, as well as, providing disaster relief during emergency situations.

For more information on the American Red Cross and to find the nearest blood donation drive near you, visit the nonprofit’s website at: redcross.org.