Numerous blood donation opportunities ahead to close out 2023

The holiday season is officially underway, and one of the gifts you can give this season is the gift of life through a blood donation.

And there are a lot of opportunities across the KVOE listening are through New Year’s Eve.

American Red Cross Central Plains Division spokesperson Susan Faler says overall donations have been low for some time. She says blood donations save lives in several ways.

Faler discussed several specific scenarios where patients need blood on KVOE’s Morning Show this week, including transfusions after a crash where the hospital doesn’t have access to blood type information and cancer patients who have chemotherapy treatments on hold because their platelet counts are low. Her Morning Show appearance comes before a busy time for blood drives, including three over the next week:

*Sunday, 11:30 am to 4:30 pm at Flinthills Mall
*Monday, noon-6 pm at the Emporia American Legion Post 5
*Wednesday, 9 am to 3 pm at Olpe High

Donors at these events get a $10 eGift card and are automatically entered for a chance to win a $5,000 eGift card.

Donors also have other chances for prizes through the end of the year, including Red Cross Elf socks for drives between Nov. 10-30, $10 Amazon eGift cards for donations between Dec. 1-17 and long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirts for drives between Dec. 18-Jan. 5.

To donate blood and find a drive that’s convenient for your schedule, go online to redcrossblood.org or call 800-RED-CROSS.

Blood drives through Dec. 31, 2023

*Sunday, 11:30 am-4:30 pm, Flinthills Mall
*Monday, noon-6 pm, Emporia American Legion Post 5
*Wednesday, 9 am-3 pm, Olpe High School
*Nov. 15: 9:30 am-3:30 pm, Hartford High School
*Nov. 20: 12-6 pm, Saint Marks Lutheran Church
*Nov. 21: 8 am-1:30 pm, Lyndon High School
*Nov. 22: 12-6 pm, Chase County Community Building
*Dec. 6: 11 am-5 pm, Emporia State Memorial Union Ballroom
*Dec. 11: 11:30 am-5:30 pm, Newman Regional Health. Drive continues Dec. 12 from 8 am to 2 pm
*Dec. 18: 1-7 pm, Waverly High School