• November 11th - Carl Sandburg College - 9a.m. to 2p.m.
• November 22nd - Red Cross - 2p.m. to 6p.m.
• November 25th - Red Cross - 9:30a.m. to 1:30p.m.
• November 29th - Red Cross - 2p.m. to 6p.m.

November 15, 2005 – This Thanksgiving, the American Red Cross Blood Services would like to thank all the generous and selfless people who have donated blood this past year to help those in need. The Red Cross is also appealing to all eligible donors to donate at this time to help ensure that an adequate blood supply is available during late November and early December. There is an urgent need for all Type O donors and those with an RH negative blood type. Recently blood usage has been high in response to the needs of trauma and liver transplant patients. Imagine having a loved one in need of a blood transfusion and the blood not being available.

The Red Cross is so thankful for blood donors that between November 21st and December 3rd presenting donors will have a chance to win a $50 gas card or an iPod.

• Starting November 20th and running through November 26th, each day’s presenting donors will be entered into a daily raffle for a $50 gas card.
• Beginning November 27th and running through December 3rd, each day’s presenting donors will be entered into a daily raffle for an iPOD.

During the busy Thanksgiving holiday period, people become busy and forget that the need for blood never takes a holiday. To help ensure that the blood supply will meet patient needs, all eligible blood donors are encouraged to make an appointment to donate or to stop by a Red Cross blood collection center.

To be eligible to donate blood one must be in good health, be at least 17 years old (or 16 years old with parent/guardian signed Red Cross consent form), weigh at least 110 pounds and have not donated in the last 56 days. There is no upper age limit for donating.

The American Red Cross is dedicated to saving lives, easing suffering and restoring hope at home and around the world. The Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to the victims of more than 67,000 disasters nationwide and has been the primary supplier of lifesaving blood and blood products in the United States for more than 50 years. The American Red Cross Blood Services is a nationwide system. By donating to the Red Cross, blood donors ensure that blood is available to not only patients in their community, but to patients in need of blood wherever and whenever there is a need. The Red Cross also supplies many hospitals where special care, not offered in many local hospitals is provided.