The Senoia area will host its first blood drive on Friday, November 28, 2008. The Senoia Optimist Club will be the sponsor and the location of the drive is the Senoia Methodist Church in historic Senoia. The drive hours are from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Blood inventories at this time will be at a critically low level. This community blood drive will certainly make a difference. The drive is receiving support from not only the Senoia Optimist Club, but The Redneck Gourmet, McGuires Pub, The Bear radio station and other local merchants.

We would certainly appreciate your support as well.

This will be the first of quarterly blood drives held in the area, with the next scheduled for February.

“This is a critical time of year for blood and platelet donations,” said Randy Edwards, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross Southern Blood Services Region. “We’re so grateful for our dedicated blood donors, but now we’re asking them to not only continue to give themselves, but to challenge their friends and family to also give the gift of life. With more Red Cross advocates spreading the word in Coweta County, we stand a greater chance of being able to meet the needs in our community this holiday season.”

The Red Cross Southern Blood Services Region provides life-saving blood to approximately 120 hospitals and must have 1,200 people give blood and platelets each weekday to meet hospital demand. Accident victims as well as patients with cancer, sickle cell disease, blood disorders and other illnesses receive life-saving transfusions every day. There is no substitute for blood and volunteer donors are the only source.

Blood can be safely donated every 56 days. Platelets can be given safely every two weeks, up to 24 times a year. Most healthy people age 17 and older or 16 with parental consent, who weigh at least 110 pounds, are eligible to donate blood and platelets. For more information or to schedule an appointment to donate, please call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (448-3543) or visit www.redcrossblood.org.

login to post comments