“We always appreciate it, and it makes a difference to plenty of people.”
During the summer months, people are out doing a variety of things. Some are at the beach, while others are on vacation in other places.
The need for blood donations doesn’t stop no matter the circumstances.
On Aug. 4, the Cinnaminson Police Department paired with the American Red Cross for a blood drive at the Cinnaminson Community Center.Running from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., the blood drive totaled 41 units of blood.
“The summer is a challenging time for us to receive donations,” External Communications Manager of the Red Cross Alana Mauger said. “People are out and about throughout the summer months, and it is tough to get consistent donations if people can’t attend.”
The summer months also mean the vacation for local schools and colleges, which also host blood drives.
It is the slowest time for donations, Mauger said, other than the winter months.
“Other than near the Christmas holiday, we see a dip in donations in the summer,” Mauger said. “When snow becomes a factor, people also don’t want to commute in it to attend local drives.”
The Red Cross strives to collect 1,000 units of blood each day, 365 days a year. If the Red Cross doesn’t receive that number, then it has to think of other ways to find that blood.
“We try to educate the public on the importance of blood, and that it cannot be manufactured,” Mauger said. “On July 5, we issued an emergency call for blood donations, and since then we have worked with our media partners and also provided incentives to donors.”
In the South Jersey region, donors are given a coupon to Dunkin Donuts after they donate to the Red Cross. The coupon can be redeemed for a free donut and medium iced coffee.
“We try to reward our donors for coming out and helping the cause,” Mauger said.
The positive for the Red Cross is that over the last 10 years, the need for blood has declined rather than grown, Mauger stated.
Due to advances in medicine and medical procedures, the need has been pretty consistent year-to-year.
“We really appreciate the donations that come in,” Mauger said. “It’s always good to see the time that people do put in and to see they are helping making a difference in others’ lives.”
In the Penn-Jersey region, there are 26 American Red Cross Blood Donation Centers available. On average, the region holds 20 community blood drives every day, and some are offered on different days of the week than others.
To find more information on how to donate, locations or useful tips regarding blood drives, visit http://www.redcrossblood.org.
