Lions Club encourages blood donation, Sept. 19

To the Editor and Monticello community,

     The Monticello Lions Club is sponsoring a Red Cross blood drive on Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Monticello Berndes Center, located at the Jones County Fairgrounds.

     To make an appointment to donate, please call 1-800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org. Walk-in donors are always welcome.

     The Red Cross collects and distributes about 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply. On any given day, 44,000 pints of blood may be required to meet the needs of patients across the United States.

     Here in Eastern Iowa, volunteer blood donors are needed to provide life-saving blood and blood products to hospital patients. Blood donation matters every day for cancer patients undergoing treatment, for accident and trauma patients, and for individuals being treated for various blood disorders.

     Only 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, but less than 10 percent donate annually. If you are one of the eligible people who are able to donate, your donation is very important in saving lives.

     You can make a difference. Area hospitals rely on a safe and adequate supply of blood to help patients who are in need of blood. Many of us know of at least one person who has received blood at some point. We know the critical necessity of a safe blood supply.

     Individuals who are at least 17 years of age (16 years with parental permission in Iowa), weigh at least 100 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood.

     I encourage you to give of your time and donate blood on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at the Berndes Center in Monticello.

     The need is constant. The gratification is instant. Thank you for helping to make the Monticello Lions fall blood drive a success.

Lion John Lacock

and the Lions Blood Drive Committee