Few places hold the cultural and historic significance of New York City, and now, as part of the American Red Cross “New York Getaway” promotion, one lucky blood donor from The American Red Cross Carolinas Blood Services Region will have an opportunity to experience the Big Apple first-hand just by giving blood or platelets between April 1 and April 30.
During the month of April, everyone who presents to donate blood or platelets at an American Red Cross blood drive or donor center will be entered into a regional drawing for a “New York Getaway” prize package, which includes two round-trip domestic tickets on Delta Air Lines, a two-night weekend stay at the New York Palace Hotel and two tickets to experience the heralded Blue Man Group while enjoying the sites and sounds that New York City has to offer.
Blood, and, moreover, blood donors, saves lives. Every two seconds someone in America needs blood just to survive. Blood is not something that can be manufactured in a lab or pulled off of the shelves when the need arises. The only source of life-saving blood is donors who give the gift of life by giving blood and platelets.
Blood drives will be held at the following locations in Henderson:
Maria Parham Medical Center, Friday, April 13 from 10:00 a.m. — 2:30 p.m.
Vance Granville Community College, Wednesday, April 18 from 11:00 a.m. — 3:30 p.m.
City Operations Center, Wednesday, April 24 from 11:00 a.m. — 3:00 p.m.
“Those who give blood, quite simply, give the gift of life,” said Rick Norwood, Vance County Coordinator of the Central North Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross Blood Services. “Thanks to donations from Delta Air Lines and the Blue Man Group, we have the chance to give our donors, who so generously provide blood and platelets, the experience of a lifetime.”
Because blood can be separated into three components — blood, platelets and plasma — one donation can benefit up to three individuals. Because it takes up to three days for blood to be processed and made available to hospitals, it is important that a donation be made ahead of an emergency. If everyone who was eligible would donate four times a year, there would never be a blood shortage.
The American Red Cross Carolinas Blood Services, which supplies blood to approximately 103 hospitals, needs 1,600 blood and platelet donors each day in order to meet the needs of patients in the region. Blood donors must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. Please call 1.800.GIVE-LIFE or visit www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment to donate blood or platelets.