Community blood drive set for April 25 in Glencoe

To the Editor:
The first Glencoe Community Blood Drive of 2018 is scheduled in one week, next Wednesday, April 25, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Glencoe City Center Ballroom. The American Red Cross has set our goal for this blood drive at 111 units.
This notice will be short and to the point:
• The American Red Cross is in need of blood donations.
• You have blood.
• Donate!
• If you have a donation appointment, keep it!
• Our registration is almost full, except for a few Power Red (formerly Double Red) slots. If you are able to give a “double-dose” at this drive, please call our Scheduling Coordinator Nelda Klaustermeier at 320-864-3475 and check if there are still any openings.
• Save time at the blood drive by using RapidPass to complete online your pre-donation reading and health history. Log on at redcross
blood.org/rapidpass and follow the directions. This must be done the day of the drive, April 25. Print or email the PDF to yourself so you can show it when you come to donate. If you don’t do it correctly, you will be asked to complete all the questions again at the drive.
Advice to walk-ins: The Red Cross honors appointments first. If you decide to be a walk-in, we can’t promise that you will be able to donate. Typically, there may be 20 or more no-shows or deferrals (ineligible to donate at this drive), so walk-ins are needed. We cannot create space where the schedule is already full, but we appreciate those who come in on the chance of an opening. If you decide you want to be a walk-in, be prepared to wait — maybe for a long time. Don’t plan to “walk-in” during the first two hours of the drive, as the time slots are filled to capacity.
Blood is a perishable product. Your one donated unit has the potential to help or save up to three patients. Every unit counts. Thanks for donating!
Charleen Engelmann
Coordinator
Glencoe Community Blood Drive