End the year right: Be a Blood Donor

Blood donors wear their hearts under their sleeves

By Shaina Gates and Tom Petersen

The Puget Sound Blood Center mobile unit is back in Richmond Beach this Saturday, ready to help you make your last contribution of the year. Many have taken the full week off and donations are down, so we’re asking for your help. Every day your donation matters, but this weekend is especially important.

Why, you ask?

The Blood Center counts on 900 donors each and every day. With most institutions, schools, and businesses closed early this week and many folks out for the rest of this week, the community blood supply will be hit hard. We also anticipate many donors to be unavailable next week with the New Year’s holiday as well. Though your community blood inventory is at 3- and 4- day supplies now, it won’t be in the coming week – we expect to see drops down to 1- and 2-day supplies of certain blood types.

If you are not available, we understand and appreciate you all the same! But if you are in town Saturday and can spare an hour, can we please count on you to lend an arm?

The Bloodmobile will be in front of the Shoreline Fire Safety Center, at the corner of Richmond Beach Road and 20th Ave NW. The open hours are 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ups are welcome and encouraged, but appointments are recommended to cut down on wait times and to keep the unit operating at full efficiency. Appointments are made on-line by going to “search blood drives” in zip code 98177.