Invest your time to help others
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Area residents will have an opportunity to perform a simple and selfless act Wednesday.
That’s when this year’s Jefferson County Media Day Blood Drive is scheduled to be held at the St. Florian Event Center in Wintersville. The doors will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and we hope that everyone who is eligible will participate in the annual event.
Late spring and early summer often bring a need for blood that sometimes isn’t met. Regular donors might be on vacation or involved with other activities that keep them away from donation centers. That said, the need for blood does not go away. People will be injured in accidents, some might need emergency surgeries and others could require potentially life-saving scheduled surgeries for cancer or other medical conditions.
While we might not think about it too much, the fact, according to officials with the Red Cross, is that every two seconds, someone needs blood and about 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day. A victim of a car accident, for example, can require as many as 100 units of blood.
Appointments are encouraged — by calling (800) 733-2767; by visiting RedCrossBlood.org and entering JeffMedia; or through the Red Cross app — but walk-ins will be accepted, the officials noted. Everyone who donates blood through the end of the month will receive a $15 e-gift card, Red Cross officials explained. As an added incentive, donors at Wednesday’s event will receive a T-shirt, while supplies last.
Donations are vital — the Red Cross says that it provides 40 percent of the nation’s blood and blood components. There are times, though, that demand exceeds supply, and that’s mainly because only 3 percent of those who are eligible donate blood each year.
The donation process is simple — all you have to do is complete a questionnaire and pass a simple health check. The skilled professionals who take the donations make giving blood quick, painless and effortless on the part of the donor.
The Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times once again are proud to be able to team with WTRF-TV, WTOV-TV and WCDK-FM and the radio stations of the River Network to sponsor media day. It’s a chance to invest a little bit of your time to help others.
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