Blood drive hosted at library, set for CCTC Adult Program

With the summer season beginning, the need for blood donations is on the rise.

Jeremy Childers, team leader for the American Red Cross of the Greater Allegheny Region, said donations tend to drop once schools end their academic year and people go on vacation.

“It’s really important for us in the summertime,” he said.

Childers was one of the Red Cross workers carrying out a blood drive on Thursday at the Briggs Lawrence Public Library in Ironton.

He said, overall, the process takes about 45 minutes to an hour.

“The actual bleeding is about six to ten minutes,” he said, noting that turnout had been good. “We’ve been here for an hour and have already had five or six people come in.”

Donors are then given a snack and monitored.

For those who missed Thursday’s event, another blood drive will take place today at the Collins Career Technical Center Adult Program in Coal Grove.

The drive, scheduled for 11 a.m.- 5 p.m., is being hosted with the nursing program at the school and administered by the Red Cross.

Walk-ins are welcome, or people can call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit www.redcrossblood and enter “collinscoalgrove” to schedule an appointment.