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Eligible Donors are encouraged to give blood during September's National Preparedness Month. Red Cross reports that the blood supply is at a critical low level, with less than a three-day supply on hand. The need for blood is high for patients involved in accidents, and for children and elderly, who suffer from illness, surgical complications or cancer.

Donors are needed for the Wednesday, September 12, 2012, Noon to 6 p.m. Bloodmobile, at the Emily City Hall with a goal of 119 pints to be collected. Donors need to be 17 years or older, no upper age limits, at least 110 pounds and in general good health. Sixteen year olds are eligible to donate with a parental or guardian's signature on a Red Cross permission form. Red Cross has an appointment program for donors.

As in a doctor's office, donors set up an appointment. They are allowed 15 minutes after the scheduled time, to arrive at the blood drive before they lose their appointment. Walk-ins will be given the next available appointment. Usually the blood drive is less busy after 3 p.m. By this procedure, Red Cross feels that donors will have less of a wait. Call if an appointment needs to be changed.

Donors now have an option to fill out their own paper work on a computer. For those less familiar with computers, the Red Cross staff will fill out the paper work as usually has been done.

Fifty-six days between blood donations are required, so anyone who donated single units at Emily's bloodmobile in May is eligible to donate in September.

Donors who occasionally have low iron counts are reminded to improve their iron levels by either taking over the counter iron supplements and/or adding iron rich foods to their diets. Meat, fish and poultry are the best-absorbed iron rich foods. Iron fortified cereals, beans, raisins, baked potatoes, and breads and pasta made with iron-enriched flour are encouraged to be eaten. Foods high in Vitamin C will help absorb the iron; while tea, coffee, bran, and antacids block the absorption of iron.

The Emily area hosts three bloodmobiles each year with this being the 59th blood drive held over the past 24 years. It is open to anyone from the surrounding areas; all blood types are needed. Donors are invited to also help recruit new donors. Double Red Cell Donors are needed with Blood types of A-, B-, O+ and O-. There will be six double red cell machines available for use. Please call if you are interested in this option.

Root beer Floats will be served in the canteen area as a special appreciation of all of our donors.

We continue to dedicate our blood drives to all of our area friends and relatives who have required blood transfusions. We want to make sure that blood is available for them, whenever it is required.

This is a community project sponsored by the Emily, Outing, Fifty Lakes Lakers Lions. To sign up to be a donor at Emily's bloodmobile and anyone who would like to volunteer to work with the bloodmobile, may call coordinator Nancy Moritz, RN at 763-3097 for an appointment.[[In-content Ad]]

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