Giving blood is one of the most important things you can do to help in your community. 

Blood Assurance will be back with Relay for Life in their mobile blood drive trailer at Three Star Mall on Dec. 16-17. For every blood donor, Blood Assurance will donate $10 to Relay for Life. 

Turnouts for blood drives have been low overall this year, but in Warren County, there hasn’t been a significant decrease in donors since the pandemic.

Blood drive officials are hoping for 50 participants. Debbie Sain of MES and Relay for Life said they can accommodate more. “Right now during COVID, all the charitable organizations have been affected due to canceling events and donation opportunities,” she said.

Blood Assurance is the only blood provider for Ascension Saint Thomas River Park Hospital, so it’s important to give back to support our hospital and our community, Sain said. Relay for Life and Blood Assurance have worked together on drives to provide blood and plasma to cancer patients.

All donors will receive a fleece blanket and be entered into two drawings for a chance to win prizes. One drawing is for a Holiday Home Makeover basket. The other is a stocking full of lottery tickets. To participate, an appointment would be preferred because walk-ins sometimes aren’t able to donate depending on the amount of donors. If you make an appointment, you will donate for sure.

The drive will be in front of the mall in a Blood Assurance trailer on Wednesday, Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Thursday, Dec. 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an appointment, visit bloodassurance.org/relayforlife or contact Debbie Sain at 473-3144 or dsain@mesystem.net. 

If you participate, be sure to eat a good meal, drink water and bring a photo ID. If you cannot or are uncomfortable donating blood, monetary donations can be accepted by Carla Savage at Citizens Tri-County Bank.