Area blood drives scheduled

The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center has scheduled several blood drives.

A community blood drive is planned from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Batavia Senior Center. Donors who last gave on or before March 4 are eligible to give again at this drive. To donate, call the Ottumwa Telerecruitment Department at 800-452-1097 or visit www.bloodcenterimpact.org and use code 5135 to locate the drive.

First United Methodist Church in Fairfield will host a community blood drive from 2-6:30 p.m. May 4 in the church dining room. Donors who last gave on or before March 9 are eligible to give again. All donors will be entered to win one of five $100 gift cards for a spa day. To donate, call Melva Dahl at 472-5762 or visit www.bloodcenterimpact.org and use code 5105 to locate the drive.

The Birmingham Lions Club will host a community blood drive from 2:30-6 p.m. May 7 at the Birmingham Lions Building. Donors who last gave on or before March 12 will be able to give again. To donate, call Harry Anderson at 319-498-4201 or visit www.bloodcenterimpact.org and use code 5006 to locate the drive.

Fairfield High School Student Council will host a community blood drive from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. May 8 in the FHS Gynmasium. Donors who last gave on or before March 13 will be eligible to give again. All presenting donors will be entered to win a $25 Casey?s General Store gift card. To donate, contact Heidi Grunwald at the high school or a student council member or visit www.bloodcenterimpact.org and use code 5023 to locate the drive.

Noah?s Ark Animal Foundation will host a community blood drive from 3-6 p.m. May 11 at the animal shelter. Donors who last gave on or before March 16 will be eligible to give again. All donors will be entered to win one of five $100 gift cards for a spa day. To donate, call Dawn Hauck at 472-6080 or visit www.bloodcenterimpact.org and use code 5377 to locate the drive.

Potential donors must be at least 17 years old, although 16-year-olds can donate with a completed parental permission form available at www.bloodcenter.org. Donors must weigh more than 110 pounds, have a photo identification or blood donor card. Individuals with diabetes or controlled high blood pressure can be accepted as eligible donors.

For information about eligibility, call the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center at 800-747-5401.

According to blood center officials, blood donation is a safe, simple procedure that takes about 45 minutes to one hour.

The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center is the provider of blood and blood components to more than 85 hospitals in Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin and Iowa, including the Jefferson County Health Center in Fairfield and the Van Buren County Hospital in Keosauqua.