Community blood drives planned

The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center has scheduled two blood drives in Fairfield.

The first will be from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Argiro Student Center on the Maharishi University of Management campus.

Donors who last gave blood on or before Jan. 21 will be eligible to donate.

For an appointment, email stuact@mum.edu or visit the website www.bloodcenterimpact.org.

A blood drive is set from 2-7 p.m. March 27 at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds Activity Building.

Donors who last gave blood on or before Jan. 30 will be eligible to donate.

For an appointment, call the Ottumwa Telerecruitment Department at 800-452-1097 or visit the website www.bloodcenterimpact.org.

Eligible donors must be at least 17 years of age ? or 16 with a signed parental permission form available at www.bloodcenter.org ? and weigh more than 110 pounds. A person with diabetes or controlled high blood pressure can be accepted as an eligible donor.

A photo identification or Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center donor card is required to donate.

According to blood center officials, blood donation is a safe, simple procedure that takes about 45-60 minutes.

The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center is the provider of blood and blood components to more than 87 hospitals in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin. It is the exclusive provider to Jefferson County Health Center in Fairfield and the Van Buren County Hospital in Keosauqua.