Three blood drives scheduled in Fairfield

Several Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center blood drives are scheduled in the area.

The Roosevelt Community Recreation Center in Fairfield will host a drive from 1-5:30 p.m. Sept. 17. Donors who last gave on or before July 23 are eligible to give again. Walk-in donors are welcome, but for appointments, call Derik Wulfekuhle at 472-6159.

A blood drive will be from 3-6:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds Activity Building. Donors who last gave on or before July 25 are eligible to give again. Walk-in donors are welcome, but for appointments, call 800-452-1097.

Noah?s Ark Animal Foundation is hosting a blood drive in honor of Cody Cohen from 2-7 p.m. Sept. 23. Donors who last gave on or before July 29 are eligible to give again. Walk-in donors are welcome, but for appointments, call Dawn Safrit at 472-6080.

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; one pint of blood can help save the lives of up to three patients, and one out of every five people entering the hospital will need blood products.

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.

The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center mobile crew collected 45 pints of blood Aug. 30 at Mother Cabrini Parish Center in Richland. It also collected 15 pints Aug. 30 at the Birmingham Lions Building in Birmingham, and 17 pints Aug. 30 at the Batavia Senior Community Center.