WINNEMUCCA - Local residents are invited to "Beef Up the Blood Supply" later this month by giving blood.
The Humboldt General Hospital Auxiliary along with United Blood Services in Reno will host its annual Community Blood Drive on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 28-29, at the west hall of the Winnemucca Convention Center.
All donors will be treated to the usual juice and cookies as well as complimentary hamburger sliders, courtesy of the Humboldt County Cattlewomen's Association.
According to Auxiliary blood drive chairman Carole Doughty, the Auxiliary and the Cattlewomen teamed up, not only to give local residents a delicious incentive to give blood, but also because beef is so iron rich, providing donors exactly what they need to help build up their own blood supply.
"We're really excited to have the Cattlewomen work with us," said Doughty. "We hope people will help support this drive as we move into the holiday season and our blood needs increase."
The Auxiliary, one of Humboldt County's longest standing and most respected volunteer organizations, hosts three blood drives each year. In addition to this month's event, drives will take place next March and July.
According to Doughty, the blood donated locally will be used to meet the needs of patients throughout northern Nevada and the eastern Sierra. Each blood donation can help several patients, said Doughty.
United Blood Services representative Jan McKee said that every unit of donated blood is sent to the United Blood Services laboratory for testing and processing. Laboratory technicians separate the whole blood into components to meet patients' specific needs.
McKee said while individual components are transfused for specific medical needs, a patient with a serious injury may require several different components.
The Community Blood Drive will take place from noon to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 28, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29. Donors must be 17 years of age or older, must weigh at least 110 pounds and must be in reasonably good health.
Those who have visited a dentist in the past 24 hours or who have taken antibiotics up to three days prior may not donate. A history of cancer in the last year or tattoos or body piercings in the last 12 months may defer a donor for a year.
Donors should eat a low-fat meal prior to giving blood and bring personal identification: a driver's license, a blood donor card or a Social Security card. The virtually painless process takes less than an hour.
Community residents who wish to donate blood may call Carole Doughty at (775) 623-2637 to schedule an appointment or for more information.
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