District 117 Representative Houston Gaines is calling on constituents to help the American Red Cross. Gaines is hosting a blood drive to help replenish the dwindling blood supply.
“One of the other main challenges that we have moving forward even beyond COVID-19 is we’ve seen a significant shortage of blood donations. We got on the phone with the Red Cross and said we want to help and so we came up with setting up our own blood drive. Athens Academy was gracious enough to host the drive and so this coming Wednesday, March the 25th, from 10 am until 4 pm there will be a blood drive at Athens Academy. We’ve agreed to get 60 people there.”
Every two seconds there is someone in the United States in need of blood or platelets and all blood types are urgently needed. According to the Red Cross, more than 160 blood drives across Georgia have been cancelled, resulting in more than 7,700 fewer blood donations.
“And we really need people to give blood.”
He says the process will be safe. All donors are asked to schedule appointments
“The Red Cross is taking all the precautionary measures for social distancing. That’s why we’re asking people to sign up in advance so we can space it out appropriately. There will be sanitizing, temperature checks, taking all the appropriate steps to make sure that it’s a healthy and safe way to donate blood.”
Gaines says this shortage is being felt around the nation and having donors turn out for this and similar blood drives is critical.
“We need the help and I would call on our community to come together during this challenging time and help us with this significant need that we have here in Athens and the surrounding area, across our state and across our nation.”
That blood drive is Wednesday, from 10 am until 4 pm. Visit RedCrossblood.org to make an appointment.
