The American Red Cross is asking those who feel healthy to make it a summer full of life by donating blood. Your donation will ensure that blood is available for patients who rely on lifesaving transfusions.

With vacations, outdoor activities and school breaks, summer is a challenging time to collect enough blood donations to meet the needs of patients. The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime.

All blood donations are now tested for COVID-19 antibodies. Please see https://www.redcrossblood.org/AntibodyTesting for more details.

Come to give blood June 14-30 and get a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card by email, thanks to Amazon. Restrictions apply. See additional information and details at RedCrossBlood.org/Together.

Zwingli United Church of Christ, 416 E. Lake Avenue in Monticello, is hosting the Monticello Community Blood Drive on Friday, June 25, 2021, from 12:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

An appointment is strongly recommended. To do so, please download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit http://www.redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire found at http://www.redcrossblood.org/rapidpass is encouraged to help speed up the donation process. A blood donor card or driver’s license, or two other forms of identification, are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Thank you for supporting the American Red Cross blood program!

Pre-Donation Temperature Screening

All donors will be asked to have their temperature taken before being permitted into the blood drive. If a donor has a temperature greater than 99.5F, they will be asked to donate another time.

Social Distancing

The set up will allow 6 feet distance between donor areas. Only blood donors will be permitted at blood drives. After check-in, donors will be asked to wait in a designated area (or even their car), and donors may be asked for their phone number to be notified when it’s their turn.

Staff and Volunteer Personal Wellness and Protection

All staff and volunteers will have a temperature check at the blood drive, if temperature is greater than 99.5F they will not be able to work. Staff and volunteers will wear gloves throughout the entire drive, changing gloves between every donor. Staff and volunteers who will be in close proximity with donors for a prolonged period of time will wear basic face masks. Please note that the Red Cross does not provide face masks for donors at drives.

Enhanced Disinfecting

Hand sanitizer will be available at check-in, health history and refreshment areas. Blood donors will be asked to use hand sanitizer before and during the donation process. Donor’s beds will be sanitized between every donor.