We’re in the season of giving and what better way to give back to your community than by donating blood?
On Tuesday, Dec. 8 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the American Red Cross and Penn State Athletics will partner up to host the Annual Beaver Stadium blood drive in the President’s Suite at Beaver Stadium.
For the sixth year, Penn State and The Red Cross are urging individuals to give back by donating blood in order to ensure that blood will be available during the holiday season.
With 14,000 blood donations needed to be collected everyday, blood transfusions are always high in demand throughout the entire year. Every two seconds a patient in the U.S. is in need of a blood transfusion whether it be for an accident or burn, heart surgery, organ transplant, or leukemia, cancer, and sickle cell disease treatments.
With people’s busier schedules during the holiday season as well as extreme weather there is less free time for people to donate blood.
“During the winter months and especially around the holidays, blood donations tend to decline,” Communications Manager for the Greater Alleghenies Blood Services Region Steve Mavica said. “Long holiday weekends pose an extra challenge when many donors are traveling to be with family and friends.”
Donors at the annual blood drive will receive a Beaver Stadium blood drive t-shirt, food catered by DelGrosso Foods, and a chance to win four tickets to Penn State football’s away game on Sept. 16, 2016 in Pittsburgh.
Appointments for the blood drive are encouraged and can be made through redcrossblood.org using the sponsor code PSU, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or on the American Red Cross Blood Donor App. Donors are asked to enter the stadium through the Suites Lobby entrance off of Porter Road, near Gate A. There will be free parking available in the Porter North lot.
