Blood Assurance, the non-profit regional blood center, has the following blood drives scheduled for Labor Day, Monday:
Walmart - Collegedale, 5538 Little Debbie Pkwy., Ooltewah - 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Signal Mountain Lion's Club, Althaus Park, 809 James Blvd., Signal Mountain - 9:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.
Whitwell City Hall, Atterton Park, Whitwell - 9 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Northgate Mall, 1600 N. Jackson St., Tullahoma - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Lowe's, 180 Marketplace Blvd., Johnson City, 9 a.m - 2 p.m.
Whitfield Memorial Garden, 701 W Cuyler St., Dalton, Ga. - 11 a.m.
- 4 p.m.
Knights of Columbus Council, #4410 Rome Civic Center, 402 Civic Center Dr., Rome, Ga. - 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Emory & Henry College, Van Dyke Hall, Emory, Va. - 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Six of its blood centers will also be open on Labor Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Hixson, Downtown Chattanooga, and Tullahoma in Tennessee; Fort Oglethorpe and Rome in Georgia; and Abingdon, Virginia.
Donors of all types are urged to come in, especially donors with O negative type blood. Platelet donors are needed as well. 70 healthcare facilities in a 47 county/5 state region depend on Blood Assurance volunteer donors for life-saving blood and blood components. Over 440 blood donors are needed every day.
To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. The process usually takes about 30 minutes and includes a complimentary snack and t-shirt. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids - avoiding caffeine - and eat a meal that is rich in iron prior to donating.
Beginning Friday, “I Bleed” t-shirts will be available to donors, and visitors to Blood Assurance can register for a chance to win a 40” flat screen TV. For more information about donating blood, please call Blood Assurance at 1-800-962-0628 or go to www.BloodAssurance.org.