By Ryan McDivitt, American Red Cross Volunteer
Electricity was still in the air at Cleveland’s Gateway Plaza Monday, June 20th just hours after the Cleveland Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA Championship. While hundreds of fans lined up to buy Cavaliers gear at Quicken Loans Arena, two American Red Cross blood mobiles were parked on the adjacent plaza between the Q and Progressive Field for the annual Cleveland Indians Blood drive.
The Red Cross partnered with the Indians and Cleveland Clinic to collect urgently needed blood. Summer vacations and activities often make it difficult to collect the 14,000 lifesaving blood donations needed every day, so blood drives like this are a huge contribution to the community.
Donors were given a chance to win free tickets to an upcoming Indian’s game as an incentive to attract caring individuals to donate their blood, plasma, and platelets.
And because the bloodmobiles were parked in the shadow of the Q, donors were able to snap selfies with the home of the NBA Champs in the background.
Photo credit: Jim McIntyre/American Red Cross
Donors can save time whenever they give blood with Rapidpass. The pre-donation information and health history questionnaire can be filled out online on the day of the donation at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass.
The Red Cross strives to make donating blood a convenient, easy, and rewarding experience. The Red Cross Blood Donor app allows its users to manage donation appointments, track the lifetime impact of their donations, and even earn rewards doing so. If you would like to help save a life by donating blood, download the Red Cross Blood app, visit redcrossblood.org, or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment.
And congratulations to the Cleveland Cavaliers!
And go Tribe!
NOHredcross 