By Doug Bardwell, Red Cross volunteer   

Leading into northern Ohio’s holiday season, there’s always something to do and rarely enough time to do it. But consider how lucky you are to be running around, getting ready for all your holiday festivities. In many local hospitals, there are those not so lucky, receiving or waiting to receive blood transfusions.

With Thanksgiving and the holidays approaching, the American Red Cross urges donors to continue to make and keep appointments now and in the weeks ahead to help overcome the ongoing emergency blood and platelet shortage that has significantly impacted the nation’s blood supply. In fact, the current blood supply is the lowest the Red Cross has seen this time of year in more than a decade.

During November, the Red Cross is offering numerous incentives to entice you to make a donor appointment.

In honor of the new series, I Know What You Did Last Summer, those who come to give Nov. 1-12, 2021, will automatically be entered to win a trip for two to Hawaii, courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.* The trip will transport you to where the series was filmed and includes round-trip airfare for two, hotel accommodations for nine nights, meals, $1,000 gift card for expenses and on-trip transportation with tour stops from Honolulu to Maui.

Plus, those who come to donate Nov. 1-23 will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card* by email, thanks to Amazon.**

You can almost surely find a donation time and location near you. Donors are urged to schedule an appointment now by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). 

*Restrictions apply, see RedCrossBlood.org/IKnowWhatYouDid.

**Restrictions apply, see amazon.com/gc-legal.