Summer is filled with barbecues, beaches, and of course vacations, but the American Red Cross doesn't want you to take a break from donating blood.
Following the 4th of July holiday, the Red Cross has declared an emergency blood shortage for the region. They are in need of all types of blood, especially Type O. The Red Cross provides donated blood to 80 hospitals in the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services region and they need around 500 donations each day to fill the need that the hospitals have. So they are asking regular and even new blood donors not to forget to give the gift of life over the summer.
"Blood is a product that can not be manufactured, it has to be donated from an individual. There are so many people in need, be it accident victims, people going through leukemia treatments, as well as organ transplants, they are all in need of life-saving blood. So we really want to encourage individuals to give that gift of life," said Derek Stemen, Executive Director, American Red Cross of West Central Ohio
If you've never donated blood before, visit redcrossblood.org to learn more about the process.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities July 9-31:
OHIO
Allen County
Elida
7/18/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Elida High School, 401 East North Street
Lima
7/10/2018: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., St. Rita's Medical Center, 730 West Market Street
7/17/2018: 1 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., American Red Cross Allen County Chapter House Lima, 610 S. Collett Street
7/25/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Ohio State University Lima/Rhodes State College, 4240 Campus Drive
7/26/2018: 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Wal-Mart Allentown Road, 2450 Allentown Rd.
Spencerville
7/24/2018: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Spencerville Nazarene Church, 317 W. North Street
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Auglaize County
Minster
7/13/2018: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., The Dannon Company, 216 Southgate Drive
New Knoxville
7/13/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., American Legion, 204 N. Mill Street
St Marys
7/17/2018: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Union Hall Local 200, 227 E. South Street
7/30/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Wayne Street United Methodist Church, 130 N. Wayne Street
Wapakoneta
7/17/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., First English Lutheran Church, 107 W. Mechanic Street
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Defiance County
Defiance
7/10/2018: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Stykemain Buick GMC, 25124 Elliott Road
7/13/2018: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Eagle Post 372, 711 West 2nd Street
7/23/2018: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., The Laurels of Defiance, 1701 South Jefferson Ave.
7/26/2018: 2 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., St. John United Church of Christ, 950 Webster Street
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Mercer County
Coldwater
7/20/2018: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Briarwood Village, 100 Don Desch Drive
Fort Recovery
7/30/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., American Legion, 2490 State Route 49
Maria Stein
7/9/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Knights of St. John, 8608 State Route 119
Montezuma
7/24/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Montezuma Volunteer Fire Dept./Franklin Twp. Building, 6805 SR 219
Rockford
7/12/2018: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Rockford United Methodist Church, 202 S. Franklin Street
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Paulding County
Antwerp
7/13/2018: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Antwerp Manor, 204 Archer Drive
Paulding
7/11/2018: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., John Paulding Historical Society, 600 Fairgrounds Drive
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Van Wert County
Van Wert
7/11/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Straley Realty, 419 W. Ervin Road
7/20/2018: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Van Wert Health, 140 Fox Rd
7/26/2018: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., YMCA Van Wert, 241 W Main St
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Williams County
Bryan
7/15/2018: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Wal-Mart, 1215 S. Main Street
7/28/2018: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Wesley United Methodist Church, 903 Center Street
Edon
7/10/2018: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Edon Downtown, 108 East Indiana
Montpelier
7/20/2018: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Montpelier Public Library, 216 E Main Street
7/24/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Ck Tech, 1701 Magda Dr.
Pioneer
7/14/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Pioneer Community Center, 100 North Elm Street
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Hardin County
Ada
7/9/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Visiting Nurses & Hospice, 1200 S. Main St.
Kenton
7/16/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Kenton Moose Lodge, 801 W Lima Street
7/23/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., First Baptist Church, 11543 County Road 175
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Putnam County
Kalida
7/17/2018: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Kalida High School, 301 N. Third Street
Miller City
7/10/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Miller City Sportsmans Club, 400 S. Main Street
Ottawa
7/12/2018: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Chevrolet of Ottawa, 1420 N. Perry
7/24/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Ottawa VFW, 212 W. Second Street
Pandora
7/26/2018: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Pandora United Methodist Church, 108 Washington
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit
