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Red Cross offers donor initiatives

MADISON — As families prepare for a three-day break over the Memorial Day weekend, the Red Cross wants them to remember that the need for blood doesn’t take a holiday.

To help ensure a stable blood supply leading into and after the Memorial Day weekend, all donors Wednesday, May 25, through Tuesday, May 31, within the Badger-Hawkeye Blood Services Region will have a chance to win one of three summer grill sets complete with a mini-gas grill, tailgating cooler and grilling utensils.

“Holiday weekends are particularly challenging to collect enough blood and platelet donations with fewer blood drives scheduled and fewer donors available,” said Greg Novinska, CEO of the Badger-Hawkeye Blood Services Region, in the release.

The region serving Wisconsin, eastern Iowa, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and parts of Illinois and Michigan needs to collect about 500 pints of blood every day to meet the needs of patients. The south central Wisconsin chapter based in Janesville is one of 12 Wisconsin chapters, he said.

To encourage donations at Red Cross blood drives, those 21 and older will be entered into the summer-long “Good to Give, Good to Go” promotion for a chance to win a trip for four to Orlando, Fla. The package includes round-trip airfare, hotel, taxes, airport transportation and theme park passes.

Other donor appreciation promotions include:

-- Red Cross Racing with the theme of “Give blood. Get points. Win big!” Donors may register online at redcross

racing.com to log their donations and receive points that can be exchanged for Red Cross Racing and NASCAR-branded merchandise or Best Buy Reward Zone points through Jan. 31, 2012.

-- A Summer Drive Sweepstakes, May 25 through Sept. 14, when donors 18 and older have the chance to win a 2012 Ford Fiesta SE.

-- An Independence Day promotion, June 27 through July 6, when the Red Cross is raffling off three portable Garmin GPS units in the Badger-Hawkeye Region.

-- A Labor Day promotion when the Red Cross will raffle off three $500 gas cards in the Badger-Hawkeye Region.

“The more donors give blood or platelets this summer, the more they increase their odds of winning a fun summer prize and the more patients’ lives can be changed,’’ Novinska said.

TO DONATE

Upcoming blood drives are scheduled on the following dates:

Rock County

-- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, June 13, Holiday Inn Express & Conference Center, 3100 Wellington Place, Janesville.

-- 1 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 14, Holiday Inn Express & Conference Center, 3100 Wellington Place, Janesville.

-- 2 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, June 15, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 700 N. Wright Road, Janesville.

Walworth County

-- 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 1, Christ Lutheran Church, 228 Martin St., Sharon.

-- 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday, June 10, St. Francis De Sales, 148 W. Main St., Lake Geneva.

-- 11:45 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday, June 13, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 416 W. Geneva St., Delavan.

Call 1-800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or get more information.