Blood Drive Challenge set for tomorrow in Indio
A community blood drive will be held in Indio tomorrow aspart of the Coachella Valley Blood Drive Challenge, in which residents of thevalley’s nine cities compete to donate the most blood at a single event.
The drive will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at the Indio Teen Center, 81-678 Avenue 46.
The challenge was created by Indio Mayor Elaine Holmes and otherCoachella Valley Economic Partnership members to raise awareness of the needfor local blood donation. Blood collection has decreased in the region by morethan 30 percent since 2005, and summer is the most challenging time forhospitals to maintain blood supplies, according to the city of Indio.
The inaugural Coachella Valley Blood Drive Challenge started July 9 andends Aug. 1. The city with the most donations gets a plaque on Desert BloodServices’ Tree of Life at its La Quinta headquarters.
La Quinta, Indian Wells, Desert Hot Springs and Palm Desert already hadblood drives; the next one after Indio is Thursday in Palm Springs.
All donors receive a free ticket to Knott’s Soak City in Palm Springs,free food and drinks and a cholesterol screening.
Healthy people at least 15 years old can give blood, but those under 18must provide written parental consent. Picture identification is required, andall donors should eat before arriving and be well hydrated.
For information and upcoming blood drives, call (760) 777-8844 or go towww.desertbloodservices.org.
