ESCANABA — Two blood drives are being held this week to help boost the blood supply

Escanaba High School will host a Community Blood Drive with the Community Blood Center. The Community Blood Center has partnered with Escanaba High School’s Key Club to offer the community an opportunity to help the blood supply on Thursday, September 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the high school.

The Community Blood Center has also partnered with the Hannahville Indian Community and Island Resort & Casino to offer a blood drive on Friday, September 30, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Island Resort & Casino Bingo Hall. Island Resort is entering all presenting donors to win 1 of 3 sets of 2 Island Showroom Tickets.

The Community Blood Center is the sole provider of blood to OSF St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group and Dickinson County Hospital -Marshfield Clinic.

Healthy and eligible community members are encouraged to schedule a donation to help support the transfusion needs of patients. There is an urgent need for blood.

There is no substitute for transfused blood, so when a patient is facing cancer treatment, surgical procedures or the uncertainty of a traumatic injury, its volunteer donors who help ensure the blood needed is available.

“Blood donors are selfless individuals who give an invaluable gift to someone they will never meet, but whose life they will forever impact,” said Kristine Belanger, vice president of operations and chief operating office, The Community Blood Center.

Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood, regardless of the status of COVID-19 in the community. To meet that need, 35,000 blood donations are needed across the country every single day. CBC is the sole provider of all blood, platelets and plasma to nearly 30 hospitals throughout Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

This blood drive is open to the public. Healthy and eligible donors are encouraged to schedule a donation by contacting (800) 280-4102. You may also visit communityblood.org/donor. Log in, click “Donate Now” and search for sponsor code OT204.

For more information visit communityblood.org or call (800) 280-4102.