ST. LOUIS — The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to help ensure a sufficient and diverse blood supply by giving blood this February.

Since the beginning of the year, widespread flu and inclement winter weather in some parts of the country have prevented many regular donors from making or keeping their blood donation appointments. Healthy and diverse blood donors are needed to help maintain a sufficient blood supply.

Diversity among blood donors is important because red blood cells carry markers that determine one’s blood type, and certain blood types are unique to specific racial and ethnic groups. Blood must be matched very closely for those patients with rare blood types or for those who need repeated transfusions. Patients are less likely to have complications from blood donated by someone with a similar ethnicity.

All blood types are needed, especially types O negative, A negative and B negative. To learn more about donating blood and to schedule an appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Ill.

Bond

Sorento

2/20/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Sorento Elementary School, 510 S. Main

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Christian

Moweaqua

2/19/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Central A and M High School, 229 E Pine St.

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Clay

Flora

2/19/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Flora Church of the Nazarene, Rte 50 and Parsons Lane, PO Box 343

2/27/2015: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Wal-Mart, 1540 North Worthey

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Clinton

Albers

2/23/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Albers Elementary, 206 N. Broadway

 

Carlyle

2/25/2015: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Carlyle High School, 1461 12th Street

 

Germantown

2/24/2015: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., American Legion Hall, 1105 Sycamore

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Coles

Charleston

2/16/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Eastern Illinois University Charleston Student Rec Center, 600 Lincoln Avenue, Student Rec Center

 

Mattoon

2/22/2015: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., American Legion Hall, 1903 Maple

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Crawford

Oblong

2/17/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Oblong Municipal Building, 202 S Range

 

Robinson

2/16/2015: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Crawford Memorial Hospital, 1000 N Allen

2/18/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Robinson Community Center, 300 South Lincoln

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Cumberland

Neoga

2/24/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Neoga High School, 790 E 7th St

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Effingham

Altamont

2/27/2015: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Altamont High School, 7 S Ewing

 

Dieterich

2/17/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Kluthe Civic Center, 102 W Virginia

 

Effingham

2/24/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Effingham Elks Club, 2102 S. Banker

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Fayette

Saint Peter

2/26/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Saint Peter Village Hall, 704 W. 3rd St.

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Jefferson

Mount Vernon

2/20/2015: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Medical Plaza, 2 Good Samaritan Way

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Macoupin

Shipman

2/16/2015: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Shipman Community Center, Keating and Front St.

 

Staunton

2/18/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Concordia Hall, 709 S. Union

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Madison

Alton

2/25/2015: 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Alton Memorial Hospital, One Memorial Drive

 

Collinsville

2/20/2015: 3 p.m. - 6 p.m., Revive, 1105 West Beltline Road

2/24/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 1 Columbus Plaza

 

Edwardsville

2/17/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Student Fitness Center

2/18/2015: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Metro East Lutheran High School, 6305 Center Grove Park

2/18/2015: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 30 Hairpin Dr.

2/19/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., GC Cuisine and Crystal Gardens, 1230 University Dr.

2/25/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Culvers, 6724 Old Troy Rd

 

Godfrey

2/23/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Lewis and Clark Community College, 5800 Godfrey Rd.

 

Highland

2/16/2015: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., VFW Hall, 1900 VFW Lane

 

Troy

2/28/2015: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Friedens United Church of Christ, 207 W. Center

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Marion

Centralia

2/19/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Centralia Junior High School, 900 S. Pine

2/21/2015: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Centralia Elks Lodge, 235 N. Locust St.

2/23/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Kaskaskia College, Shattuc Road

 

Salem

2/18/2015: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Community Building Salem, Oglesby and Hamilton

2/27/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Selmaville Elementary Junior High School, 3185 Selmaville Rd.

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Pike

Pittsfield

2/23/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., First Christian Church, 125 W. Jefferson St.

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Richland

Olney

2/16/2015: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., Richland Memorial Hospital, 800 E. Locust

2/20/2015: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Olney Central College, 305 N. West St.

2/26/2015: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., East Richland Community High School, 1200 E Laurel

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Saint Clair

Belleville

2/24/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., St Clair County Farm Bureau, 1478 East State Route 15

 

Cahokia

2/24/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 100 East 5th Street

 

East Saint Louis

2/24/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Mason Clark Middle School, 5510 State Street

 

Smithton

2/27/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Senior Citizen Center, 711 South Main Street

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Shelby

Shelbyville

2/20/2015: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., Hawthorne Inn, 1111 W N 12th Street

2/26/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Shelby Memorial Hospital, 200 S. Cedar

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Washington

Lively Grove

2/16/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Anthony Catholic Church, 6101 St. Anthony Church Road

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Mo.

Franklin

Saint Clair

2/26/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Knights of Columbus St Clair, 204 South Commercial

 

Union

2/16/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 700 Clearview Drive

2/23/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Clearview Elementary School, 1581 Clearview Road

2/25/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Union Moose Lodge, Hwy 50 and Koelling

 

Washington

2/16/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 1121 Columbus Ln

2/19/2015: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., JC Penney Washington, 5886 Hwy 100

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Jefferson

Crystal City

2/16/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Elks Lodge 1721, 4 Elks Drive

2/23/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Grace Presbyterian Church, 105 Bailey Road

 

Herculaneum

2/26/2015: 7:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m., Herculaneum High School, 1 Blackcat Dr.

 

Hillsboro

2/23/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, 4810 Highway B

 

Imperial

2/24/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 7 p.m., St Joseph Catholic School, 6024 Old Antonia

 

Pevely

2/22/2015: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Community Bible Church of Pevely, 600 Riverview Dr

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Saint Charles

Lake Saint Louis

2/27/2015: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Lake Forest Country Club, 300 Yard Drive

 

O Fallon

2/19/2015: 8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Ft  Zumwalt North High School, 1230 Tom Ginnever

2/25/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Frontier Middle School, 9233 HWY DD

 

Saint Charles

2/18/2015: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Lindenwood University, 209 S. Kingshighway

2/19/2015: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Lindenwood University, 209 S. Kingshighway

 

Saint Peters

2/28/2015: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., Firemans Hall, 115 McMenamy Rd.

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Saint Francois

Farmington

2/28/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Farmington Fire Department, 222 East Columbia

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Saint Louis

 

Ballwin

2/22/2015: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., St Mark Presbyterian Church, 601 Claymont

 

Bridgeton

2/23/2015: 3 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Louis County Library - Bridgeton Trails, 3455 McKelvey Rd

 

Chesterfield

2/17/2015: 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., St Louis County Library - Samuel Sachs Branch, 16400 Buckhardt Place

2/27/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., St Lukes Hospital, 222 S. Woods Mill Rd.

 

Creve Coeur

2/21/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., St Louis Elks Lodge 9, 12481 Ladue RD.

 

Eureka

2/25/2015: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., St Louis County Library - Eureka Hills, 156 Towne Center

 

Fenton

2/17/2015: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., UniGroup, One Premier Drive

2/24/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Wal-mart, 653 Gravois Bluff Blvd

2/25/2015: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Lowes, 1 Gravois Bluff

2/28/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., The Great Escape, 754 Gravois Bluffs Blvd

 

Saint Louis

2/16/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Concord, A Church for Everyone, 13775 Tesson Ferry Road

2/16/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., St Thomas Holy Spirit Lutheran, 3980 South Lindbergh

2/16/2015: 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., St Paul UCC- Telegraph Rd, 5508 South Telegraph

2/18/2015: 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Truman Middle School, 12225 Eddie and Park

2/19/2015: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Esse Health, 13303 Tesson Ferry Rd.

2/21/2015: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Peace Lutheran Church, 737 Barracks View Rd.

2/23/2015: 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., St Louis County Library, 1640 S Lindbergh

2/23/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., Zion United Methodist Church, 1603 Union Road

2/26/2015: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., CH Robinson, 3668 South Geyer Rd Suite 300

2/26/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Hancock Place Elementary School, 9101 South Broadway

2/27/2015: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Friendship Village, 12505 Village Circle Drive

 

Shrewsbury

2/16/2015: 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., American Legion Post 111, 7300 Lansdowne

 

Valley Park

2/19/2015: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Valley Park High School, 1 Main St

 

Webster Groves

2/25/2015: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sarahcare Adult Daycare Centre, 524 South Elm Avenue

 

Webster Groves

2/25/2015: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Avery Elementary School, 909 N. Bompart Ave.

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Saint Louis City

 

Saint Louis

2/17/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Ansira, 2300 Locust St.

2/18/2015: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., City Hall, 1200 Market Street

2/18/2015: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., St Louis School of Public Health, 3545 Lafayette Avenue

2/18/2015: 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Temple Church of Christ, 4146 Washington Boulevard

2/22/2015: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Central Baptist Church, 2843 Washington Blvd

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Warren

 

Wright City

2/20/2015: 2 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Wright City High School, 520 Westwood Road

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Washington

 

Potosi

2/17/2015: 3 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Potosi Elementary School, 205 State Highway P

2/24/2015: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Washington County Memorial Hospital, 10 Kwan Plaza, Highway 8

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How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call      1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

 

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 redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

 

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