A community blood drive in Gettysburg today offers local residents an opportunity to help replenish the nation’s blood supply as the American Red Cross warns that donations have fallen to their lowest summer level in four years.
The Gettysburg Community Blood Drive will be held from noon to 6 p.m. today, Aug. 3, at Gettysburg Recreation Park, 545 Long Lane. Donations will be collected aboard the Bloodmobile.
The drive comes as the Red Cross has declared only the second national blood supply crisis in its history. The first was issued in January 2022.
According to the Red Cross, blood donations are not keeping pace with hospital demand during the busy summer trauma season. The organization also cites extreme heat, poor air quality and widespread foodborne illnesses as factors contributing to lower donor turnout in recent weeks.
The shortage has become particularly severe for Type O blood. The Red Cross says it now has less than a one-day national supply of Type O-positive blood, the most commonly transfused blood type, and has begun limiting distributions of Type O blood to hospitals in an effort to conserve supplies.
While appointments are encouraged to reduce wait times, walk-in donors are also welcome. Those with appointments will be given priority.
Appointments may be made by calling 1-800-771-0059, emailing [centralpennbloodbank@cpbb.org](mailto:centralpennbloodbank@cpbb.org) or by using the QR code on the event flyer.
As a thank-you for donating, participants will receive a blood donor T-shirt, a certificate for $20 off a $50 purchase at TGI Fridays, and a Papa Johns buy-one-large-pizza, get-one-free certificate.
Blood donations play a critical role in treating accident victims, surgical patients, cancer patients and others facing medical emergencies. Because blood cannot be manufactured, hospitals rely on volunteer donors to maintain an adequate supply.
Source: Central PA Blood Bank