February: Red Cross Partners with Body Worlds and the Brain!

Starting Friday, the Red Cross is partnering with Gunther von Hagens’ Body Worlds and the Brain! All blood and platelet donors who present to donate on Friday or Saturday during the month of February at the Portland, Salem, or Vancouver Red Cross donor centers will receive a free ticket to the Body Worlds and the Brain exhibit.

Appointments are preferred and you can schedule your donation appointment online at a Body Worlds blood drive or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

All-New Exhibition
BODY WORLDS & The Brain includes more than 200 authentic human specimens—including entire bodies, individual organs, and transparent body slices—preserved through von Hagens’ plastination process. This all-new presentation highlights neuroscience, brain development, and performance and invites profound reflection on the power, beauty, and fragility of the amazing human body and brain. Specimens on display stem from body donors, individuals who donated their bodies specifically to the Institute for Plastination.

Exhibition location information:
OMSI 1945 SE Water Ave. Portland, OR 97214
503-797-4000 I www.omsi.edu/bodyworlds

Hours of operation:
Sunday – Thursday 9:30am – 5:30pm
Friday – Saturday 9:30am – 9:00pm

Donor eligibility involves minimum age, weight and health requirements. Donors must present a donor card, driver's license or two other forms of ID prior to donation. Individuals unable to donate blood can still make a contribution by sponsoring a Red Cross blood drive or volunteering with a local Red Cross Blood Services Region, making a financial contribution, or by learning more about the American Red Cross Humanitarian Services.

Our website's First-Time Donor section includes information about what to expect when giving blood, tips for a successful donation, and an explanation of what happens to your donated blood.

Why Do You Donate?

"Donating blood is my way of paying rent for living on earth."

...says Dolly, who hit her 100-gallon milestone this week during National Blood Donor Month.

What motivates you as an #everydayhero to donate?

Pizza for a Pint! (December 26 - January 2)

Come in to Donate Blood at the Portland, Salem, and Vancouver Donor Centers Between December 26, 2011 and January 2, 2012 to Receive a Coupon for One FREE Large One-Topping Pizza* from Papa Murphy’s

During the holiday season, blood donations often decrease as threats of wintery weather intensify and family schedules turn hectic. Every two seconds, someone in this country needs blood. On average, 1,000 blood donations are needed in the Pacific Northwest Blood Services Region each day to help trauma victims, surgical patients, burn victims, patients with blood disorders and many others.

Schedule your appointment at a blood drive near you or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Coupons will be given to all presenting donors at the above donor centers and can be used immediately at any participating Papa Murphy's locations. Some restrictions may apply. Offer valid only at participating Papa Murphy's locations.

Please schedule your donation appointment today. Check out Papa Murphy’s website for menu items and follow this link for a list of participating locations.

*While supplies last.

The Perfect Gift

You can gift wrap a sweater. You can place a bow on a shiny new bicycle. You can fill a gift bag with holiday cookies. One thing you can’t put in a box and place under the tree is the perfect gift – a lifesaving blood donation.

When you donate blood, you give the perfect gift - another hug, another laugh, another smile, another chance - to someone in need of blood.

Think outside the box this holiday season. The perfect gift is at your nearest American Red Cross blood drive or blood donation center. And, unlike the latest fashion trend, video game or golf club, the perfect gift costs nothing but an hour of your time.

Give the perfect gift and help a family member, friend or someone you’ve never met unwrap a lifetime of memories.

The Red Cross is proud to present “The Perfect Gift,” a video highlighting the importance of blood donation. Hopefully, it inspires you to give blood this holiday season and throughout the year. Call 1-800 RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org to schedule an appointment today.

Ways to share the message!

Send an eCard
Download our Audio PSA :30 second (MP3)
Download our Audio PSA :60 second (MP3)
Download our Video PSA :30 second
Download our Video PSA :60 second
Use a Web Banner

Also, be sure to mention #perfectgift when sharing!

Bleed Your Colors By Saturday, November 19th!

Rivals for Life Civil War Blood Drive - Midway Results

The Civil War Blood Drive between the University of Oregon Ducks and the Oregon State University Beavers ends on Saturday, November 19, 2011. Your blood or platelet donation can make a difference in which team will earn the 10-year Civil War Blood Drive anniversary trophy.

The score currently stands at OSU Beavers 2,065 votes and UO Ducks 1,500 votes.

Blood drives are scheduled across the state of Oregon and in Vancouver, Washington, and it is still anyone's game. So get out there and bleed orange or bleed green and help hospital patients in need! Donors can check the campaign website at www.civilwarblooddrive.com for locations of blood drives statewide and for up-to-date scores and a history of the Civil War Blood Drive campaign. Please call and make an appointment call 1-800-RED CROSS or in Lane County call (541) 484-9111.

SPREAD THE WORD AND HELP LEAD YOUR TEAM TO VICTORY!

10th Anniversary Civil War Blood Drive Starts Tomorrow!

Rivals for Life - Do You Bleed Orange or Green?

Oregon State University and the University of Oregon Alumni Associations’ “Rivals for Life” Civil War Blood Drive will celebrate its ten-year anniversary this football season!

The annual football themed campaign does more than score points on the field —it helps save lives. Once again, both universities will unite for a common cause—the Statewide Civil War Blood Drive will run November 3 through November 19, 2011 and is sponsored by Oregon State University and University of Oregon Alumni Associations, and OregonLive.com.

Be sure to sign a “Civil War Blood Drive Ballot” when you come in to donate at any participating blood drive across the state of Oregon. The ballot will enter you in a drawing for one of several pairs of 2011 Civil War game tickets, a $100 certificate to the Ducks or Beavers store, or a Civil War party package!

During its ten-year history, fans, students, and alumni of both schools have seen nearly 60,000 presenting blood and platelet donors (8,385 in 2010) to help hospital patients during the two-week drive. The campaign helps ensure that medical needs of families and friends here and across the nation can be met during the winter months.

It is imperative to keep our blood supply ready and available—when and where it is needed. The blood collected during the Civil War Blood Drive helps bolster supplies at a time when holiday events distract us from regular blood donation. Unfortunately, illnesses and injuries requiring blood transfusion do not take a break for the holiday season and hospital patients still need blood.

Please schedule a donation on behalf of either the Ducks or the Beavers at any blood drive, statewide, between November 3 –19, 2011 by calling 1-800-RED CROSS, or in Lane County, call Lane Blood Center at 541-484-9111 or search for local drives at CivilWarBloodDrive.com. This is an ideal opportunity for any fan to make a tangible difference in the Civil War football rivalry.

Monday Only: FrightTown Ticket Giveaway in Portland!

Get your scares for free!!

All presenting blood donors at the Portland Donor Center will receive a free admission ticket to FrightTown (while supplies last). This ticket giveaway will only occur on Monday, October 24, 2011, so make your appointment today!

Visit us online or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to schedule your donation. This offer is only eligible for donors at the Portland Donor Center on Monday, October 24,2011.

FrightTown is the Pacific Northwest’s newest haunted event featuring three amazing haunted houses in one location for one price. Baron Von Goolo’s Museum of Horrors, the top rated madhouse of humor and horror, returns for its tenth year in Portland; Elshoff Manor has been completely renovated to be bigger and scarier than ever; and an all new version of our haunt not seen since 2006, The Black Box, is a non stop free fall into darkness and terror unlike anything this town has ever seen. There’s something to scare everyone at FrightTown!

FrightTown is located in the Exhibit Hall at the Rose Quarter, on Portland’s east side between the Broadway Bridge and the Steel Bridge. FrightTown is below the Coliseum: in fact, you enter FrightTown off of the courtyard in front of the Coliseum. When you’re facing the Coliseum, take the stairway to your right, down to FrightTown.

A Marriage With A Mission

Having worked a summer job as a sports camp counselor, one might think back on memorable baseball games, dodgeball and maybe even a first bee sting. Few would assume, however, that a summer camp would be the location where one locks eyes with a future husband or wife.

For Tim and Rachelle Overholser, who met as counselors from rival high schools at camp, the connection was instant. They began spending time together and started dating later on, maintaining a long distance relationship across the California/Oregon border for three years.

Beyond a love for sports that jump-started Rachelle and Tim’s relationship, they also began an incredible commitment to “date nights” as platelet donors at the Red Cross. This tradition, which started about four years ago when Rachelle would come up to visit Tim in Portland, grew into a cause they felt very strongly about, especially as they began their wedding planning.

“As we planned for our wedding, we knew we wanted to incorporate the American Red Cross,” Rachelle said. “With all of our positive experiences in donating, we wanted to give back on our special day, and help share the need with our guests.”

Tim and Rachelle decided that, in lieu of wedding guest favors, they instead wanted to donate their funds as a monetary gift to the Red Cross. That wasn’t the end of the couple’s outstanding generosity. Upon Tim and Rachelle’s request, the Red Cross also created personalized table cards explaining their appeal for donations to wedding guests, along with information about apheresis and blood donation.

After an awe-inspiring marriage ceremony, the overjoyed newlyweds took a few moments to talk about continuing their platelet donation date nights…or afternoons, as Rachelle put it, in Portland. “The staff is awesome…and you get to know them,” Tim said. “They do a great job of taking care of you. I always feel comfortable.”

“Even if I can’t donate because of something like low iron, they still arrange for me to sit by Tim and finish a movie,” Rachelle agreed. “I think they’re just happy you’re there.”

Tim and Rachelle no longer have long distance to worry about for future date nights they’re both involved with work and school at Concordia University…just down the street from the Portland Donor Center.

As a final note, Rachelle felt compelled to mention that, although they shared their special day with the Red Cross through financial donations and promotional table cards, “We still had to have an overall sports theme for the wedding…complete with cake toppers of a ‘baseball batter bride’ and the groom as the pitcher!”

Tim and Rachelle’s wedding was surely an “out of the ballpark” success, and as far as the Red Cross is concerned, this kindhearted couple is truly in a league of their own.

Photo courtesy of Gordon Kelly Photography

Got A Fever? ...And Not For More Cowbell?

Saturday Night Live jokes aside, fall weather has arrived, meaning cold and flu season! For Red Cross blood donors, cold, flu and other symptoms of illness are listed as our number two most common reason for deferrals.

Check out our Red Cross flu checklist to stay on top of your game, read tips from Red Cross and the (CDC) or even turn to bendy straws and the "Happy Birthday song" to avoid illness!

Heathy people = a healthier blood supply. The only contagious activities the Red Cross wants are your lifesaving blood donations helping those around you and influencing others to donate as well!

Already sick? For the safety of both donors and recipients, if you don't feel well on your day of donation, you should not give blood. But, if you are deferred, you can still make a difference!

Donors may return to donate 24 hours after all symptoms have cleared, so simply allow time to recover from the cold or flu symptoms. You can even plan ahead and schedule your next donation appointment in a couple of weeks!

Good to Give, Good to Go! Don't Miss Out!

Help Fuel the Blood Supply and Get a Chance to Win a $100 Gas Card!

Red Cross to Hold $100 Gas Card Drawings Daily until September 30

The American Red Cross Pacific Northwest Blood Services Region will be giving away a $100 gas card EVERY DAY through the rest of the month--that’s $1,000 in free gas.

The promotion ends on September 30, 2011, so there's still time to participate in this awesome deal! All blood and platelet donors who present to donate at any American Red Cross donor center or mobile blood drive throughout Oregon and Washington will be entered in a daily drawing for a $100 gas card.*

“At a time when gas prices are nearly $4.00 a gallon, we’re pleased to reward donors with a chance to win a gas card and fill their tank on us,” said region CEO Steve Stegeman.

For more information, or to schedule your donation, please call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org

* Must be 18 years of age to participate in drawings.