Caring Is Sharing! Give Blood On Valentine's Day

Come celebrate Valentine's Day at the Red Cross!

Do you love chocolate? All presenting donors at our Clark County Donor Center on this special day will receive a small box of chocolates from Russell Stover. There will also be drawings held for other chocolate goodies throughout the blood drive.

You can also give from the heart this Valentine's Day at our Bend Donor Center! Bring a friend to donate blood at the Bend Donor Center during this week, February 13 - 17 and both presenting donors will receive an American Red Cross water bottle*.

*Presenting donors will fill out a form with name and number to receive their water bottles. Donors do not need to present to donate at the same time.

Schedule your appointment now or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Teen Battles Sickle Cell Anemia Through Education and Volunteer Efforts

Latay Hammick, 13, promotes the need for donors as she herself faces a blood disorder. Read Latay's full story in The Skanner and give patients a fighting chance; donate with the Red Cross and join the Be The Match and Donate Life Northwest registries.

MLK Blood, Bone Marrow, and Organ, Eye and Tissue Donor Registry Drives will be held in Salem and Bend on January 16 and January 21 in Portland

Those who wish to speak to Latay Hammick, her family, or a Be The Match or Donate Life Northwest representative in person will have the opportunity to do so at Portland's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blood, Bone Marrow, and Organ, Eye and Tissue Donor Registry Drive. This important event takes place on Saturday, January 21 from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Red Cross Portland Donor Center (3131 N. Vancouver Avenue).

Also at the Portland event will be Donate Life Northwest heart recipient Rosie Tabb. Rosie has worked as an American Red Cross donor recruiter and received blood transfusions during her heart transplant. To make a potentially lifesaving blood donation at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blood, Bone Marrow, and Organ, Eye and Tissue Donor Registry Drive, please call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org.

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., community members can donate blood, learn more about bone marrow, organ, eye, and tissue donation, and sign up for the donor registries at all three events. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blood, Bone Marrow, and Organ, Eye and Tissue Donor Registry Drives are co-hosted by the American Red Cross, Be The Match and Donate Life Northwest.

All participants at this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blood, Bone Marrow, and Organ, Eye and Tissue Donor Registry Drives will receive a free Martin Luther King, Jr. commemorative lapel pin (while supplies last). These blood drives will also give donors the chance to speak with the Red Cross about our volunteer programs, get informed about disaster preparedness, and share with other volunteers about programs that they may be involved in.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. symbolized equal access for all. This includes equal opportunity for the lifesaving gift of blood, bone marrow and organ, eye and tissue transplants. You can make an incredible difference with your donation.

Stormtroopers vs. Klingons Blood Drive: 12/31 (Thanks PDX Pipeline!)

On December 31, 2011, the Red Cross will rekindle an epic blood drive battle between the ultimate galaxy warriors: Stormtroopers vs. Klingons! Blood and platelet donors from the greater Portland area will once again be called upon to choose their side in the intergalactic showdown!

The 2nd Annual Stormtroopers vs. Klingons blood drive, which was generously reposted by PDX Pipeline, will take place during the day on New Year’s Eve (12/31/2011) at the Portland Donor Center, located at 3131 North Vancouver Avenue, and will run from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Mingle and take photos with members of Star Wars and Star Trek costuming organizations “The 501st Legion: Vader’s Fist” and “Starfleet International.” Watch the films, listen to the soundtracks and defend your galaxy’s honor!

All presenting donors will have the opportunity to cast their ballot for either the Stormtroopers or the Klingons, and the side which receives the most votes will walk away with the second annual Galaxy Drive trophy.

In addition, donors will be given event-themed buttons (graphics shown here), a black Red Cross t-shirt and a free large, two-topping pizza coupon from Papa Murphy’s. They can also enter into a drawing for a $100 gift certificate courtesy of our friends at ThinkGeek AND a $100 Safeway gift card. Cake and coffee will be served, along with standard refreshment items.

Start the New Year with a new tradition! Bring in friends and family to experience the next frontier of blood drives in Portland!

To participate, here’s how it works:
1. For more information and to schedule your appointment, call 1-800 RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: stardrive to register as a donor for the December 31st drive at the Portland Donor Center.
2. Blood donors must be at least 16 years old (16 year-olds require a signed Red Cross parental consent form) and meet minimum height and weight requirements.
3. Donor appointments are not required, but are preferred.

Saving the Galaxy One Pint at a Time - The Sequel!

On December 31, 2011, the Red Cross will rekindle an epic blood drive battle between the ultimate galaxy warriors: Stormtroopers vs. Klingons! Blood and platelet donors from the greater Portland area will once again be called upon to choose their side in the intergalactic showdown!

The 2nd Annual Stormtroopers vs. Klingons blood drive will take place during the day on New Year’s Eve (12/31/2011) at the Portland Donor Center, located at 3131 North Vancouver Avenue, and will run from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Mingle and take photos with members of Star Wars and Star Trek costuming organizations “The 501st Legion: Vader’s Fist” and “Starfleet International.” Watch the films, listen to the soundtracks and defend your galaxy’s honor!

All presenting donors will have the opportunity to cast their ballot for either the Stormtroopers or the Klingons, and the side which receives the most votes will walk away with the second annual Galaxy Drive trophy.

In addition, donors will be given event-themed buttons (graphics shown here), a black Red Cross t-shirt and a free large, two-topping pizza coupon from Papa Murphy’s. They can also enter into a drawing for a $100 gift certificate courtesy of our friends at ThinkGeek AND a $100 Safeway gift card. Cake and coffee will be served, along with standard refreshment items.

Start the New Year with a new tradition! Bring in friends and family to experience the next frontier of blood drives in Portland!

To participate, here’s how it works:
1. For more information and to schedule your appointment, call 1-800 RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: stardrive to register as a donor for the December 31st drive at the Portland Donor Center.
2. Blood donors must be at least 16 years old (16 year-olds require a signed Red Cross parental consent form) and meet minimum height and weight requirements.
3. Donor appointments are not required, but are preferred.

Stumped On A Gift?

Do you have an "impossible-to-read" family member or friend on your holiday shopping list? Instead of just forking out some cash, take the advice of Miss Oregon Caroline McGowan, who is inspiring people around the state with her platform of community resilience and preparedness through the Red Cross.

Pictured above, Caroline spent yesterday grabbing emergency kit materials and safety gear from our store as gifts for her sorority sisters (who I hope aren't reading this).

EVERYONE benefits from the gift of disaster supplies. The unthinkable could happen at any time, and you show your friends and family you care by adding to their home, car and "go" kits - gifts that keep on giving the whole year round!

So when you're making a list and checking it twice, be sure to borrow from our lists as well!

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!

Thanksgiving Day Blood Drives!

Give of yourself this holiday, start a great Thanksgiving tradition for you and your family by helping to save a life. Join us on Thursday, November 24th for one of our annual Thanksgiving blood drives at the Portland, Salem, or Vancouver Red Cross donor centers.

All presenting donors will receive a free holiday t-shirt, a free pumpkin pie donated by Thriftway, and a $10 OFF discount for any performance of “A Christmas Story” at Portland Center Stage.*

To make an appointment for a Thanksgiving Day Blood Drive donation, schedule your appointment for the nearest drive listed below or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Thanksgiving Day Blood Drive Locations and Hours:

Portland Donor Center
3131 N. Vancouver Ave.
Portland, OR 97227
7:00am – 12:00pm

Clark County Donor Center
5109 NE 82nd Avenue
Vancouver, WA 98862
7:30 am – 12:30 pm

Salem Donor Center
475 Cottage Street NE, Suite 110
Salem, OR 97301
7:30 am – 12:30 pm

*Giveaway items while supplies last

Make Your Halloween Night One-Of-A-Kind!

I generally start thinking about my Halloween costume in uh....late July. Yep, that's how excited I get about this holiday.

To me, Halloween has the best movies, the best parties and even the best music!

I thought I'd share some awesome Etsy finds to get others into the holiday mood. This Halloween gear is sure to make your scary shindig a "bloody" good time!

Check out exhibit A (otherwise known as the photo above this sentence). How awesome would that blood donor mug be as a gift for your dedicated donor friend? Fill it with red Kool-Aid to up the scare factor even more!

If you're a lady and looking to have people do a double-take, this awesome "Vampire bite" choker necklace is a winner. Hiss and attack people for extra realism. Avoid the Twilight films.

Every good party needs killer food (and by that I mean delicious, not, you know...deadly desserts). You can have your cake and get bit by it too, with this Vampire-inspired "Bite Me" fang banner! The party just got a little riskier...

Lastly, while not an Etsy find, you can kick things up a notch with BLOOD Concept fragrances, which are as fresh as they come!

Photo courtesy of Etsy.com