Premium ContentClick on Premium Content on the Featured navigation bar for information.
Two young boys in face-paint were watching “Toy Story” on a television in the lobby of Millard North High School. The film was at the point where the birthday presents arrive.
Further inside the school, their mother and others were giving a different kind of gift.
The Red Cross held its holiday blood drive Tuesday, and a steady stream of people donated blood at the Millard North location. Another drive was being held at the Loess Hills Blood Donation Center in Council Bluffs.
Red Cross spokeperson April Oppliger said it was the seventh year for the Red Cross’s holiday blood drive. Between the two locations, the Red Cross hoped to receive about 270 pints of blood.
“We’ve had some good traffic this morning, and our schedule looks good for this afternoon, so hopefully we’ll hit our goal and make sure we have the blood that’s needed for patients,” she said.
The holiday season is not always a strong one for blood donations.
“Even though it’s traditionally the time of year that we talk about giving, giving blood is one of those things that falls off of people’s to-do list,” Oppliger said. “That’s why we try to engage people and remind them that the need for blood doesn’t take a holiday.”
Oppliger said the Red Cross was looking particularly for O-negative donors, but all blood types were welcome.
Millard North’s donation station was open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
“We’re trying to encourage people to come out and give, and with those kind of hours, then they can either do it before work, after work or during the middle of the day,” Oppliger said.
Donating a pint of blood takes about an hour.
“It’s pretty quick and painless, to tell you the truth,” Oppliger said.
In the donation area, staff in festive holiday hats moved among the reclining donors. Pies, bagels, donuts and sandwiches augmented the usual post-donation foods such as mini-Oreos, juice and trail mix.
Omahan Joan Copenhaver held a blue stress ball in her right hand as she donated.
“It’s needed,” she said. “Blood to people to save lives.”
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
