January 28, 2010

Lind Community Blood Drive Tuesday

Area residents are invited to participate in the Lind Community Blood Drive this Tuesday, Feb. 2, at the Lind Fire Station.

The drive for the Inland Northwest Blood Center (INBC) begins at 1:30 p.m. and continues until 4 p.m.

Those planning to donate are asked to contact Ruben Fode at 659-1493 or sign up with INBC’s new online scheduling system at http://www.myinbc.org. The sponsor code to log in is “lindcomm.”

Anyone who is eligible to donate is reminded to take photo identification to the blood drive as well as drink plenty of fluids and eat a nutritious meal in the hours leading up to donating.

Individuals who meet the following guidelines are eligible to donate whole blood:

• Be at least 16 years old (16 and 17 year old donors need a completed Inland Northwest Blood Center Permission & Consent to Donate Blood form, signed by a parent or guardian.) There is no upper age limit.

• Weigh at least 110 pounds (16- and 17-year-old donors donating at a high school must weigh 120 pounds)

• Be in general good health including free of any cold or flu virus symptoms

• Wait one year from the date of having any body tattoo

• Wait one year after any body piercings

• Wait until completion of a course of antibiotics if applicable

• Wait six weeks following pregnancy (delivery, miscarriage or abortion)

• Not have donated blood anywhere in the last eight weeks (56 days)

• Not have participated in activities that would put donor at risk for infectious diseases such as Hepatitis or HIV.

Questions regarding donor eligibility should be referred to an INBC collection staff member by calling (509) 624-0151 or (800) 423-0141 extension 4189, as well as online at http://www.inbc2.org.