Halloween blood drive

OWASA and the American Red Cross invite you to celebrate Halloween by giving blood!

Ghouls, goblins and others with human blood are invited to the blood drive at OWASA on Thursday, October 29th, from 11 AM to 3:30 PM. The drive will be in the Community Room on the lower floor of OWASA’s Administration Building, 400 Jones Ferry Road, Carrboro. For a map showing OWASA’s location, please click here.

OWASA staff will be in costume, and blood donors are invited to join in the fun.

“The season of Halloween is a fun, natural fit for this blood drive but it’s also responding to a very vital need; the need for blood and ensuring its availability to patients,” said Chris Newman, spokesperson for the Carolinas Blood Services Region.

Every day, blood is needed for lifesaving transfusions to treat trauma patients, premature babies and patients as well as patients with cancer, sickle cell disease, blood disorders and other illnesses. There is no substitute for blood, and volunteer donors are the only source.

All presenting blood donors in October will receive a free t-shirt. OWASA will provide refreshments for donors.

Donors must be in general good health, have photo identification, weigh at least 110 pounds and be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent).  Donors who are 18 and younger must also meet height and weight requirements.

For more information, please contact Kelly Thompson at 919-537-4370 or kthompson@owasa.org, or visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter “owasa” as the sponsor code. Please note that a few appointment times (before noon) are available. To give blood without making an appointment, please come to the drive at noon or later.

Information is also available from the American Red Cross at 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or www.redcrossblood.org.