The Lee Memorial Blood Center will hold its second annual Guns n’ Hoses Blood Drive at 14 locations in Lee County for law enforcement, firefighters and community members to join forces to tackle the summer blood shortage.
Nancy Hendrick, community relations director of Lee Memorial Blood Center, said they are holding the event because it is good to put a little challenge out there for the fire and police departments. She said that although last year went well, they wanted to do the annual blood drive on a smaller scale.
The center is holding the blood drive, she said, because it always experiences a shortage during the summer when schools are out and the winter visitors leave.
An estimated 6,000 units of blood will be consumed this summer by patients of the Lee Memorial Health System.
“The shortage is more prevalent than during season,” she said. “The usage is still there but the donations are lower.”
The bloodmobile will make a stop in the Cape June 15 at the Cape Coral Police Department, 1100 Cultural Parkway, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Those who donate blood will receive a special Guns n’ Hoses T-shirt, along with a coupon for a free 6-inch sub from Subway.
Individuals must be at least 17 years old, or 16 with parental consent, and in good general health, along with weighing a minimum of 115 pounds to donate their blood. Those who donate need to provide a photo identification and eat a good meal and drink plenty of fluids before they donate blood.
Another blood drive will be held on Aug. 23-24 in the volunteer orientation room at the Cape Coral Hospital. The festive blood drive will have free give-aways to those who donate.
An individual can donate their blood every 56 days, which can amount to a total of six times a year if timed correctly.
The Lee Memorial Blood Center is the sole provider for the Lee Memorial Health System. More than 500 units of blood are used every week due to the Children’s Hospital and trauma center being the only one of its kind in a five-county area.