Blood drives set in May

The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks has issued a Code Yellow Alert for O negative and B negative blood types. There is currently less than a two-day supply of these blood types available for area patients.

There are two blood drives set in Bella Vista in May. They are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, at the Highlands Church, 371 Glasgow Road; and 9 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, May 21, at the Bella Vista Police Department, 105 Town Center West.

Donors to CBCO provide all of the blood for patients at 39 area hospitals. On average, a transfusion takes place every seven minutes. It takes around 230 donations each day to meet the area's blood needs.

Each donation will be awarded LifePoints as a part of CBCO's donor rewards program. LifePoints may be redeemed online for a variety of gift cards, or points may be assigned to other meaningful causes or charities. More information on the LifePoints donor rewards program may be found at www.cbco.org.

To be eligible to give blood, a person must weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health, and present a valid photo ID. For more information, visit the CBCO website at www.cbco.org, or call toll-free 1-800-280-5337.

-- Special to The Weekly Vista