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Community Corner

It's Recovery 2011 for the American Red Cross

With donation levels at their lowest in decades, the Red Cross is seeing critical levels in their need for blood.

Due to the recent winter storms that ravaged almost every state across the nation, the American Red Cross is launching “Recovery 2011” to recover the 28,000 units of blood not collected.

The recent winter weather forced the Red Cross to cancel more than 750 blood drives since Jan. 1. That even includes drives here in Paulding County. The Red Cross also noted that the number of blood donors that have come into their donation centers is the lowest they have seen in a decade.

“As of today’s date we have a severe blood shortage so we have critical levels at this time,” Cheryl Tohal, a local drive representative for the Red Cross, said last week. The shortage still remains to this day.

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During the donation process, donors give 1 pint of blood, which in turn can save up to three lives. Every two seconds, there is someone in need of a blood transfusion, and if there is no blood, lives simply cannot be saved, the Red Cross says.

The Red Cross keeps your blood for use locally, but in times of national disasters or crisis situations, the organization distributes even local donations nationally with their disaster relief units. Even though Paulding County and Georgia as a whole were not severely affected by the winter weather like other states, our support here can even help those areas affected and in need.

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According to a recent statement by the Red Cross, at this time it is critical that the community helps the blood supply recovery so blood and platelets are available for those in need.

If interested in donating, will host a drive on Feb. 28 from 2 pm until 7 pm.

Now that the weather is clearing, the Red Cross is urging all available and eligible donors to make and keep an appointment to donate blood as soon as possible.

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