Emergency blood shortage in effect

The Vergas Lions will be hosting a blood drive on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at the Vergas Event Center.

The Event Center will be open from noon – 7 p.m., for blood donations. This is the first of three blood drives held by the Vergas Lions each year. To make an appointment call 701-866-4301 or register online at vitalant.org.

According to The American Red Cross, blood supply has fallen to critically low levels, and has created an emergency shortage. In recent weeks, the Red Cross had to limit distributions of some of the most transfused blood types to hospitals. 

“We need donors now, and in the weeks ahead, to help rebuild the blood supply,” the organization said in a press release. “Blood shortages are an ongoing issue nationwide – you’ve certainly seen us make this plea for help in the past. One shocking statistic has contributed to this problem: Over the last 20 years, the number of people donating blood to the Red Cross has fallen by about 40%. We need to reverse this trend.”

Other scheduled blood donation sites are listed below:

Becker County

• Feb. 7 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Christian Fellowship Church, Detroit Lakes

Otter Tail County

• Feb. 2 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., M-State Fergus Falls

• Feb. 6 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. Vergas Event Center