City of Columbia and Red Cross team up for 13th annual blood drive

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) –City of Columbia and  the American Red Cross Board of Directors teamed up for their 13th annual blood drive.

Sergeant Harry Delage with the Recruiting Division of the City of Columbia Police Department says donating blood is an easy process.

“You come in, you fill out just a little bit of paperwork, you answer a few questions. You know they’re gonna ask you some physical questions to make sure you’re feeling up to giving blood today, and then once you get all that in it takes about five or ten minutes. You’re in you’re out, they have some good snacks and then you get on your way,” Delage says.

Employees and other volunteers stopped by the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. to donate blood.

Delage says by giving blood, you could save someone’s life.

“You never know who may need it or when they may need it, so it’s always very important to consider giving blood because you never know when that time may come,” Delage says.

Executive Director for the American Red Cross of Central South Carolina, Rebecca Jordan, says giving blood is one of the most important things you can do.

“Only 37% of the population is eligible to give, and only 3% of the population actually do give. So it’s a real serious need, to make sure that we supply our hospitals and have blood on the shelves when people need it,” Jordan says.

She adds that if you plan on donating, you can make the process even faster.

“They can do what we call a Rapid Pass, which is where you answer the health questions you’d get when you come in. And so it just speeds it up a little bit. But the actual sitting on the table with getting the actual procedure is only about ten minutes,” Jordan says.

Donors can always visit the Red Cross Bull Street location to give blood as well.

Donors between now and the end of March will receive a $10 gift card and be entered for a chance to win $3,000.