Dell Rapids, SD– Community Blood Bank (Avera McKennan Hospital & Sanford USD Medical Center) continues to struggle with a severe blood shortage as we move into the new year. Currently, the blood bank is most critical for all blood types, especially O positive and O negative, but all blood types are needed. Join us at Avera Dells Area Hospital on Thursday, January 13 between 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and give blood. You can schedule your donation by logging into www.cbblifeblood.org, selecting Jan 13 and Avera Dells Area Hospital or call 605-331-3222.

“The need for blood donors during National Blood Donor month is heightened as it become even more difficult to collect blood with the omicron strain of COVID beginning to spread. Do you know someone with cancer? Someone who is pregnant? Someone with sickle cell disease? Then you know someone who may need blood. Every day, someone in your community may need blood, don’t wait until a tragedy or shooting happens, donate today” states Ken Versteeg, Executive Director, Community Blood Bank. “It is our hope that we will see the community answer our pleas and come out to give blood through this challenging time. Donors can give blood at the Avera Dells Area Hospital on January 13. Please donate blood when the bloodmobile is in your community.”

Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with a signed parent consent form), weigh 110 lbs or more and be in good general health. It is recommended that a person eat and drink plenty of fluids prior to donating blood. Please bring an ID with you at the time of donation. For more information log onto www.cbblifeblood.org.

Community Blood Bank is not affiliated with other blood bank organizations and takes pride in being a self-sufficient organization thanks to the generosity of our local blood donors.

Dell Rapids, SD – Avera Dells Area Health Center and Community Blood Bank come together to host the spring community blood drive on Thursday, April 1 from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at CPA / Law Office (301 East 4^th). To schedule your donation call the Avera Dells Area Health Center Lab at 605-428-5431.

The struggles continue as Community Blood Bank fights a never-ending battle between “just having enough blood” and “critically in need of donations”. Community members have been generously giving blood during the COVID pandemic for one year now. One year ago, Community Blood Bank experienced cancellations totaling over 5,000 units. Throughout the pandemic, multiple organizations and donors have come to the aid of our hospital patients and hosted very successful blood drives.

“We are asking Dell Rapids residents to remember the need for blood this spring. Please make sure to schedule a time for your next donations in order to keep our blood supply strong,” states Lauri Hoffmann, Program Coordinator. “Volunteers donating blood on the bloodmobile is the only way we can keep up with the demand we are seeing. We are still maintaining COVID social distancing policies that limit the number of donations we can have each hour. It is very important that each blood drive has a full schedule.”

Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with a signed parent consent form), weigh 110 lbs or more and be in good general health. It is recommended that a person eat and drink plenty of fluids prior to donating blood. Please bring an ID with you at the time of donation. For more information log onto www.cbblifeblood.org, call Community Blood Bank at 1-877-877-3070.

Community Blood Bank is not affiliated with other blood bank organizations and takes pride in being a self-sufficient organization, thanks to the generosity of our local blood donors.    

Dell Rapids, SD –Avera Dells Area Health Center and Community Blood Bank will be hosting a community blood drive at Avera Dells Area Health Center on Thursday, January 9 from 7:00 am to 11:00 am and 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm. The public will have an opportunity to donate blood to impact patients’ lives in the area.

Blood is needed each day in the United States to sustain the lives of patients in need. Whether used for surgery, traumas, during cancer treatment or other life threatening medical conditions, blood is used to provide hope. There are many blood suppliers throughout the country, some are very large blood providers, some a little smaller and others are hospital operated. Community Blood Bank is hospital operated with a joint shared resource of Avera and Sanford Health Systems, meaning when you donate on the bloodmobile the donation will go directly back to our local hospitals to save local lives including Avera Dells Area Health Center.

“The importance of residents donating blood to the local supplies intensifies as we enter the cold and flu season,” states Ken Versteeg, Executive Director, Community Blood Bank. “With less people able to donate blood, supplies to treat local patients, decreases significantly as demand stays strong. Begin the new year by providing hope to local patients by joining us to donate blood.   Community Blood Bank relies solely on volunteer blood donors throughout the area to provide blood for local patients. We are looking for a great turnout for this community event to keep the blood supply strong.”

Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with a signed parent consent form found at www.cbblifeblood.org), weigh 110 lbs. or more and be in good general health the day of the donation. Please bring an I.D. It is recommended that a person eat and drink plenty of fluid prior to donating. Community Blood Bank is not associated with any other blood bank organizations.

For more information log onto www.cbblifeblood.org or call Avera Dells Area Health Center at 605-428-5431. Walk-ins are always welcome.

Dell Rapids, SD- Avera Dells Area Health and Community Blood Bank will partner up to save lives at a special summer community blood drive event held on Thursday, July 11 from 7:00 am to 11:00 am and 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm at Avera Dells Area Health. The public will have an opportunity to donate blood to help local patients in the hospital during the month of July. All blood donations will directly impact patients’ lives in Dell Rapids. All who donate will receive an All American blood donor t-shirt.

 

“This summer has been one of the most difficult to keep up with the demand for blood in recent years,” states Ken Versteeg, Executive Director, Community Blood Bank. “There have been many weeks where our usage is outpacing collection by 35%. Our hope is to start the summer months strong with an ample blood supply and keep this momentum moving to avoid any summer blood shortages. Join us to save lives within the community and show your support for those who serve and impact the community in many ways.”

Community Blood Bank supplies over 550 units of blood each week to people in the region. Among those who benefit from donated blood are trauma and burn victims, cancer patients and persons undergoing surgery. Donating blood is a simple way to save patients’ lives in the community. Without volunteer blood donors donating blood throughout the summer, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain an adequate supply of blood for our community hospitals.

Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with a signed parent consent form found at www.cbblifeblood.org), weigh 110 lbs. or more and be in good general health the day of the donation. Please bring an I.D. It is recommended that a person eat and drink plenty of fluid prior to donating. Community Blood Bank is not associated with any other blood bank organizations.

For more information log onto www.cbblifeblood.org or call Avera Dells Area Health Center at 428-2421. Community Blood Bank is not associated with any other blood bank organizations.

Dells Rapids, SD – Avera Dells Area Health Center and Community Blood Bank is joining forces to help ward off fall blood shortages by hosting the blood drive event. The blood drive will be held on Thursday, October 4^th from 7:00 am to 11:00 am and 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm at Avera Dells Area Health Center. All blood donations will stay local for local use and all who donate will receive a special t-shirt.  

Every three seconds someone needs blood, and the only way to ensure that those needs are met is to rely on volunteer donors to donate blood. The need for local blood donors is immense. The Community Blood Bank supplies over 550 units of blood each week to people in the region. Among those who benefit from donated blood are trauma and burn victims, cancer patients and persons undergoing surgery.

“The fall can be a difficult to maintain an adequate blood supply for the community,” states Ken Versteeg, Executive Director, Community Blood Bank. “With people addressing elective surgeries before the end of the year and a consistent need for blood for many types of medical treatment, data shows a steady increase in usage as we go through the fall season.”

Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with a signed parent consent form), weigh 110 lbs or more and be in good general health. It is recommended that a person eat and drink plenty of fluids prior to donating blood. Please bring an ID with you at the time of donation. For more information log onto www.cbblifeblood.org or call Community Blood Bank at 1-877-877-3070 or call Avera Dells Area Health Center at 605-428-5431

Community Blood Bank is not affiliated with other blood bank organizations and takes pride in being a self-sufficient organization, thanks to the generosity of our local blood donors.

Dell Rapids, SD- Avera Dells Area Health Center and Community Blood Bank will join forces to host a community blood drive on Thursday, April 5 from 7:00 am to 11:00 am and 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm. All blood donations will directly benefit the local blood supply and patients in need at Avera Dells Area Health Center.

“Spring is the perfect time to provide a lifesaving gift and impact the community’s blood supply,” states Ken Versteeg, Executive Director, Community Blood Bank. “Your donation of blood with Community Blood Bank will save up to three patients, impacting a trauma, burn, surgery or cancer patient. Consider keeping your donation local and impact patients in need when we come to Avera Dells Area Health Center.”

Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with a signed parent consent form found at www.cbblifeblood.org), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good general health the day of the donation. Please bring an ID with you. It is recommended that you eat and drink plenty of fluids before donating blood. It only takes 30 to 35 minutes to donate with Community Blood Bank.

Community Blood Bank is the sole provider of blood and blood products to 34 local area hospitals, including Madison Regional Health. For questions please contact Avera Dells Area Health Center at 605-428-2421, Community Blood Bank at 877-877-3070 or log onto our website at www.cbblifeblood.org . Walk-ins are always welcome.

Community Blood Bank is not affiliated with other blood bank organizations and takes pride in being a self-sufficient organization, thanks to the generosity of our local blood donors.

Donations in Immediate Need

Dell Rapids, SD- Community Blood Bank and Avera Dells Area Health will host a blood drive on Thursday, October 5 from 7:00 am to 11:00 am and 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm.   This blood drive will benefit the local blood supply and open to the public.

On average, a hip replacement typically uses one unit of blood, a cardiac bypass will use two units and a liver transplant requires at least six units. With just one donation a person will save up to three peoples’ lives. The whole donation process takes 30 to 35 minutes. You will help save a cancer, surgery, trauma, and burn patients with your donation.

“Blood donations have been lagging behind the demand for blood with many patients in need now,” states Ken Versteeg, Executive Director, Community Blood Bank. “We rely upon local volunteer blood donors to give blood on the bloodmobile when it visits the Dell Rapids community. Please consider giving blood to help improve the overall supply.”

To be eligible to donate you must be at least 17 years old, (16 years old with a signed parent consent found at www.cbblifeblood.org) weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good general health the day of the donation. There is no upper age limit to donate blood. Please bring an ID with you. It is recommended that a person eat and drink plenty of fluids prior to donating blood. For more information log onto www.cbblifeblood.org or call 605-428-5431. Walk-ins are always welcome.

Community Blood Bank is not affiliated with other blood bank organizations and takes pride in being a self-sufficient organization, thanks to the generosity of our local blood donors.

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