San Luis police organize blood drive
The San Luis Police Department invites the public to participate in blood donation drive on Saturday, Aug. 26.
San Luis Police Officer Luis Márquez, coordinator of the campaign, said people 16 years and older can donate blood to United Blood Services, for use in hospitals and emergency rooms.
“The goal is to collect more than 21 pints, which was what we gathered last season. It is important that we do it with the help of people, because every pint of blood saves on average three lives,” he said.
The blood drive will be held at the Fernando Padilla Community Center in San Luis from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Donors must be 16 years and older (with parental permission for donors 16 and 17), and can either register ahead of time or show up the day of the event.
Participants are advised to hydrate and eat properly before giving blood.
Márquez said that more than 30 donors are needed to achieve the goal, but the number of participants must be higher, since some, after the interview and the blood test, are unable to donate.
He recalled that the San Luis community has collaborated with UBS for more than 15 years so that hospitals in Arizona, including Yuma, have blood available in the operating rooms and emergency rooms.
The donors, he said, can participate in the raffle of a Volkswagen Passat 2017 car, which UBS performs before the end of the year. For more information and to register, call the police department at (928) 341-2420 or Officer Luis Márquez directly at (928) 919-5855.