Blood drives scheduled in area

The American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood and platelet donors to give now to ensure blood is available for medical treatments and emergencies during the holiday season.

Blood and platelet donations often decline during the holidays. Regular donors are busy with holiday activities, and travel and severe winter weather may cause blood drive cancellations. Donors are urged to give now to ensure that families don’t have to worry about the availability of blood this winter. In thanks for helping meet the urgent need around the holidays, all those who come to donate blood or platelets now through Dec. 19 will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email. Restrictions apply; see amazon.com/gclegal. More information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Together.

Make an appointment to donate blood or platelets by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Another way to help keep the blood supply strong is to host a Red Cross blood drive this winter. To learn more about hosting a blood drive and to sign up, visit RedCrossBlood.org/HostADrive.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities Nov. 26-Dec. 19 Middlesex County Chester: Dec. 10, 12:45 p.m. - 6 p.m., Congregation Beth Shalom, 55 East Kings Hwy

Cromwell: Dec. 18, 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Cromwell Town Hall, 41 West St.

Essex: Nov. 30, 12:45 p.m. - 6 p.m., Essex Town Hall, 29 West Avenue

Higganum: Dec. 18, 1:15 p.m. 6:15 p.m., St. Peters Church, 30 Saint Peters Lane

Middlefield: Dec. 14, 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Middlefield Federated Church, 402 Main St.

Middletown: Nov. 29: 7:45 a.m. 12:45 p.m., Vinal Regional Technical School, 60 Daniels St.; Dec. 14, 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., St. Sebastian's Church, 155 Washington St.

Portland: Nov. 30, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Portland High School, 95 High St.

Westbrook: Dec. 19, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Valley-Shore YMCA, 201 Spencer Plains Road, P.O. Box 694