News: Paramount's Kings Dominion Blood Drive

Posted at 8:50 AM EST (1350 GMT)

Mar. 11th, 2004 -- Richmond, Virginia -- Paramount's Kings Dominion will sponsor a kick off weekend blood drive on Sunday, March 28th. The American Red Cross Blood Hound Bus's will be at the park from 9:30am until 3:30pm. Kings Dominion hopes to help replenish the extremely low blood supply. Each person that donates a pint of blood will get into the park for free on March 28th or receive a ticket to return on a public operating day in 2004! Season passholders and employees who donate a pint will receive a 2004 complimentary ticket.

The American Red Cross has issued an urgent call for blood donors today, reporting that less than a one day's supply of blood is available for the area's hospital patients. At this point the Red Cross is only able to supply some hospitals 50% of their desired inventory.

"It is urgent that people respond to this critical situation and give blood now," said Paul Regal, CEO, Mid-Atlantic Blood Services Region. "The inventory for patients in the 50 hospitals the Red Cross serves throughout the Region is at the point where orders are being cut and we may need to ship blood in from other areas of the country."

Just one severe trauma case could deplete the supply, as some patients can require 30 or more pints of blood. With several blood types having a less than a one day supply available, while the safest minimum supply is considered to be a three days worth of blood, the situation is critical and all types are needed.

Won't you give just under an hour of your time to save someone's life? A child with cancer, an accident victim, a grandmother awaiting heart surgery, someone is waiting for your blood donation right now. No one, not you, or someone you love, should ever have to wonder if the blood they need will be available.

Any one who is at least 17 years old, who weighs at least 110 pounds, and has not donated blood within the past 56 days and is healthy, may give blood. For information about blood donation locations and times, call the Red Cross at 1-800-559-0433 or visit www.redcross.org.