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American Red Cross Putting Out A Call For Blood Donations

April 17, 2025 Steve Schwaller

(Spirit Lake)– The American Red Cross is putting out a call for blood donations. According to the organization, only 3% of age-eligible people donate blood yearly. There are a few blood drives that will be happening in the area and Karen Dokken (dockin), the chairman of the Red Cross Blood Drives in Spirit Lake, urges those who can to donate…

“They’re in dire need of blood and it only takes 45 minutes to give blood and we can’t make blood. We can do lots of transplants and wonderful procedures surgically for people but nobody can manufacture blood. An average adult has 10.5 pints of blood which is 7.8% of their body weight and so we need blood. We really are desperate. The last time we had blood mobile in Spirit Lake there was only had 19 pints given which is very very low.” 

Dokken says appointments are encouraged but walk-ins are also accepted…

“Often times we can take walk-ins to fill in a slot where there is not an appointment but its very easy to make an appointment. They just have to visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or call 1-800-733-2767.”

There are 3 blood drives that will be happening in the area. The first one will be at the Senior Center in Spirit Lake on April 28th from 12 to 6. The second one is at the Milford Community Room on April 29th from 1 to 6 and the last one is in Estherville at the Grandview Baptist Church gym on May 1st from 1 to 6.

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