MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The American Red Cross has teamed up with Shark Week to encourage blood donations in July.
Starting on July 12, anyone scheduled to donate blood at any American Red Cross location will be eligible to win Shark Week-sponsored prizes. T-shirts of the popular TV program will be given throughout the month of July, with one lucky winner eligible to win a free shark-themed vacation.
“From July 12 until August 12th, all donors will be entered to win a contest for a private shark dive adventure at the Long Island Aquarium,” said American Red Cross Allegheny Highlands Chapter Executive Director Jason Keeling on the grand prize.
A separate vacation drawing will take place for any donors who schedule appointments from July 17 until the end of the month of July. Shark Week t-shirts will also be given to donors who schedule appointments from July 17 until the end of the month. Appointments can be made either over the phone or online.
“From the 17th until the 31st of July, donors will receive an officially licensed Shark Week t-shirt,” said Keeling on the timeline of the giveaway.
According to Keeling, the call for blood donations comes at a time of year when blood supplies are at their lowest point. This is due to several factors, particularly the lack of consistent donations as regular donors go on vacation, reschedule appointments, etc. With blood supplies low, anyone is encouraged to sign up for an appointment, which is expected to take no more than an hour.
“It’s always of high use but particularly, during these summer months, it’s even more needed,” said Keeling.
Anyone wishing to donate blood in the Morgantown Area can do so by driving to the American Red Cross location on Pineview Drive near Mon Health Medical Center. Appointments can also be made on any Alexa Echo device, and anyone who donates must be at least 17 years of age with two different forms of identification. The hope for Keeling and the Allegheny Highlands Chapter office is that people stop by, donate, and receive some cool Shark Week merchandise.
“It’s just a fun way of promoting something people enjoy with the Shark Week brand, and the Red Cross is glad to get the message out about the importance of donating blood,” said Keeling.