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The Blood Center of Iowa focuses heavily on the safety and quality of the community blood supply by relying on healthy, honest and responsible volunteer blood donors.  It has been proven that blood donated from volunteers is safer than blood donated by donors who are paid and that a volunteer donor base is the most significant factor in providing a safe blood supply.

Once blood is collected, it is tested at The Blood Center of Iowa’s state-of-the-art laboratory to make sure it is safe to transfuse to a hospital patient.  More than one million tests are performed in this laboratory each year. 

Volunteer blood donors are needed at the North Iowa Area Community College Blood Drive on Tuesday, March 9, 2010.  The drive will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will be held on the second floor of the Activity Center.  This drive is sponsored by the NIACC Student Senate.

Appointments will be taken on Monday, March 1, and Tuesday, March 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in NIACC’s Activity Center.  Walk-ins the day of the drive are welcomed.  Appointments can also be scheduled online at www.bloodcenterofiowa.org.  For more information about this blood drive, please contact Tyler Sisco at (641) 422-4986. 

The Blood Center of Iowa is an independent, non-profit, federally licensed organization that provides blood and blood products to 46 hospitals in 44 counties across Iowa.  For more than 45 years The Blood Center has relied on charitable community members to volunteer their time and blood to maintain an adequate blood supply in the community.  Eligible donors must be at least 16 years of age, be in general good health and weigh at least 120 pounds.  To learn more about The Blood Center of Iowa, call 800-287-4903 or visit www.bloodcenterofiowa.org.

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