The Rock River Valley Blood Center has extended hours at its Rockford donor center locations for the last two Saturdays in November to accommodate increased demand for blood during the holiday season.
The Downtown Donor Center, 419 N. Sixth St., and the Perryville Donor Center, 3065 N. Perryville Road, will stay open an extra two hours on Saturday, Nov. 23 and Nov. 30. The hours will be:
- Downtown Donor Center: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Perryville Donor Center: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
All blood center locations will be closed on Thanksgiving to allow staff and donors time to be with their family and friends during the holiday.
The blood center requires a minimum of 700 donors each week to meet the needs of patients at 10 regional hospitals.
Donating blood is simple, and one unit can save up to three lives. After registering, a donor care specialist will take your vitals (temperature, blood pressure, pulse and hemoglobin), you’ll complete an eligibility questionnaire, and then sit back and relax while you give. The donation itself only lasts about 10 minutes. Refreshments await after you’re done donating.
If you’re a first-time donor, please bring a photo ID. Individuals can donate a single unit (whole blood donation, the most common type) every 56 days.