Accessibility Statement

Central Bank Center to Host Blood Drive on Friday with KBC June 6, 2023

Blood Drive is Open to the Public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Save Our Summer logo.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Central Kentucky’s epicenter for events will be hosting one of its most important ones to date: a blood drive to save local lives. Central Bank Center, in partnership with Kentucky Blood Center, will host a public blood drive Friday, June 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Billed as one of the kickoff events for KBC’s “Save Our Summer” campaign, the June 9 blood drive was organized by Central Bank Center to put blood on the shelves before a difficult time of year for the blood supply. Between warm-weather activities, family vacations and no school, summer historically leads to lower donor turnout as need remains consistent. KBC currently has less than a day’s supply for several blood types from an uptick in local hospital usage.

Donors are encouraged to give blood at the upcoming drive to ensure summer is safe and enjoyable for everyone. The Central Bank Center Blood Drive is open to the public, and appointments are available at bit.ly/CentralBankDrive. Walk-ins are welcome as space allows. Free parking will be available at the High Street lot across from Central Bank Center.

The drive will be in Club C at Central Bank Center. Donors can enter via the High Street entrance and take the escalators down to the lower-level lobby or through the Vine Street entrance.

Donors who give blood at the Central Bank Center Blood Drive on June will receive a KBC T-shirt, a LexLive movie ticket and be entered into drawings for tickets to upcoming Rupp Arena events.

Donors can win tickets to upcoming Rupp Arena events and more

Not only will donors who give blood June 9 save local lives, everyone who registers to donate will walk away with free thank you items and a chance to win Rupp Arena event tickets. Donors will receive:

  • A KBC "Give Back, Give Blood" T-shirt
  • One LexLive movie ticket
  • Entry into drawings to win two or more tickets to each of the following Rupp Arena events: WWE Friday Night Smackdown (June 16), Thomas Rhett (June 22), The Sound of Music (July 13-16), Guns N' Roses (Sept. 6) and Paw Patrol Live (Oct. 6-7)

 

“Donating blood is one of the easiest ways to give back to your community and help save lives,” said Laura Alexander, assistant general manager at Central Bank Center. “As a blood donor myself, it is humbling to know that your blood donation may help a family member in an emergency situation or the next person you pass on the street. The Central Bank Center team is honored to partner with the Kentucky Blood Center and help others in the community save Kentucky lives.”

All donations with Kentucky Blood Center stay in state to save local lives at more than 70-plus Kentucky hospitals. Whole blood donations typically take no more than 45 minutes from registration to refreshment, and one donation can save up to three lives.

Donation numbers historically dwindle during summer, but the need for blood doesn’t take a vacation. Donations at KBC in 2022 were down more than 12% from 2019, the last summer before the COVID-19 pandemic. One in four people will need blood in their lifetime for everything from cancer treatments to premature births, surgeries, organ transplants, traumas and more.

Blood donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, be in general good health, show a photo I.D. and meet additional requirements. Sixteen-year-old donors must have a signed parental permission slip, which can be found at kybloodcenter.org.

Central Bank Center Blood Drive

About Kentucky Blood Center

Celebrating 55 years of saving lives in Kentucky, KBC is the largest independent, full-service, nonprofit blood center in Kentucky. Licensed by the FDA, KBC’s sole purpose is to collect, process and distribute blood for patients in Kentucky. KBC provides services in 90 Kentucky counties and has donor centers in Lexington, Louisville, Frankfort, Pikeville, Somerset and the Tri-County area.