Give a Pint of Blood, Get a Pint of Ice Cream with Red, White and Blue Bell Celebration
LEXINGTON, Ky. – America is celebrating its 250th birthday this summer, and Kentucky Blood Center is joining the party. Kentuckians who are looking to find a meaningful way to commemorate the United States Semiquincentennial are encouraged to donate blood during KBC’s “Red, White and Blue Bell” promotion, May 22 to July 4.
To celebrate America 250, KBC is offering a scoop of Americana to all donors. Those who give a pint of blood during the promotion will receive a voucher for a pint of Blue Bell Ice Cream, plus a "United We Give" T-shirt. All items are while supplies last.
To get the party started, donors who come out the first day of the celebration – Friday, May 22 – will get a $20 Amazon gift card in addition to the patriotic T-shirt and Blue Bell Ice Cream.
Donating blood is considered a profound act of patriotism. One in four people will need a blood transfusion in their lifetime for a wide range of treatments, but because blood cannot be manufactured, local patients rely entirely on the generosity of donors who selflessly donate. KBC needs 400 donors a day to maintain a healthy supply of blood to more than 70 local hospitals in Kentucky.
Summertime typically doesn’t hold much celebration at KBC because of the strained blood supply. Blood donations dwindle during the summer because of warm-weather activities, family vacations and no school – unfortunately coinciding with trauma season when blood transfusions often increase. More troubling is that KBC is already experiencing low levels of blood before the summer officially begins. Entering the holiday weekend, KBC is in low or critical supply of nearly every blood type.
“Helping your neighbor is woven into America’s story,” said Mandy Brajuha, VP of external relations at KBC. “As we celebrate America 250 this summer, we can’t think of anything more patriotic than donating blood. We hope donors pledge their allegiance to saving local lives and enjoy a bit of Americana on us with some Blue Bell Ice Cream.”
All KBC locations will participate in the Red, White and Blue Bell celebration.
Most donor centers, listed below, are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Specific hours can be found at the donor center links below. KBC also hosts approximately 2,200 mobile drives a year in more than 90 counties. Donors can visit kybloodcenter.org or call 800.775.2522 to schedule an appointment. Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are welcome.
Blood donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health, show a photo I.D. and meet additional requirements.
