TEMPLE, TX — One way you can honor our heroes is by donating blood.
The Temple VA and Carter BloodCare are teaming up to host a blood drive Wednesday, June 3.
The pandemic put the supply into the critical need category.
"This Spring COVID-19 lead to mass cancellations and loss of donors and we need the community to step up and help with our blood supply so we will have available blood this summer," said Carter BloodCare's Vickie Carpenter.
Elective surgeries are now underway, placing more demand on the blood supply.
"Blood can not be manufactured. When people have trauma, the hospitals need blood to save lives," said Carpenter.
The Temple VA and Carter BloodCare organized a blood drive on June 3rd.
Donors must pre-register. Temperature checks and sanitizing between donors are just some of the precautions in place.
"When they get on the bus, we're going to ask them to wear their mask. Only 4 people on the bus at a time. Normally we allow 6 but we will have two in the booths and two on the beds," said Carpenter.
The drive is from 9 am to 3 pm at the Olin E. Teague Veterans' Medical Center, 1902 Veterans Memorial Drive in Temple. The Carter BloodCare bus will be deployed to the medical center and set up in the Valet Parking entry area adjacent to the Teague Hospital, Building 204.
You can schedule your donation time by visiting their website or calling Adele Warner at 254-743-0520. Donors must go through the screening point at the Avenue U gate, wear a face covering while on the CTVHCS campus, and tell the screeners they are there to donate blood. No one under the age of 18, including infants, are allowed.
You can also visit https://www.carterbloodcare.org/
