Red Cross blood drive in honor of Mike Hutchinson

CHAPPELL — Deputy Mike Hutchinson has made a career out of helping others. Even after a personal tragedy on the job, he’s turning his focus to his community.

On Dec. 3, 2015, Hutchinson was shot four times while serving an arrest warrant in Big Springs. He received several pints of lifesaving blood while at Ogallala Community Hospital. Now, he’d like to make sure blood is available for other patients when they need it by encouraging Chappell-area residents to donate.

Donations of blood in honor of Mike Hutchinson will be drawn Tuesday, Aug. 23 from noon to 6 p.m. and Wednesday, Aug. 24 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Chappell Fire Hall,1650 Second St.

To make anappointment to donate, call Vanessa at 882-6585 or Amanda at 660-6709 or visit redcrossblood.org.

The blood drive comes when the Red Cross has an emergency need for donors to give now to help ensure area patients receive the transfusions they need. At times, blood products are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in.

According to the Red Cross, every two seconds in the United States blood and platelets are needed to respond to patient emergencies. The Red Cross must collect approximately 14,000 blood and platelet donations every day for the patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters, supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood, teaches skills that save lives, provides international humanitarian aid, and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.