News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Blood Assurance is hosting a Cookeville blood drive event in memory of the lives lost and the lives saved through blood donations after the March tornado.
Donor Recruiter Trudy Cody said blood supplies have been low since the pandemic, so this week offers multiple ways to help.
“Today’s patients needed donors yesterday,” Cody said. “Any trauma that happens today, we use blood donated by people that donated prior,” Cody said. “We can’t stress enough help us prepare for this need and honor the victims of any tragedy, especially the tornado.”
Cody said the Blood Assurance Center will be open every day thru Monday with planned mobile drives across the city. They are located at Cookeville Office Max on Saturday and the Academy Sports Distribution Center on Thursday and Sunday.
“The Blood Assurance Center is located at 155 West Broad Street,” Cody said. “We are staying open seven days a week until the 8th of March, 8:30 to 5:00.”
Cody said she recalls the turnout of donors last year. Cody said it was one of the most amazing things she has ever seen.
“You are our first responders when we needed you the most,” Cody said. “And if we did not have the tremendous amount of outpouring from our community with donors and donations, it was just so touching and just awesome that our communities, Putnam County and the surrounding counties came out and stayed hours. I mean it was like almost a 24 hour day that we were here getting donors.”
Cody said as a thank you, O-blood types that register will receive a $10 Amazon gift certificate, and every donor has a chance to win a 2021 Utility Task Vehicle. To schedule an appointment to give blood, visit bloodassurance.org/schedule, call (800)-962-0628 or text BAGIVE to 999777.
