Red Cross "Pint for a Pint" Blood Drive Starts This Week

There's never been a sweeter time to donate blood — starting this and until the end of August, the American Red Cross is offering each donor a coupon for a free pint of Baskin-Robbins ice cream.

The "Pint for a Pint" promotion, a welcome addition to the old orange juice and sugar cookie scenario, is meant to attract new summertime blood donors. During the summer, demand for blood can rise because of roadway and travel-related injuries, while the organization's regular donors are away on vacation, according to the Red Cross.

May and June saw the lowest level of donations in over a dozen years for the same months, according to the Red Cross, while demand for blood products remained steady. Consequently, the Red Cross has issued an appeal for blood donors of all types, but especially O negative, which can be used to treat any patient.

The closest Red Cross blood drive location to Clayton is in Pleasant Hill at 140 Gregory Lane. Blood drives will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, Wednesday and Thursday.

For more locations, search by zip code at redcrossblood.org/northernca.

Meanwhile, the nearest Baskin-Robbins are:

• 5100 Clayton Rd Ste 28, Concord, CA
• 785 C Oak Road, Concord, CA

To donate blood, you must be in good health and at least 17 years old (or 16 years old with parental consent) and 110 pounds, plus height requirements.