Vitalant hosting annual Respond to the Call Blood Drive at Mesilla Valley Mall

Leah Romero, Las Cruces Sun-News
·2 min read
Lizett Lopez is one of many donors participating in a blood drive hosted by the city of Las Cruces July 27 and 28, 2020.
Lizett Lopez is one of many donors participating in a blood drive hosted by the city of Las Cruces July 27 and 28, 2020.

LAS CRUCES – Vitalant’s 15th annual Respond to the Call Blood Drive is back this weekend at the Mesilla Valley Mall, asking donors to rally during a historically low donation period.

According to a news release, blood donations “drop dramatically due to vacations, end of school activities and other events vying for donors’ time” during the summer months. To address this lull, Vitalant, a nonprofit blood services provider, is partnering with local first responders to encourage people to donate.

“The event will bring together police, sheriff’s deputies, fire departments, 911 dispatchers, and paramedics joining forces to promote the importance of blood donation, which these dedicated professionals see the need for on a weekly basis,” the news release stated.

Vitalant will be set up at the Mesilla Valley Mall from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, June 9, from noon to 4 p.m. June 10 and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. June 11. The mall is located at 700 S. Telshor Blvd.

El Pasoans can also participate in donating during the event at the Cielo Vista Mall, located at 8401 Gateway Blvd. W. during the same dates and times.

Donations of plasma, platelets, whole blood and Power Red will be accepted and then used for various treatments such as for trauma patients, premature infants and cancer patients.

According to the news release, someone is in need of a blood transfusion every two seconds and Respond to the Call events over the years have produced more than 4,000 blood donations to address the need.

People are encouraged to make appointments online at Vitalant.org or by calling 877-258-4825, though walk-ins are also welcome.

Those who donate will receive a “grunt style” T-shirt, a goodie bag and entry into the organization’s $10,000 giveaway for the month of June.

Vitalant also accepts donations at its Las Cruces donation center located at 1200 Commerce Dr.

Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, LRomero@lcsun-news.com or @rromero_leah on Twitter.

Others are reading:

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Vitalant hosting Respond to the Call Blood Drive at Mesilla Valley Mall