Wisconsin blood donors needed; supply facing stress, officials say

MILWAUKEE - Two agencies are sounding the alarm as it concerns the blood supply. Both the American Red Cross and the Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin said this week there is a critical need for blood donors at the moment. 

Versiti's plea

Versiti indicated in a news release that its centers have seen a drastic drop in scheduled appointments. They have nearly 2,500 open appointments over the next seven days.

"People need people, and right now today, blood can’t be manufactured," said Jasmine M. Johnson, Versiti Blood Center VP & Donor Services Director. 

Right now, Versiti officials say they have has less than a one-day supply on the shelves. The organization strives for a three-day supply of available blood for local hospitals.

"When we start to see our inventory and blood product supply begin to get to catastrophic lows, it’s time to call it upon our friends," Johnson said. "We want to make sure when an if a traumatic event happens, that we have the blood supply for the patient and that family." 

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If you would like to take the time to make a donation, schedule an appointment with Versiti through its website. 

Red Cross appeal

The American Red Cross said there is a concerning shortfall in blood donations last month that could stress the blood supply. The Red Cross collected over 26,000 fewer blood donations than needed in May to meet the needs of patients. 

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As an incentive to donate, the Red Cross is giving anyone who donates blood, platelets, or plasma through the end of June, a $10 gift card by email to a merchant of their choice. Those who come to give throughout June will also be automatically entered for a chance to win a backyard theater package. Details for both offers can be found at RedCrossBlood.org/June. 

"Way back when, my mother had lost a lot of blood. She was very appreciative of the blood that she got in the hospital," said Paul McBride, an avid blood donor.

Someone's blood donation saved McBride's mother's life. So for 30 years, he has been rolling up his sleeves to do the same.

"She wouldn’t live without it, for sure with how much she lost. So, it was special," McBride said. "It’s so important I really encourage everyone to come out and donate, especially right now when they are so low."

Blood donation opportunities, June 16-30

Dodge County

Beaver Dam

6/20/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., YMCA of Dodge County, 220 Corporate Dr

7/7/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., YMCA of Dodge County, 220 Corporate Dr

Fox Lake

6/12/2023: 12 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Fox Lake Community Center, 248 E State Street

Horicon

6/15/2023: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Horicon Police Department, 220 Ellison St

Lomira

6/19/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church, 300 Church ST

Mayville

6/28/2023: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., American Legion, 134 South Main Street

Randolph

6/20/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Village of Randolph, Village of Randolph, 248 West Stroud St

Waupun

7/6/2023: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Edgewood Church, 201 Edgewood Dr

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Fond du Lac County

Fond du Lac

6/9/2023: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., YMCA, 90 W 2nd St

6/14/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Church of Peace, 158 S Military Rd

6/29/2023: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Radisson Hotel and Conference Center, 625 W Rolling Meadows Dr

Ripon

6/27/2023: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church ELCA, 430 Griswold St

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Jefferson County

Fort Atkinson

6/12/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Creamery 201, 201 N. Main St.

7/7/2023: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Dwight Foster Public Library, 209 Merchants Ave

Jefferson

6/26/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., VFW POST 3589, 1420 S ROCKWELL ST

Johnson Creek

6/15/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Community Center, 417 Union St

Waterloo

6/16/2023: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., St. John's Lutheran School, 413 E Madison

7/3/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Waterloo High School, 865 N Monroe St

Watertown

6/12/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran School, 706 Jones Street

6/13/2023: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran School, 706 Jones Street

6/29/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Watertown Senior & Community Center, 514 S. First Street

7/7/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Associated Bank, 600 E Main St,

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Kenosha County

Kenosha

6/22/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Kenosha Masonic Center, 115 56th st

7/5/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., VFW Post 1865, 6618 39th ave

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Milwaukee County_

Brown Deer

6/9/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Pauls Lutheran Church, 8080 N 47th St.

Greendale

6/13/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., The Hose Tower, 5699 Parking St

6/15/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Martin Luther High School, 5201 South 76th Street

Milwaukee

6/7/2023: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., MobCraft Beer Brewery and Taproom, 505 S 5th St

6/7/2023: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Radisson Milwaukee West, 2303 North Mayfair Road

6/15/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Schlitz Park, 1555 N River Center Dr

6/20/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Bay View Branch Milwaukee Public Library, 2566 S Kinnickinnic Ave

6/23/2023: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., American Red Cross in Southeast WI, 2600 W Wisconsin Ave

6/26/2023: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W. Bluemound Road

6/27/2023: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W. Bluemound Road

6/28/2023: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W. Bluemound Road

6/30/2023: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Southside Church of Christ, 1933 W Grange Ave

7/5/2023: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Broken Bat Brewing Co, 135 E Pittsburgh Ave

Oak Creek

6/8/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., The Salvation Army Oak Creek Centennial Church, 8853 S. Howell Ave.

7/5/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Oak Creek Community Center, 8580 S. Howell  Ave

River Hills

6/27/2023: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., St Christophers Episcopal Church, 7845 N River Rd

West Allis

6/9/2023: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., West Allis City Hall, 7525 W. Greenfield Ave.

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Ozaukee County

Cedarburg

6/14/2023: 1 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., St Francis Borgia Cath Church, 1375 Covered Bridge Rd

Grafton

6/7/2023: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Kacmarcik Center for Human Performance, 885 Badger Circle

Mequon

6/14/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Unitarian Church North, 13800 N. Port Washington Road

Port Washington

6/20/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Matthew Lutheran Church, 1525 N Grant St

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Racine County

Burlington

7/7/2023: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Bella Vita Banquet Hall, 34816 Geneva Rd

Mt Pleasant

7/7/2023: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Mt Pleasant Family YMCA Sealed Air Branch, 8501 Campus Dr

Racine

6/13/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church, 1700 S Green Bay Rd

7/6/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Racine Public Library, 75 7th St

Waterford

6/8/2023: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Legacy Realty Group, 401 N Milwaukee St #1

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Sheboygan County

Cedar Grove

6/13/2023: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Faith Reformed Church, 243 S Fourth St

Plymouth

6/28/2023: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Ladewig Zinkgraf American Legion Post 243, 40 S Stafford St

Sheboygan

6/9/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave

6/14/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., VFW Memorial Post 9156, 552 S Evans St

6/16/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave

6/23/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave

6/30/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave

7/7/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave

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Walworth County

Delavan

6/21/2023: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 416 W Geneva

Elkhorn

6/7/2023: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Elkhorn Area High School, 482 E Geneva St

6/29/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sugar Creek Lutheran Church, N5690 Cobblestone Rd

Lake Geneva

6/16/2023: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., The Cove of Lake Geneva, 111 Center Street

Walworth

6/23/2023: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Big Foot High School, 401 Devils Ln

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Washington County

Slinger

6/30/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Slinger Community Library, 220 Slinger Rd

West Bend

7/5/2023: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., American Legion Post 36, 712 Park Ave.

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Waukesha County

Brookfield

6/9/2023: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Ridgewood Church, 2720 Lilly Road

6/13/2023: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., The Corners of Brookfield, 270 Lord Street

6/23/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Sendik's Towne Centre, 18905 W Capitol Dr, Suite C101

7/3/2023: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Sendik's Towne Centre, 18905 W Capitol Dr, Suite C101

Hartland

6/14/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., St. Charles Catholic Parish & School, 313 Circle Drive

6/23/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Lake Country Lutheran High School, 401 Campus Dr

6/30/2023: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Hartland Public Library, 110 E Park Ave

Menomonee Falls

7/7/2023: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., American Legion Post 382, N88 W16652 Main St

Muskego

6/29/2023: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Muskego Circle Community Center, S63 W13694 Janesville Rd

New Berlin

6/8/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., New Berlin Public Library, 15105 Library Ln

7/6/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., New Berlin Public Library, 15105 Library Ln

North Prairie

6/19/2023: 1:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., Highview Evangelical Presbyterian Church, S50 W33042 Town Rd GE

Oconomowoc

6/19/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Oconomowoc Community Center, 220 W Wisconsin Ave

6/28/2023: 1 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Western Lakes Fire District Station 6 Stone Bank, W335N7107 Stone Bank Rd.

6/30/2023: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Oconomowoc Public Library, 200 W South St

Pewaukee

6/21/2023: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, W240 N3103 Pewaukee Rd

Sussex

6/14/2023: 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, N59W22476 Silver Spring Dr

6/26/2023: 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Rotating Equipment Repair, W248 N5550 Executive Dr

Waukesha

7/3/2023: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Raised Grain Brewing Company, 1725 Dolphin Drive

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