Assemblyman Al Stirpe (D-Cicero) announced he will be hosting his 8th annual Lifesavers Blood Drive in conjunction with the American Red Cross on Tuesday, July 15, from noon to 8 p.m. at Driver’s Village, 5885 E. Circle Drive in Cicero.

“Giving blood can make the difference between life and death. This will be the eighth year our community has come together to donate blood and help save lives,” said Assemblyman Stirpe.

More than 41,000 blood donations are needed every day, and every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood.¹ An estimated 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate, yet less than 10 percent actually do so each year. Blood drives are an essential way to collect blood in communities and 80 percent of the blood given to the Red Cross is donated at mobile blood drives.²

Assemblyman Stirpe began hosting the blood drive as a way to honor his father, who sponsored similar yearly blood drives in the village of Clyde for over 20 years. His father taught him the importance of donating blood on a regular basis, and now Assemblyman Stirpe is encouraging the community to join him in giving blood at this year’s blood drive.

“Every day this summer is a chance to give a lifesaving gift,” said Kay E. Schwartz, CEO of the Red Cross New York-Penn Blood Services Region. “Making a blood or platelet donation with the Red Cross is an easy way to extend hope and help ensure lifesaving blood products are available for patients here in our community and across the nation.”

This year, the goal is to collect more than 150 units of blood. To register for the blood drive, visit tinyurl.com/LifesaversBloodDrive or contact Assemblyman Stirpe’s office at 452-1115 or StirpeA@assembly.state.ny.us.

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1. redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/blood-facts-and-statistics

2. Ibid.