March is American Red Cross month, pay it forward by pulling up your sleeve. “When someone gives blood they join the Red Cross,” said Tim Ryerson, CEO, Tennessee Valley Blood Services Region.  “We want to thank everyone who supports us.
That support enables us to provide help and hope to those who need assistance.”
 Almost 70 years ago, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed March Red Cross Month.
Every president since has issued the same proclamation.
In the United States, someone needs a blood transfusion about every two seconds.
Please help us celebrate American Red Cross month by helping a family in need. Your single donation could save up to three lives.
You may be thinking to yourself, “I would love to help but I can’t donate blood.”
Donor criteria have changed over the years.
You may be surprised to learn if you have tattoos, diabetes, battled certain types of cancer or even traveled outside the U.S., you may still be eligible to donate blood.
Please visit the American Red Cross website at www.redcrossblood.org to see if you meet our donor criteria.
“We work very diligently to help those in need,” Tim Ryerson, CEO, said. “Red Cross workers, volunteers and blood donors touch the lives of millions of people every year.”
This month, please make an appointment to donate blood and save a life.
Locally, you may give blood in Carthage on March 12 from 12-6 p.m. at the Smith County Community Center, 939 Upper Ferry Road.
To Donate Blood call 1-800-RED CROSS or log on to  www.redcrossblood.org for more information or to schedule a blood donation appointment.
All blood types are needed to ensure the Red Cross maintains an adequate blood supply.
A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in.
Donors must be in general good health, weigh at least 110 pounds and be at least 17 years old (16 with completed Parental Consent Form).
New height and weight restrictions apply to donors younger than 19.
Visit redcrossblood.org to learn more.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families.
The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.