Solvita Mercer Co. ODOT & Sheriff’s Office July 2 Blood Drives

DAYTON, Ohio – Give blood during the critical July 4^th holiday week and get a chance to see Taylor Swift perform live. Make plans to donate Tuesday, July 2 at the Ohio Department of Transportation Mercer County or the Mercer County Sheriff's Office community blood drives.

The ODOT blood drive is July 2 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at 4444 state Route 29, Celina.

The Sheriff’s Office blood drive July 2 from noon to 2:30 p.m. at 4835 state Route 29, Celina.

Schedule an appointment to donate with Solvita (formerly Community Blood Center) on the Donor Time app, by calling (937) 461-3220, or at www.donortime.com. Walk-ins are welcome at the Solvita Dayton Center, 349 S. Main St.

Beginning July 1, everyone who registers to donate at any Solvita blood drive or the Solvita Dayton Center will receive the Solvita “From One to Many” beach towel and will be automatically entered in the drawing for two tickets to Taylor Swift's Nov. 3 show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The July 4^th holiday period is the greatest challenge of the year to Solvita and the regional blood supply. Currently all blood types are in low supply and there is a critical shortage of type O and type B blood. Solvita will be closed for the July 4^th holiday and there are only two community blood drives scheduled Wednesday through Friday, July 3-5.

As donations decline during the holiday week, usage at hospitals tends to increase, as more cars on the roads and more outdoor activities contribute to more emergency room visits.

You can save time while helping save lives by using “DonorXPress” to complete the donor questionnaire before arriving at a blood drive. Find DonorXPress on the Donor Time App or at www.solvita.org/donorxpress.

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Blood donation requirements:  Donors are required to provide a photo ID that includes their full name.  Past Solvita donors are also asked to bring their Solvita donor ID card.  Donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 years old with parental consent: form available at www.solvita.org or at the Dayton Donation Center and mobile blood drive locations), weigh a minimum of 110 pounds (you may have to weigh more depending on your height), and be in good physical health.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changes blood donor eligibility guidelines periodically.  Individuals with eligibility questions can email canidonate@solvita.org or call (937) 461-3220. Make an appointment at www.DonorTime.com.

Solvita is an independent, not-for-profit organization with the mission of taking life further and making a lasting impact on the world by providing lifesaving and life-enhancing blood products and tissue grafts.

As a regional blood center headquartered in Dayton, Ohio Solvita collects, processes, and provides blood products to partner hospitals and health centers within our 18-county service area of western Ohio and eastern Indiana and to select hospitals and blood centers outside the region.

As a global tissue center Solvita provides services to donor families, medical communities, recipients, OPOs, and community partners through recovery, processing, and distribution of tissue grafts. We are a national tissue network with locations in Dayton, Ohio (Corporate Office); Fort Worth, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Portland and Medford, Oregon; Toledo, Ohio; and Boise, Idaho. For more information visit www.Solvita.org.