Non-profit regional blood center Blood Assurance is offering community members an entry to win one of 18 Riverbend Music Festival wristbands when donating blood between Monday until Saturday, June 4 at a local donor center or bloodmobile.
Officials said Blood Assurance is in critical need of types O negative, O positive, B negative and A negative blood, as well as A positive and B positive plasma.
The Riverbend Festival is the official kick off to summer in the Tennessee Valley with more than 80 artists during nine days on five stages. The annual festival draws roughly 500,000 people to the banks of the Tennessee River in the heart of Chattanooga. A festival wristband allows guests to attend each day of the festival, and the full artist lineup is listed online.
In addition to the Riverbend wristband entry, all blood donors will receive an “American Blood Donor” t-shirt as a thank you for helping save lives across the region.
Officials said more than 540 volunteer blood donors are needed every day in order to adequately supply the demand of local hospitals, and just one donation can save up to three lives across the region. A list of Blood Assurance’s donor center locations can be found online along with the scheduled public blood drives.
To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids—avoiding caffeine –and eat a meal that is rich in iron prior to donating.
For more information on Blood Assurance, donating blood or hosting a blood drive, visit www.bloodassurance.org or call 1-800- 962-0628.