By Brianne Simonds and Lee Ann Taylor

We are kicking off March by celebrating Red Cross month and you can be a hero by simply donating! Donating blood is simple and crucial to saving someone's life. It is a never ending cycle and necessity that connects each one of us.

Someone who would know a thing or two about the importance of donating blood is Clara Barton, founder of American Red Cross and once a nurse, called the Battlefield Angel, during the Civil War.

We understand there are some people who are on the fence about making a donation so here are some facts to ease your mind and enlighten a bit!

Facts :
Time is Essential: Someone is in dire need of blood every 2 seconds in United States
Popular Type: Although all blood types are needed, people with type O are the most universal and required type to donate. If you are Type O, please give!
Many Lives: One donations can help save up to three lives!
Pints vs Needs: It takes a total of three pints of blood just for one transfusion (on average someone needing an emergency blood transfusion after being in a car accident needs about 100 pints total)
The process is as Easy as Can Be: All you will need to provide is medical history, a physical and blood!
It Can't Be Stored: Blood donations must be used within a 42 day time period. It is not something that can be stored for a long period of time. More reason to keep donating!
Needles: It's just a little pinch and the needles are sterile.
Screened: All blood donations are screened for HIV, hepatitis B and C and other diseases.
Local Locations: Blood drives are everywhere including churches, schools, colleges and organizations.

Here are some upcoming blood drives:
Broome County, Binghamton
3/3/2015: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Lourdes Hospital, 169 Riverside Drive
3/11/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Broome Comm College Applied Technology Building, 907 Upper Front Street
3/12/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Broome Comm College Applied Technology Building, 907 Upper Front Street
Deposit
3/9/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Christ Episcopal Church, 130 Second Street
Endicott
3/4/2015: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Gault Chevrolet Company Incorporated, 2205 North Street
Johnson City
3/1/2015: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
3/2/2015: 12:15 p.m. - 6:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
3/3/2015: 12:15 p.m. - 6:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
3/5/2015: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
3/6/2015: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
3/7/2015: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
3/8/2015: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
3/9/2015: 12:15 p.m. - 6:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
3/10/2015: 12:15 p.m. - 6:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
3/12/2015: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
3/13/2015: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
3/14/2015: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
3/14/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Oakdale Mall, 601-635 Harry L Dr
3/15/2015: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Johnson City Blood Donation Center, 365 Harry L Drive
Vestal
3/2/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Lourdes Hospital- Vestal, 3101 Shippers Road, Suite 203
3/3/2015: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Grace Point Church, 3701 Old Vestal Road
3/3/2015: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Binghamton University- Old Union, 4400 Vestal Parkway East
3/3/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, 2071 Vestal Parkway West
3/7/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Best Buy Vestal, 3209 Vestal Parkway East

Chemung County
Elmira
3/5/2015: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., North Presbyterian Church, 921 College Avenue
3/10/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Seventh Day Adventist, 813 Maple Avenue
3/13/2015: 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., St Joseph's Hospital, 555 East Market Street
_______________
Chenango County
Bainbridge
3/3/2015: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Bainbridge Guilford High School, 18 Juliand St
Norwich
3/10/2015: 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Chenango Memorial Hospital, 178 N. Broad Street
3/12/2015: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., State University of New York Morrisville, Robert W. Follet Hall, 20 Conkey Avenue
Oxford
3/14/2015: 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., American Legion Post 376, 17 South Washington Street
South Otselic
3/4/2015: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Otselic Valley Central School, 125 Country Route 13A
_______________
Cortland County
Cincinnatus
3/9/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., First Baptist Church of Cincinnatus, 2608 Baptist Ave
Cortland
3/6/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Lowes Cortland, 872 Route 13
3/14/2015: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., St Mary's Church, 44 North Main St
Homer
3/7/2015: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 16 Cayuga St.
_______________
Delaware County
Davenport
3/9/2015: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Charlotte Valley Central School, 15611 State Highway 23
Delhi
3/6/2015: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Delaware Academy, 2 Sheldon Drive
3/6/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3 Delview Ext
Downsville
3/11/2015: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Downsville Fire Department, 15166 State Highway 30
Grand Gorge
3/13/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Grand Gorge Fire House, 60753 State Highway 30
Sidney
3/7/2015: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., St Lukes Evangelical Lutheran Church, 139 West Main Street
Stamford
3/2/2015: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Stamford Central School, 1 River Street
Tioga County
Candor
3/6/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Candor Fire Department, 74 Owego Rd
Owego
3/11/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Owego United Methodist Church, 261 Main Street

For more info, visit the American Red Cross website.

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