The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood to help ensure a sufficient blood supply throughout the holiday season.

A seasonal decline in donations often occurs from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day when donors get busy with family gatherings and travel. However, patients don’t get a holiday vacation from needing lifesaving transfusions. In fact, every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood.

Donors with all blood types are needed, and especially those with types O negative, B negative, A negative and AB.

To make an appointment to donate blood, people can download the Red Cross Blood Donor App from app stores, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Locally, blood drives will be held from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Nov. 19 in the Orono High school gym, and from noon-5 p.m. on Nov. 27 at the Old Town-Orono YMCA.

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