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Red Cross blood drive brings out all types

Red Cross phlebotomist Frey Gohlinghorst helps Joseph Stadheim donate blood at The New Ulm Civic Center. The blood drive will continue from 12 p.m. — 6 p.m. Thursday and 8:30 a.m. — 1:30 p.m. Friday.

NEW ULM — A Red Cross Blood Drive began Wednesday at the New Ulm Civic Center and will continue through Friday.

Turnout for the blood drive was strong Wednesday, but blood drive coordinator Ellen Friedrich said there was a desperate need for blood.

“Summer is a rough time for donations,” Friedrich said. “Anyone who can give should give.”

The Red Cross is especially interested in donations from individuals with “O” blood types. Anyone with a negative blood type would also be helpful.

Blood donor Joseph Stadheim managed to meet both criteria. He gave a double red cell donation of O negative.

Stadheim said he tries to give blood every time there is a blood drive. He got in the habit of donating after his mother-in-law, a blood bank nurse, learned he had O Negative blood and encourage him to donate.

O Negative blood is the most common blood type used in transfusion because people of any blood type can receive it.

Several other regular donors made appointments Wednesday. Regular B Positive donor Paula Windschitl estimated she had donated over three gallons of blood in her lifetime.

“Everybody should be doing this,” Windschitl said. “It is a lot of fun. It is fun to know what you can do for other people.”

A Positive donor Kelly Fischer said she has consistently donated blood for the last few years. She started donating during the COVID pandemic when the need was high. She continued doing it because the process never bothered her.

Friedrich said the ideal blood donor is anyone who feels healthy and is well-hydrated. Anyone thinking of donating is encouraged to drink plenty of water before and eat a meal with iron.

The blood drive will continue from 12 p.m. — 6 p.m. Thursday and 8:30 a.m. — 1:30 p.m. Friday.

To make an appointment call 1-800 Red Cross (1-800-733-2767) or visit RedCrossBlood.org.

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