A little good goes a long way: Give blood or platelets with Red Cross and PEANUTS®

Monday, August 25, 2025 at 6:00 PM

By Kathy Bottorff

The American Red Cross asks donors to give blood or platelets now to help maintain a healthy blood supply. Donors of all blood types, especially those with types O positive and B negative blood, are urged to make an appointment to keep lifesaving blood products ready the moment patients need them.

People coming together to care for one another is the humanitarian spirit shared by our Red Cross community and fans of PEANUTS. And this month, the Red Cross and PEANUTS are once again joining forces to remind people that a bit of good goes a long way. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of PEANUTS, those who come to give blood Aug. 29-Sept. 21 will get an exclusive Red Cross x PEANUTS mystery bag with one of four special T-shirt designs, while they last.

Each design is iconic, and donors won’t know which one they’ll get until they open the bag. Additionally, there will be several golden tickets randomly hidden in the mystery bags throughout the country. Donors who find a golden ticket when they open their bag will have the chance to redeem it through an online form for all four T-shirts! See RedCrossBlood.org/Peanuts for details.

Be a friend to patients in need. Book a time to give by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities through Sept. 15 are in Plymouth in Centennial Park during the Marshall County Blueberry Festival on Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can also give blood on Sept. 9 at the Rochester Church of Christ at 120 East 5^th Street from 1 to 6 p.m.

To donate blood, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card, a driver’s license, or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states, weigh at least 110 pounds, and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood.