Talma Community Building to host blood drive Oct. 31

The American Red Cross encourages donors to schedule appointments now to give blood or platelets, supporting patients who rely on a steady blood supply for survival and healing.

While emergencies often attract attention, the constant need for blood remains. This is especially true in October, as donation appointments tend to decline quickly when people settle into busy fall routines and plan around upcoming school breaks.

Additionally, the threat of hurricanes persists this month. Since blood has a short shelf life and can only come from volunteer donors, any disruption in its collection can have serious consequences for those needing medical care.

Get ready now—help patients this fall by scheduling an appointment to donate blood or platelets at RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS, or using the Red Cross Blood Donor App. All donors from September 22 to October 19 will receive a $10 Amazon gift card via email. Donors between October 20 and November 16, 2025, will get a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice and will be automatically entered to win one of three $5,000 gift cards.

Upcoming area blood donation opportunities include:

Tuesday, October 21 in Starke County at the Knox Community Center,  from 12:30 to 6 p.m.

in Marshall County on Saturday, October 25 at the Moose Lodge in Plymouth from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

in Fulton County on Friday, October 31 at the Talma Community Building from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.