Red Cross trades concert passes for blood

The Southeast Missouri chapter of the American Red Cross is trying to entice high school and college students to give blood by giving them VIP access passes to a big summer concert tour.

Today through Saturday and June 25-30 the Red Cross is giving out VIP access passes to the Vans Warped Tour -- a touring festival featuring alternative rock acts like New Found Glory and Relient K -- to donors at its collection center at 20 S. Mt. Auburn Road. The tour will visit the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in St. Louis on Aug. 14.

The passes allow special access, including backstage, but a ticket to the concert must be purchased. Volunteers from six schools in the region -- Cape Central High School, Notre Dame Regional High School, Jackson High School, Saxony Lutheran High School, Scott City High School and Chaffee High School -- are recruiting their fellow students for the blood drive. Donors must be at least 16 years old.

The drive is part of a national program called Music Saves Lives.