Blood Drive hosted for Red Cross Month

March is Red Cross month and this Friday the American Red Cross is hosting a blood drive at their location on Myra Drive in Cape Girardeau between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The community is invited to come and give blood in celebration of Red Cross Month.

The Red Cross is hoping to have 25 units of blood donated this Friday. "We are celebrating Red Cross Month and are thrilled to open up our chapter to host a blood drive." said Sara Gerau, Executive Director Financial Development.

Red Cross Month started in 1943 when President Franklin Roosevelt declared the whole month of March to be Red Cross Month. That March the American Red Cross set a goal to reach $125 million in donations . The American people's response was extraordinary and $146 million was donated by June of that year. Roosevelt called it the " . . . greatest single crusade of mercy in all of history."

Two other events scheduled for Red Cross Month are Red Cross Night at Texas Roadhouse on March 19, from 4:00-10:00 p.m., and Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A on March 21, from 5:00-8:00 p.m.