FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Puget Sound Blood Center Fourth of July Holiday Hours

JUNE 22, 2006, SEATTLE WA — Fireworks, BBQs, parades, U.S. history, American heroes are all elements making up a traditional Fourth of July.  Another way to honor our fellow Americans this holiday is blood donation.  By donating blood you are supporting patients in our community who depend on blood transfusions to survive.

Several Puget Sound Blood Center Donor Centers are open over the Independence Day weekend through the Fourth of July.  What better way to celebrate than saving lives?  And to maintain a stable blood supply for our community, we depend on about 900 people registering to donate each weekday.  We hope existing donors and those who have never donated will consider taking time out of their holiday weekend to share the gift of life.

 “Donating blood takes about an hour of your time and has the potential to save three or more lives,” says Blood Center spokesman Tom Butterworth. “And with so many people on the roads or engaged in summer activities, there’s likely to be an increased need for blood.”

Donor Center hours over the Holiday Weekend, Monday and Tuesday:

• Saturday and Sunday all Donor Centers normally open on Saturday and Sunday will be open during their regular hours the weekend prior to the Fourth of July. 
• On Monday, July 3rd, all Blood Center Donor Centers normally open on Mondays will be open regular hours.
• On Tuesday, July 4th, all of the Blood Center’s Donor Centers will be open for whole blood and apheresis collections from 8:00a.m. until 4:00p.m.

Those interested in donating can schedule a time by calling 800-398-7888.  To find a blood drive near you, or for more information on the Blood Center, please visit our Web site at www.psbc.org.  Donor Center locations are listed on page two of this release.   

Puget Sound Blood Center is an independent, community based blood center internationally recognized for its research, medical, blood and tissue services.   For more than sixty years, the Blood Center has been conducting research to improve the quality of life for all those it touches.  The Blood Center currently provides blood to 70 hospitals and clinics throughout Western Washington.  Cancer, Leukemia and Hemophilia patients, as well as people who fall victim to unfortunate traumas that occur everyday depend on the benefits provided through the Puget Sound Blood Center. 

If you have any questions please call Tom Butterworth at 206-292-6511.

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