A Central Coast blood donation center is in need of donors. Vitalant in San Luis Obispo is giving out a mysterious gift for those that donate leading up to Halloween.
2020 has been hectic for blood donation centers.
“It’s been a crazy year. We were actually inundated with donors, particularly when we started providing the antibody testing free of charge,” said Mona Kleman, senior manager of donor recruitment for Vitalant in San Luis Obispo. “We’re back to normal donations; people just coming in at a steady pace.”
But that doesn’t stop the need for donations.
“The need never ends. It’s ongoing all the time,” said Kleman. “The need is constant, and blood is perishable. We are looking for a nice, steady, constant flow of donors coming through, so that supply is ample and adequate, and there’s plenty for our customers, our donors, and our hospitals.”
And now, your donation at Vitalant in San Luis Obispo will come with a spooky prize at exactly the right time; Scarecrow Vampire Fangs, located in Grover Beach, has been giving Hollywood-quality vampire fangs to blood donors the week of Halloween for the past five years.
“The partnership there is funny and catchy enough to inspire people to donate blood. It’s not so bad. A lot of people are a little nervous about it and don’t know enough about it," said Natalia Berryman, a sales lead with Scarecrow Vampire Fangs. “Scarecrow wants to support any blood drive all over by giving it a little comic relief with our vampire fangs and our donation.”
People who have previously tested positive for COVID-19 can now help others with their recovery.
“The CCP plasma goes to people that are ill with COVID-19 and assists in their recovery. We’re looking for those people all the time to please come in and check if they are eligible for that donation,” said Kleman.
Donating blood takes about an hour and can be done at any Vitalant location across the Central Coast.
To find a donation location, visit this website.
