RAPID CITY, S.D. – Vitalant’s mobile blood donation unit was busy outside the Monument Thursday during a week-long donation drive.

The first week in September is National Blood Donation Week, a week set aside to bolster blood donations after a long summer when donations typically drop by around 10% as people travel and schools are out.

“We always see blood donations drop over the summer,” Tori Robbins, Communications Manager, Vitalant said. “And then we see usage increase for the same reasons – people are out traveling and doing outdoor activities.”

Vitalant in South Dakota stays busy to fill donation needs. Annually the state group holds about 1,400 blood drives and works with 13,000 donors. They have about 300 community partners and help patients at 12 healthcare facilities. In Wyoming, more than 1,100 blood drives help patients at 27 healthcare facilities.

Robbins said eligibility requirements have changed so, even if you were denied the opportunity to donate in the past five years, call the local Vitalant because you might be eligible under the new guidelines.

“It’s those consistent donations that keep us out of the shortages, so we want to make sure that people are donating every time they’re eligible,” she said.

Robbins said O positive and O negative blood are always in high demand.

“We’re always needing those O positive and O negatives to come in and donate and there’s a constant need for all blood types right now,” Robbins said. “We did experience a critical shortage over the summer for O type blood.”

Review eligibility requirements and make an appointment to give: visit vitalant.org, download and use the Vitalant blood donor app or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).