TRAVERSE CITY, MI (DATE, 2008): From FEB. 1 TO FEB. 29, THE “HAVE A HEART” CAMPAIGN at all Michigan Community Blood Centers permanent facilities and mobile blood drives will give Northwest Michigan blood donors in seven counties a special chance to give a gift from the heart and win a romantic Traverse getaway that will be awarded in a “thank-you” drawing at the end of the promotion.

Blood donated during the campaign will directly support the blood supply for patients at local hospitals including all Munson Healthcare facilities, West Shore Medical Center in Manistee, and Spectrum Health-Reed City Campus.

The romantic traverse getaway includes a $175 certificate toward a stay at Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay; a $100 certificate toward a purchase at Federico’s Design Jewelers in Traverse City; and a dozen red roses from The Flower Station in Traverse City.

To enter the prize drawing, a blood donor must be 21 years old on or before March 1, 2008 and must fill out the entry form when registering to donate. Only one entry per donor. The drawing will be held when the campaign ends on February 29.

Any healthy person 17 or older who weighs 110 pounds or more may be eligible to give blood every 56 days. Each donated pint of blood can help as many as three people when separated into components (red cells, plasma, platelets).

Donors can take part in the “Have A Heart” Campaign at any mobile blood drive (schedule at HYPERLINK "http://www.miblood.org" www.miblood.org; or call toll-free 1-866-MIBLOOD [press 6]); or at these permanent sites:

• Michigan Community Blood Centers Main Donor Center, 2575 Aero Park Drive, Traverse City
  February 1-29 – Monday through Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  February 2 – (First Saturday of Month) 9 a.m. to Noon
• Manistee Community Donor Center at West Shore Medical Center Outreach Lab, 332 First Street, Manistee – Every Thursday 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Frankfort Community Donor Center at Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital, 224 Park Ave., Frankfort
  February 7 – 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Kalkaska Community Donor Center at Kalkaska Memorial Health Center, 419 S. Coral, Kalkaska
  February 14 – 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

A nonprofit blood bank, Michigan Community Blood Centers in Northwest Michigan collects blood in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, and Osceola counties to provide 100% of the blood supply for hospitals in those counties, including all Munson Healthcare facilities, West Shore Medical Center in Manistee, and Spectrum Health-Reed City Campus. Across the state, Michigan Community Blood Centers is the sole provider of more than 100,000 units of blood each year for hospitals in four major regions with a combined population of more than 1.5 million.

© Michigan Community Blood Centers