The June 5 event will benefit local blood bank.

TRAVERSE CITY, MI: Michigan Community Blood Centers invites bicycling and motorcycling enthusiasts to participate in “Wheels For Life”, a unique fundraiser to support building expansion at the blood bank’s main donor center, 2575 Aero Park Drive, Traverse City. The event will take place on June 5 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Blood Center grounds and on trails and roads throughout the surrounding area.

Activities scheduled for the event include: “Wheels For Life” escorted bicycle ride through Old Mission Peninsula, guided by the Cherry Capital Cycling Club; “Bikers Out for Blood” escorted motorcycle ride through Leelanau County, led by Kenny Olson of Kid Rock; a free self-guided bicycle ride on the TART trail; a free wheelchair event sponsored by Bay Home Medical & Rehab; a free bike show courtesy of Modern Extreme Sports, Northern Michigan Adaptive Sports, and McLain Cycle & Fitness; and picnic food courtesy of Munson Medical Center Dietary Department.

“Wheels For Life” and “Bikers Out For Blood” riders may register in advance or on the day of the event. For a registration form, visit www.miblood.org, or call Michigan Community Blood Centers at 231-935-3030 or 1-866-MIBLOOD (press 6).

The building project that will benefit from “Wheels For Life” proceeds was prompted by growth in operations and in demand for services during Michigan Community Blood Centers’ past 10 years of service to communities in Northwest Michigan. The $250,000 expansion will create a dedicated area for mobile blood drive preparation and also will enlarge the building’s blood donation area to welcome more donors more conveniently.

“When we opened in 1995, we held three to four blood drives a week and provided just over 6,000 units of blood to local hospitals during our first year, said Sharron Zimmerman, Blood Center operations manager. “In comparison, we now stage two to three mobile blood drives each day and we expect to collect more than 12,000 pints of blood. Clearly a lot has changed, and we need to expand to keep pace.”

Michigan Community Blood Centers provides 100 percent of the regular blood supply for hospitals in a large area of Northwest Michigan, including all Munson Health Systems facilities, Spectrum-Reed City Campus, and West Shore Medical Center in Manistee. Blood is needed for nearly 60 percent of medical procedures offered at these hospitals, according to Ms. Zimmerman, and “the need for blood is projected to increase even more during the next decade”.

© Michigan Community Blood Centers