5 blood drives planned in March for Jackson Co. | Events

JACKSON COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - March is Red Cross Month.

March was first proclaimed Red Cross Month in 1943 by former President Franklin Roosevelt. Since then, every president, including President Barack Obama, has designated March as Red Cross Month. The Red Cross has been helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies for more than 130 years.

Since World War II, the Red Cross has been meeting the needs of patients throughout the U.S. and today partners with more than 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers, providing blood products and specialized laboratory services. From cancer patients and accident victims to premature babies and those with blood disorders, someone needs blood every two seconds.

See this list of blood drives in Jackson County for March:

• March 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Carbondale Community High School, 1301 E. Walnut St. in Carbondale, Ill.
• March 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Southern Illinois University Carbondale - Morris Library, 605 Agriculture Drive in Carbondale, Ill.
• March 10 from 12-3 p.m. at The View  First Baptist Church, 1201 S. Giant City Road in Carbondale, Ill.
• March 13 from 1:30-5:30 p.m. at American Legion Post 127, 1700 Gartside in Murphysboro, Ill.
• March 14 from 7:30-11:30 a.m. at Illinois Department of Transportation, 2801 W. Murphysboro Road in Carbondale, Ill.

Copyright 2013 KFVS. All rights reserved.