Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The Community Blood Bank is holding a blood drive at St. Bernard's Church on Monday from noon to 5:30pm and is encouraging everyone who can to come donate. The blood supply just dropped in to shortage territory and it could worsen during Christmas week unless more people give blood. The weather has also been a factor; keeping donors away and contributing to accidents in which people need blood. The Community Blood Bank is the only supplier of blood to BRMC. One lucky donor will win a $25 Tops gift card just for giving blood. "With Christmas and New Year's both being on a Wednesday it's going to be tough this year," said Dan Desrochers, at the blood bank. "But if we get enough donors Monday we might make it through." The Community Blood Bank is licensed by the FDA and holds permits from the New York Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Health and has been saving lives since 1966. It is accredited by the AABB and CLIA and is a ...

Labor Day Weekend is normally one of the three worst weekends of the year for blood usage so having a safe blood supply before the holiday is important for public safety. The local blood supply has been in and out of shortage territory for about a month now. The Community Blood Bank is holding a blood drive this Monday August 26th at St. Bernard's Catholic Church located at 95 East Corydon from noon to 5:30pm. From Aug. 1-31 everyone who comes to give blood at any Community Blood Bank blood drive can enter to win a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando! This trip is valued at $4,000 and includes airfare, hotel stay at a Disney hotel and four Park-Hopper tickets to Disney parks for four people! "Labor Day weekend is approaching fast and we need to be ready." Said Dan Desrochers at the blood bank, "Hopefully our Give Blood: Go To Disney! promotion will give us a little magic!" The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A variety of factors have contributed to a sudden, critical blood shortage. Much heavier than expected blood usage, fewer donors due to the holiday, more donors with the flu, and now the weather have all conspired to create the first blood shortage for the Community Blood Bank in over a year and it's a big one. The Community Blood Bank is holding a blood drive this Monday January 28, at St. Bernard's Catholic Church located at 95 East Corydon from noon to 5:30 p.m. No appointment is needed to save a life. "It's everything all at once," said Dan Desrochers, Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "We just aren't able to get enough donors to meet the local need." The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The holidays are upon us and the Community Blood Bank is preparing for a slow holiday week by having several large blood drives before the holidays arrive. The Community Blood Bank is holding a blood drive this Monday December 17th at St. Bernard's Catholic Church located at 95 East Corydon from noon to 5:30pm. No appointment is needed to save a life. The holidays are usually difficult for the blood supply. Fewer people come and give blood because they are so busy (and we're closed for a few days) but the hospitals will continue to need blood for local patients. "They holidays are here and we plan to be ready," says Dan Desrochers Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "We are hoping for a strong week so we make it through with no problems." The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday season and the Community Blood Bank hopes to make through another one without a blood shortage and a strong turnout before December 1st will help. The Community Blood Bank is holding a blood drive this Monday November 26th at St. Bernard's Catholic Church located at 95 East Corydon from noon to 5:30pm, long before things get too crazy for No appointment is needed just walk in to save a life. With all of the travel Thanksgiving is typically the fifth busiest weekend of the year for blood usage. "I can't believe the holidays are here again!" Says Dan Desrochers Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "We are hoping for a good holiday season with no problems for local hospitals." The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Community Blood Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania is closing its fixed site that is shared with the BRMC Outpatient Lab in the Union Square Plaza, 24 Davis Street as of October 1st. The Community Blood Bank (CBB) has supplied BRMC since 1999 and will continue to do so but with a monthly local blood drive at St. Bernard's Church. The first of those drives will be held on Monday October 22nd from noon to 5:30pm. The Community Blood Bank has seen fewer and fewer donors at the Davis Street location over the years and it is simply not cost effective to continue that operation. A blood drive where equipment and staff are brought in to a specific location for a specific time is usually much more effective. The CBB has saved BRMC over $2.5 million dollars since they switched from the American Red Cross in 1999 and it remains the lowest cost blood provider in the entire United States. The CBB also enjoyed the best summer in its 46 year history with no summer blood shortages at all. ...

The Community Blood Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania is holding its biggest promotion in years during the hardest month of the year for the blood supply. Through August 31 everyone who comes to give blood with the Community Blood Bank can enter to win a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando! This trip is valued at $4,000 and includes airfare, hotel stay at a Disney hotel and four Park-Hopper tickets to Disney parks for four people! The Community Blood Bank is holding a blood drive on Monday August 20th from noon to 4pm at the Mount Jewitt Health Center. The Community Blood Bank is also holding a blood drive on Tuesday, August 21st from 11am to 6pm at the Holy Redeemer Church on Pennsylvania Avenue in Warren. No appointment is needed "Hakuna Matata! A safe blood supply means No Worries," said Dan Desrochers, Director of Marketing at the blood bank. "Make the Community Blood Bank the second happiest place on earth by giving blood!" The news l...

The blood shortage that developed in the region worsened with continued heavier than normal usage and lighter than anticipated donor turnout the two contributing factors. Much of the nation is experiencing the same problem so the blood bank won't be able to borrow blood in the event the situation becomes critical. Local donors are needed to end this shortage. In the past the Community Blood Bank has been able to buy blood from other blood banks to help end shortages. The Community Blood Bank has also sold blood to other blood banks in the same predicament. The Community Blood Bank is holding a blood drive on Saturday at 24 Davis Street, Union Square in Bradford from 9-1pm. No appointment is needed to save a life. "Looks like we will really be struggling," says Dan Desrochers Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "And with this being a nationwide shortage we are on our own." All donors are strongly encouraged to donate. The Community Blood Bank is lo...

The local blood supply dropped suddenly overnight causing a blood shortage. In an unusual scenario, more blood was used by local hospitals Tuesday than was transfused all of last weekend. The blood supply had not gotten back to 100% after the holidays so it had lower to fall to hit shortage levels. Extra donors are now needed to meet local needs and to end this shortage. The Community Blood Bank is taking donors on Saturday at 24 Davis Street, Union Square in Bradford from 9-1pm. No appointment is needed to save a life. "Goes to show you never know when a bunch of blood will be needed," Says Dan Desrochers Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "Local patients are using a lot of blood and we need to make sure we have it for them. We hope some extra people will help out." All donors are strongly encouraged to donate. The Community Blood Bank is located at 24 Davis Street in Union Square in the BRMC Laboratory. Hours are on Saturdays 9am to 1pm. No appoi...

The Community Blood Bank has experienced a slight increase in donors over the past week, but the blood supply remains hundreds of units below optimum safe levels. Blood Bank officials hope to get close to 100% before the holidays hit and the supply begins to fall again. More donorswill be needed to accomplish this. The Community Blood Bank is taking donors on Saturday at 24 Davis Street, Union Square in Bradford from 9-1pm. No appointment is needed to save a life. "Things are slowly improving," said Dan Desrochers, Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "But not at nearly the pace needed to be ready for the holidays. Please help by giving blood." All donors are strongly encouraged to donate. The Community Blood Bank is located at 24 Davis Street in Union Square across from the Sports Café in the BRMC Laboratory. Hours are on Saturdays 9am to 1pm. No appointment is necessary. All donors are strongly encouraged to donate. Donors must be at least 17 years o...

The local supply of Type O blood continues to fall, now dropping to the 25% level. Extremely heavy local usage continued this week, while donations have remained flat. The blood supply was 400 pints higher last year at this time. Regional usage has increased over the past several months. The blood bank expects the problem to worsen as the holidays approach; donors will get busier and busier and fewer will make time to give blood. The Community Blood Bank is taking donors on Saturday at 24 Davis Street, Union Square in Bradford from 9-1pm. No appointment is needed to save a life. There is a blood drive in St Mary's at Elk Regional Health Center on Tuesday December 6th from 10am to 4pm. "It was a tough Thanksgiving weekend," said Dan Desrochers, Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "Every unit we get seems to go right back into another patient in need." All donors are strongly encouraged to donate. The Community Blood Bank is located at 24 Davis Stre...

Very heavy holiday weekend blood usage by local patients has caused the return of critically low levels. The current blood supply levels are very near the lowest of the entire year. Type A is the lowest followed closely by type O blood. Donors of all types are urgently needed to help end it as local lives are literally at risk when the blood supply is this low. There are 4 drives in Western New York this week that people can go to help save a life at: (No appointment needed at any of these drives) . Today (Tuesday Sept. 6th) at Elk Regional Health Center in St Marys from 10a.m. to 4p.m. Wednesday Sept 7 at the United Methodist Church in Sheffield from 1p.m. to 5:30p.m. Saturday September 10th BRMC Outpatient Lab 24 Davis St, Union Square in Bradford from 9a.m. to 1p.m. GIVE BLOOD: SEE HOCKEY: Donors at all of these drives can enter to win a pair of tickets to see the Pittsburgh Penguins play the New Jersey Devils in Pittsburgh on October 22nd. "What a tough weekend!" says ...

The Community Blood Bank is reducing the hours at the fixed site location in the BRMC Out Patient Lab, located at 24 Davis street Union Square in Bradford. The Community Blood Bank will no longer be open Thursdays for donors dues to staffing issues and lower donor turnout. "As the only supplier of blood in Mc Kean County AND the lowest cost blood provider in the United States," said Dan Desrochers, Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "We have to be as efficient as possible with our limited resources." The Community Blood Bank is located at 24 Davis Street in Union Square across from the Sports Café in the BRMC Laboratory. Hours every week: Saturdays 9am to 1pm. No appointment is necessary. Everyone over 17 is strongly encouraged to donate.

100.1 The Hero's Frank Williams (center) donates blood at the Community Blood Bank in Union Square, but that doesn't keep him from working. He's still interviewing CBB's Dan Desrochers during a live broadcast while Steph monitors his blood. Frank will be at the blood bank until 5:30. Stop by, say hello to Frank and donate blood -- which gives you a chance to win a $100 gas card from Country Fair. Photo by Don Fredeen Because of power outage, the blood bank had to close up shop early today. They'll be open again from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Win a $100 Gas Card! The Community Blood Bank continues to struggle with the local blood supply, and expects to return to safe levels after Labor Day. But until then more donors are needed to save local lives. There is a special event blood drive in Bradford where people can help: One lucky donor at today's blood drive at the BRMC lab in Union Square from 3:30 to 7:30pm will win a $100 Country Fair Gas Card. No appointment is needed to save a life. Tasta Pizza will be supplying food too. There is still a serious blood shortage affecting the region. The last month of summer is always hard because the blood shortage message gets lost on people after hearing it too much. "We need lots of donors Thursday," said Dan Desrochers, Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "There's a few weeks left of summer and unfortunately that means lots of local residents will use blood." The Community Blood Bank is located at 24 Davis Street in Union...

The supply of type O Positive blood dropped suddenly with very heavy use in the past 24 hours. There is still a moderate shortage of other types of blood but type O Positive is quickly dropping to critically low levels. Everyone regardless of blood type is encouraged to come and give blood. One lucky donor at Thursday's blood drive at the BRMC lab in Union Square from 3:30 to 7:30pm will win a $100 Country Fair Gas Card. No appointment is needed to save a life. Tasta Pizza will be supplying food too. There is still a serious blood shortage affecting the region. The national heat wave is affecting blood supplies all across the country; at this point there is no blood to 'borrow' if things turned critical locally. "We need lots of donors Thursday," said Dan Desrochers, Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "There's a lot of summer left for us to cover." The Community Blood Bank is located at 24 Davis Street in Union Square across from the ...

The recent shortage of type O and type A blood is worsening as local patients continue to use more blood than is being given. The past weekend saw a tremendous usage of blood by people suffering serious injuries. Several severe traumas early this week have strained the supply even further. The supply of type O blood (the most common type) is now at critically low levels. One lucky donor at Thursday's blood drive at the BRMC lab in Union Square from 3:30 to 7:30pm will win a $100 Country Fair Gas Card. No appointment is needed to save a life. Frank Williams will be broadcasting live from the Blood Bank from 3:30 to 6 p.m. on 100.1 The HERO. "We are hoping for lots of donors Thursday," said Dan Desrochers, Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "And a $100 gas card seems like just the give away to get people in." All donors are strongly encouraged to donate. The Community Blood Bank is located at 24 Davis Street in Union Square across from the Sports C...

The Community Blood Bank continues to struggle to provide enough blood for local patients. The blood supply has been at these low levels for about two weeks. Several major blood drives (100+ donors expected) were cancelled recently due to inclement weather and other drives have had lighter than normal turnout. Much of the nation is facing the same problem. The Community Blood Bank of NW PA is taking donors Thursday from 3:30-7:30 & Saturday 9-1PM at 24 Davis Street, Union Square in Bradford at the BRMC Lab. Donors can also find a blood drive, by county at www.OurDonorsSaveLives.org . First the snow forced the cancellation of several blood drives, then the flu has diminished the ranks of donors, and recently the cold weather has affected turnout. "I haven't seen a winter affect us like this in a long time," said Dan Desrochers, Director of Marketing at the Community Blood Bank. "Please help someone in need by making time to give blood." All donors are strongl...