RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE MEETS AN URGENT NEED

In what is becoming a too-familiar lament, the Red Cross has issued an emergency appeal for blood donors. Last week, the Red Cross had less than a day's supply of blood available for Missouri and Illinois.

Right now the Red Cross is targeting the Cape Girardeau area, where the supply of Type O blood is down 75 percent, Type B is down 60 percent, and Type A is down 40 percent.

The shortage comes during the agency's National Volunteer Blood Donor Month. January typically is a month of fewer blood donations. But more blood is used in the month than any other. That is why it is critical for those who have never donated blood to give this month and for those occasional donors to also attend one of the area blood drives.

The Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 2 to 7 p.m. today at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Cape Girardeau. Donors can give blood at the former Port Cape West restaurant at West Park Mall from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Thursday, from 3 to 8 p.m. on Friday, and from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday.