The “Bigfoot N Banjo” community blood drive kicks off Saturday, encouraging anyone who is able to donate blood over the summer months, when there are typically blood shortages. There are three opportunities to donate, and those who do can receive gifts centered around the Bigfoot theme.
The Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center is partnering with the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum as well as Volunteer Owensboro for the drive.
“The whole campaign is because blood donors are as hard to find as Bigfoot,” said WKRBC Director of Communications, Development and Recruitment Vicki Ellis. “We are hoping to flip the script on that.”
The first event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Hall of Fame on the corner of St. Elizabeth St. and West 2nd Street — where Bigfoot sightings are also possible. The first 100 donors will receive a Bigfoot T-shirt and a free pass to the Hall of Fame. They’ll also get a voucher to redeem a red, white, and blue Bigfoot trucker hat if they visit the Blood Center (3015 Old Hartford Road) to donate for a second time by July 3.
Those who donate a second time will receive an additional voucher to redeem for a matching red, white and blue Bigfoot ringer T-shirt if they donate for a third time by August 31.
Those who can’t make it to Saturday’s kickoff have until May 22 to donate at the Blood Center to qualify for the first voucher, if there are any left.
“I hope to get a large group Saturday, a collective group, that I can pull in two more times this summer,” Ellis said.
Ellis said there are also a limited number of vouchers that will be handed out to community members seen wearing a blood donor shirt publicly this summer.
“These people have donated before, and we want to recognize that and maybe get them back in for the hat,” Ellis said.
There will also be Bigfoot sightings around town at various events such as Friday After Five, and that Bigfoot will have vouchers to hand out.
For more information about this blood drive or to see if you’re eligible to donate, visit wkrbc.org or call the Blood Center at 270-684-9296.
