Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center knows how to get donors — offer a free t-shirt. To get more donors, offer a long-sleeved t-shirt in limited quantity with a really cool design on Halloween.
The WKRBC Vein Drain is 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday.
“We always do a long-sleeved shirt for the Vein Drain,” said Director of Donor Resources, Vicki Ellis. “So many want it.”
In fact, this year, the blood center had a small quantity of the 2019 design printed on short-sleeved shirts and some are given to donors each day leading up to the main event.
This year’s shirt design is a Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead decorative skull.
The Vein Drain annual event, which has been held for the past 24 years, is a busy day, Ellis said and they refer to having “all hands on deck.”
On average, the Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center sees 54 donors a day between the blood center and the bloodmobiles, but on Halloween, when the specialized t-shirts are given, the average is 140 donors.
The entire staff — from every area of the center — dresses in costume and many are elaborate and kept secret until that day.
“Being mothers and parents, we almost look forward to it as much as the kids,” Ellis said.
She said they try not to dress too scary in case children accompany the donors.
On Thursday, they will also serve chili beginning at 11 a.m.
Ellis said the greatest need is for O-positive and O-negative blood types, but they will never turn anyone away for donations.
Donors can expect to have a short wait due to the increased volume of donors.
Donors must be at least 16 years old with parent consent and 17 years old without consent. They must also weigh at least 115 pounds and must have eaten and hydrated well before and after. If potential donors are taking medication, please bring a list to the blood center. And it must be at least eight weeks since last blood donation.
The Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center is located at 3015 Old Hartford Road.
