Lt. Gov. Simon kicks off southern Ill. blood drive

DU QUOIN, Ill. — Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon has kicked off a drive to replenish southern Illinois blood supplies hurt in part by the summer’s hot temperatures. The weather has made it difficult to recruit new blood donors.

Simon donated blood herself at the Du Quoin State Fair on Saturday.

The Red Cross hopes to collect 60 pints of blood by the end of the day Monday. That’s the collection goal met at last year’s blood drive.

The lieutenant governor says the drive is an opportunity for southern Illinois residents to come together as a community and give the gift of life. She’s urging fairgoers to help maintain an adequate blood supply, which she calls “a critical component of emergency preparedness.”