Blood center hopes to draw donors with gas card raffle

In celebration of National Blood Donor Month in January, Heartland Blood Centers, an independent blood center serving 32 hospitals in a 12-county region in Illinois and Indiana, will be raffling five $100 gas cards every day in January to those who present to donate blood at a center or mobile drive. For a list of locations or center hours, visit heartlandbc.org for a Heartland center or community blood drive near you.

"Help us celebrate National Blood Donor Month in January and become one of the 600 blood donors needed every day to meet the needs in our community," said Ann McKanna, Heartland's vice president of marketing and new business development. "With 16 community donor centers and as many as 13 mobile blood drives each day, there is sure to be a donation location convenient for you. Why not start a new habit in 2009 and become regular blood donor and help patients in need?"

All donors receive free mini-medical exams on site and information about their temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure and hemoglobin level.

To be a blood donor, individuals must: be at least 17 years old, or 16 with written parental permission; weigh at least 110 pounds; be symptom free of cold, flu and allergies; and be in general good health. Donors who have traveled outside the United States within the past 12 months should contact Heartland at (800) 7TO-GIVE to determine eligibility.

Founded in 1943, Heartland Blood Centers' mission is to provide and maintain an adequate supply of blood and blood products for area hospitals to draw upon to meet the needs of patients.

Algonquin: Jan. 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Robinson Family Chiropractic, 2210 E. Algonquin Road; call Tiffany at (847) 458-8444 or schedule online at www.heartlandbc.org. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gasoline gift cards.

Aurora: Jan. 3 from 7:30 a.m. to noon at First Presbyterian Church, 325 E. Downer Place. To make your appointment, call (630) 978-0823. Walk-ins are welcome. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle. A photo ID is required.

Aurora: Jan. 9 from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Aurora City Employees, 44 E. Downer Place. To sign up to donate, visit heartlandbc.org or call (630) 844-3626. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle. A photo ID is required. Walk-ins are welcome.

Aurora: Jan. 13 from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at Nancy Young Elementary School, 800 Ashbury Drive. To sign up to donate, visit heartlandbc.org or call (630) 585-6150. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle. A photo ID is required. Walk-ins are welcome.

Aurora: Jan. 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Aurora Moose Lodge 400, 83 N. Lincoln Ave. To make your appointment to donate, call (630) 896-3869. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle. A photo ID is required. Walk-ins are welcome.

Aurora: Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Orchard Valley Community Church, 101 Barnes Road. To schedule your appointment, call (630) 897-8888 or visit heartlandbc.org. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle. A photo ID is required. Walk-ins are welcome.

Aurora: Jan. 20 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Countryside Care Center, 2330 Galena Blvd. To schedule your appointment to donate, call (630) 896-4686. Each donor will be entered in Heartlands Gas Card Raffle. A photo ID is required. Walk-ins are welcome.

Aurora: Jan. 24 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Gayles Memorial Baptist Church, 730 N. Gillette St.

Aurora: Jan. 26 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Bethany Fox Valley United Methodist Church, 2200 Ridge Ave. To schedule your appointment, call (630) 768-5606. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle. A photo ID is required. Walk-ins are welcome.

Bartlett: Jan. 6 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Bartlett Park District, 700 S. Bartlett Road.

Batavia: Jan. 7 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Evangelical Covenant Church, 1314 W. Main St. To schedule an appointment, call Jim at (630) 879-3025. Walk-ins are welcome. A photo ID is required. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle.

Batavia: Jan. 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 950 Hart Road. To schedule an appointment, call (630) 879-7163. Walk-ins are welcome. A photo ID is required. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle.

Burlington: Jan. 12 from 3 to 7 p.m. at St. John Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 85, 13N535 French Road.

Crystal Lake: Jan. 4 from 9 a.m. to noon at Mc Henry County Jewish Congregation, 8617 Ridgefield Road. Call Bob Kaplan at (815) 333-2508 or sign up online at www.heartlandbc.org. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gasoline gift cards.

Crystal Lake: Jan. 10 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Thomas Knights of Columbus: 451 W. Terra Cotta. Call John Orso Sr. at (815) 459-6359 to schedule. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gas gift cards.

DeKalb: Jan. 20 from 1 to 6 p.m. at Grant South Complex at Northern Illinois University.

DeKalb: Jan. 22 from 2:30 to 7 p.m. at Neptune Hall at Northern Illinois University.

Elburn: Jan. 3 from 8 a.m. to noon at Community Congregational Church, 100 E. Shannon. To schedule an appointment, call Crystal at (630) 726-2142. Walk-ins are welcome. A photo ID is required. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle.

Elburn: Jan. 22 from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Kaneland John Stewart Elementary School, 817 Prairie Valley St. To schedule an appointment, call Cindy at (630) 365-3568. Walk-ins are welcome. A photo ID is required. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle.

Elgin: Jan. 10 from 8 a.m. to noon at Cornerstone United Methodist Church, 41W170 Russell Road

Elgin: Jan. 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sherman Hospital, 934 Center

Huntley: Jan. 11 from 8 a.m. to noon at Faith Community Church, 10547 Faiths Way; call Lori at (815) 236-0911 or sign up online at www.heartlandbc.org. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gasoline gift cards.

Kirkland: Jan. 7 from 2:30 to 7 p.m. at Kirkland Fire Department, 3891 Route 72

Maple Park: Jan. 21 from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Kaneland High School, 47W326 Keslinger Road

McHenry: Jan. 14 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 404 N. Green St. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gasoline gift cards.

McHenry: Jan. 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 3500 W. Washington St. Call Carleen Murphy at (815) 344-6188 to schedule or sign up online at www.heartlandbc.org. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gasoline gift cards.

McHenry: Jan. 24 from 8 a.m. to noon at The Church of Holy Apostles: 5211 Bull Valley Road; call Kathy Carlson at (815) 344-5845 to schedule or visit www.heartlandbc.org. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gasoline gift cards.

McHenry: Jan. 16 from 1:45 to 5:45 p.m. at Chauncey H. Duker School, 3711 W. Kane St. Contact Bonnie Kennebeck at (815) 759-8502 or bkennebeck@d15.org to schedule. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gas gift cards.

McHenry: Jan. 27 from noon to 4 p.m. at Pioneer Center, 4001 Dayton St.

Montgomery: Jan. 23 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Boulder Hill Elementary, 163 Boulder Hill Pass.

Naperville: Jan. 8 from 1 to 6 p.m. at Edward Hospital & Health Services, 801 S. Washington.

Naperville: Jan. 12 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Naperville Evangelical Covenant Church, 1150 Hobson Road. Naperville: Jan. 19 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Naperville City Hall, 400 S. Eagle St.

Naperville: Jan. 20 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Naperville Christian Church, 25W530 75th St.

Naperville: Jan. 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Lincoln At The Parks, 1995 Yellowstone Drive.

Oswego: Jan. 8 from 2 to 7 p.m. at The Columbus Club: 197 E. Washington St. To schedule an appointment, call Larry at (630) 554-0960. Walk-ins are welcome. A photo ID is required. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle.

Oswego: Jan. 22 from 2 to 5:30 p.m. at Fox Metro Water Reclamation District, 682 Route 31. To schedule your appointment to donate call (630) 301-6811 or (630) 301-6805. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle. A photo ID is required. Walk-ins are welcome.

Oswego: Jan. 26 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Earthmover Credit Union, P.O. Box 2937, 2195 Baseline Road. To schedule an appointment, call (630) 966-2367. Walk-ins are welcome. A photo ID is required. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle.

St. Charles: Jan. 8 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Baker Memorial Methodist Church, 307 Cedar Ave. To schedule an appointment, call Hillary at (630) 549-0896. Walk-ins are welcome. A photo ID is required. Rather than being entered into the raffle, each donor will receive a coupon for a $15 Starbucks gift card.

Sycamore: Jan. 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. John, 26555 Brickville Road

Warrenville: Jan. 17 from 7:30 a.m. to noon at Warrenville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8081, 3S271 Mignin, P.O. Box 63. To schedule an appointment, call Cathy at (630) 723-2550. Walk-ins are welcome. A photo ID is required. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle. Free breakfast also will be available for all donors.

Wayne: Jan. 24 from 7:30 a.m. to noon at Resurrection Catholic Church, 30W350 Army Trail Road

West Chicago: Jan. 6 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at West Chicago Park District Office, 157 W. Washington St. To schedule an appointment, call the office at (630) 231-9474. Walk-ins are welcome. A photo ID is required. Each donor will be entered into Heartland's gas card raffle.

Wheaton: Jan. 7 from 4 to 7 p.m. at St. Matthew United Church of Christ, 1420 S. Gables.

Wheaton: Jan. 7 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at DuPage County Government Center, 421 N. County Farm Road.

Wheaton: Jan. 10 from 8 a.m. to noon at St. Daniel The Prophet Church, 101 W. Loop Drive.

Wheaton: Jan. 22 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at St. Michael Catholic Church, 310 S. Wheaton Ave.

Woodstock: Jan. 2 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Centegra Hospital, 3701 Doty Road, P.O. Box 1990. Call Bonnie Saban at (815) 759-4203 or visit www.heartlandbc.org to sign up. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gas gift cards.

Woodstock: Jan. 11 from 8 a.m. to noon at St. Mary's: 312 Lincoln Ave. call David Grote at (815) 861-2014 to schedule. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gasoline gift cards.

Woodstock: Jan. 18 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Woodstock Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, 240 N. Throop. Call Ralph Ritter at (815) 338-5018, Alan Belcher at (815) 338-7689 or the VFW at (815) 338-5040 to schedule. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gasoline gift cards. Anyone donating blood will also receive a free pancake breakfast, compliments of the Woodstock VFW.

Woodstock: Jan. 19 from 3 to 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church - Woodstock: 2018 N. Route 47. Call the church office at (815) 338-2627 or visit www.heartlandbc.org. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gasoline gift cards.

Woodstock: Jan. 22 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at BPOE Woodstock #1043, 140 Cass St. Call Dave Stack at (815) 338-4140 to schedule. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gasoline gift cards.

Woodstock: Jan. 24 from 8 a.m. to noon at Resurrection Catholic Church, 2918 S. Country Club Road. Call Larry Fischer at (815) 338-3356 or visit www.heartlandbc.org to sign up. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gasoline gift cards.

Woodstock: Jan. 25 from 8 a.m. to noon at Grace Lutheran Church, 1300 Kishwaukee Valley. Call Gretchen at (815) 338-2639 or visit www.heartlandbc.org to sign up. All donors will be entered into a raffle to win one of five $100 gasoline gift cards.

Yorkville: Jan. 12 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Anytime Fitness, 68 Schoolhouse Road. Call Anytime Fitness at (630) 553-6678 for your preferred donation time. Walk-ins are welcome. Help them reach the goal of having at least 25 donors willing to help save lives in 2009.