Donate blood for a sweet treat at Our Saviour’s Sept. 4

Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Naperville will host its next blood drive with Versiti Blood Centers of Illinois from 1-6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4, in the church’s Fellowship Center at 815 S. Washington St.

All those who attempt to donate will receive a $15 e-gift card from Versiti, as the need for blood nationwide is especially acute.

Earlier this month, the American Red Cross declared an emergency blood shortage after the Red Cross blood inventory plunged more than 25% in July.

Versiti, too, recently issued an urgent plea for blood donors, with the organization’s senior medical director, Dr. Dan Waxman, calling the current blood shortage “dire.”

Every blood donor helps save as many as three lives, Versiti notes, and the blood donation process takes only approximately one hour from check-in to post-donation recovery and snacks.

“About 3% of people who are eligible to donate blood actually do,” Waxman said in an August news release. “If it’s been a while since your last donation or you’re a first-time donor, we are excited to welcome you.”

All those who donate at Our Saviour’s on Sept. 4 will be treated to an ice-cream sundae post-donation as well as other snacks.

Advance registration is strongly encouraged, but walk-ins also are welcome from 1 to 6 p.m. To sign up, visit donate.illinois.versiti.org.

For more information on Our Saviour’s, visit oursaviours.com or call (630) 355-2522.