BCPL

Local patients depend on anonymous blood donors to roll up their sleeves and donate blood throughout the year. Now, more than ever, every blood donor is critical to Kentucky Blood Center (KBC) and the 70-plus hospitals it serves throughout Kentucky.

The Boyle County Public Library has received approval from the state and local health departments to host the City of Danville Community Blood Drive on Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the library located at 307 W. Broadway in Danville.

Blood drives are viewed as a medically essential service due to the dire need of blood. Donating blood is a tangible way to help those in need. Those interested in participating may call (800) 775-2522 or visit kybloodcenter.org to schedule an appointment.

This month the blood drive will be held on the lower level of the library, thus allowing the building to remain open to the general public on Wednesday.

“For the blood drives that occurred earlier in the pandemic, we closed library operations to ensure a full capacity drive,” said Public Services Librarian Caleb Conover. Kentucky Blood Center utilized the lobby area for initial screening and a rest and snack area for those who had just donated blood. “Trying to squeeze everything onto the first level of the library while maintaining social distancing requirements would have meant reducing donation capacity by almost 30%,” said Conover.

The site supervisors with the Blood Center have determined that because local donors have been so successful in utilizing the appointment making system and Quick Pass to check in before arriving, the drives move quickly enough that full capacity can be achieved in a socially distanced and safe way, without needing the lobby area. “For this reason, and because we can continue to meet our safety guidelines, we’ve decided to remain open for the September blood drive,” explained Conover.

“If we start to get busy and the building reaches full capacity, we appreciate visitors’ patience in waiting until others have departed to make space. We’ll be staying in communication with Kentucky Blood Center and keep an eye on traffic in the building – if we determine that closing the library for future blood drives creates a safer space for our staff, KBC staff, and the public, we will pursue that option,” said Conover.

All donors will receive a KBC T-shirt and will be entered in a drawing to win a $500 gift card. This summer KBC is drawing two winners each week for 16 weeks – awarding $16,000 to lifesaving blood donors.

Kentucky Blood Center will take special COVID-19 precautions at the blood drive, and additional protocols will be in place. Face masks and appointments are required to donate. Donors will be asked to stay in their vehicle until their donation time. Donors will be checked-in at the lobby, including a temperature check. Anyone with a fever will not be allowed to donate. The KBC has numerous preventative measures in place to ensure the safety of the donors, the staff, and the blood supply.

Blood donors must be at least 17-years-old (or 16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, be in general good health, show a photo I.D., and meet additional requirements. Sixteen-year-old donors must have a signed parental permission slip, which can be found at kybloodcenter.org.

 

About Kentucky Blood Center

Celebrating more than 50 years of saving lives in Kentucky, KBC is the largest independent, full-service, non-profit blood center in Kentucky. Licensed by the FDA, KBC’s sole purpose is to collect, process, and distribute blood for patients in Kentucky. KBC provides services in 90 Kentucky counties and has donor centers in Lexington, Louisville, Pikeville, and Somerset.

About BCPL

The Boyle County Public Library serves the city of Danville and the surrounding communities, and is actively committed to enriching the lives of its patrons. The library is located at 307 West Broadway in Danville, KY.