It's a Blood Drive, Charlie Brown!

If you haven't heard (and I wouldn't blame you a bit; holidays are HECTIC), the Duncan Public Library is partnering up with Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI) to host a blood drive at the Chisholm Mall at Suite 33 on Tuesday, January 6th from 12 PM to 3:30 PM. This blood drive is extra special, because we're hosting a Donable Cares blood drive! And you may have some questions, like:

What is a Donable Cares blood drive? Glad you asked. For every person that 1) signs up 24 hours ahead of time at the special link and 2) successfully gives blood, OBI will give the chosen charity money. Fifteen dollars to be precise. (More if you've never donated blood before!)

What charity did the library pick? We're directing the money to Christians Concerned, which has done so much for our community. I'm not ashamed to say that my family was helped by Christians Concerned when we had a rough patch, and I know that they do so much good in the Duncan community.

So my donation does double duty? Exactly! The Oklahoma Blood Institute gets a blood donation that can save three lives, and Christians Concerned gets more funds to provide relief to the community! It's really a win-win-win scenario! Truly, your donation will be doing triple duty this time, because OBI is also sending money to a family struggling with medical debt after cancer.

But what do I, the donor, get out of this? Besides the warm and fuzzy feeling of giving to a good cause, you mean? You can also get a a snazzy "Hope is the Vibe" long-sleeve t-shirt AND you are entered into a drawing for $5000! (What a way to start the new year!)

Okay, how do I get started? It's not complicated is it? Not at all! Just click on this link: CLICK ME to be taken to the sign up page. You'll be asked to fill out your information and make sure that you enter the zip code for the blood drive as 73533. Pick Tuesday, January 6th as the date and then find the blood drive at the Chisholm Mall. It's as easy as that! If you'd rather get some help with it, call the library at 580-255-0636 and ask for Jessica. I can get you signed up. For it to count toward Donable Cares, you need to sign up 24 hours ahead of time. But if you just want to come in and give blood, you can do that too.

So... Now what? Now you need to prep for the blood drive, and you can do that in a couple of ways. First, TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS TO SIGN UP. And if your friends (or you) can't give blood that day then the best thing you can do is spread the word so that people who can give blood know about the drive. OBI says that as few as 10% of eligible donors give blood, but there is a person in the US in need of a blood transfusion every 2 seconds.

Now that you've spread the word, plan your donation day. I HIGHLY recommend (and so does OBI) that you eat a lot of hearty, iron rich foods leading up to that day. There's this page from the OBI about their recommendations. So you'll want a good breakfast that day too, and drink plenty of water as well. Make sure to bring your ID to the donation site! Wear a short sleeve shirt so that they have access to your arms. After your donation eat a good meal, drink plenty of water, and take it easy. I know I keep saying to eat some food and drink some water, but trust me, that's every important.

The most important step of all: DONATE THE BLOOD. And I know that if you've never donated blood before, it can be a little scary. Trust me, as someone who has donated a BUNCH of blood, it's not nearly as bad as your brain might make it seem before you do it. The phlebotomists (healthcare professionals who draw blood) are great at their job and it doesn't hurt beyond a pinch. The actual donation bit doesn't hurt at all, and it doesn't take very long. I usually play candy crush on my phone or listen to music through my headphones while it's happening and then it's over in a flash. After your done, they'll put a bandage on the spot and have you sit to eat a snack and drink something before you head on your way.

Wait a minute, I've read all of this, but I'm still not sure if I can donate blood! As far as I understand it, most people can donate. A lot of the stuff that you would think might disqualify you, (like tattoos, travel, medications, or certain health conditions) doesn't actually keep you from donating (most of the time). As long as you're old enough, feeling healthy, and have the right iron levels, you're probably set. You can always ask the phlebotomists or call OBI to double check. There's also this page of FAQs that can answer some of your questions.

In conclusion: sign up and donate blood! If you can't sign up, tell everyone you know, in case one of them can sign up! Remember, in 2026, Hope is the Vibe!