Ponca City, OK — Currently, the Red Cross is working around the clock to provide blood products to hospitals as they respond to an unusually high number of traumas and emergency room visits, as well as overdoses and resulting transplants. As a result of the blood shortage, some hospitals are being forced to slow the pace of elective surgeries until the blood supply stabilizes, delaying crucial patient care. On Friday, April 2nd, our

On Friday, April 2nd, our community was reminded of the importance of blood donations when a serious accident left Julian Aguilar hospitalized in critical condition. Blood cannot be manufactured, so patients, like Julian, rely on volunteer blood donors to provide the blood products they need to survive. We will never know the names of the blood donors that saved Julian’s life. It could have been you, your neighbor or even someone out of state. However, one thing remains true, Julian wouldn’t be with us without the generosity of blood donors. Please join us on Monday, July 12th to show your support for Julian’s fight by making a blood donation in his honor. The blood drive will be held in Ponca City at Pioneer Technology Center – Room H106 from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. To schedule your appointment or for more donor eligibility information, please visit redcrossblood. org and use keyword “Juju” or call (800) RED-CROSS.

As a thank-you, all those who come to donate will receive a free on-site car wash (courtesy of Julian’s classmates), a $10 Amazon. com Gift Card by email*, plus a chance to win gas for a year (a $5,000 value)*. (*Terms and conditions apply; visit rcblood.org/fuel).