Blood donors this summer will not only feel good when they donate with Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI), they’ll also get two tickets to the Oklahoma City Zoo and a “Feel Wild” T-shirt, a tribute to the Zoo’s partnership with OBI.

Anyone who is healthy and 17 or older is encouraged to donate Noon to 5 p.m., Monday, July 19, at Mangum Community Center, 213 N. Oklahoma.

“For patients in need of blood, there’s no summer vacation,” said John Armitage, M.D., Oklahoma Blood Institute president and chief executive. “That’s why it’s crucial that blood donors take just an hour to donate blood. The lives of our friends, co-workers and neighbors may depend on it.”

Because there is no substitute for blood, the supply must constantly be renewed.

Although all blood types are needed, those with O-negative type blood are especially encouraged to donate. According to the American Association of Blood Banks, those with O-negative blood type make up only nine percent of the national population. However, O-negative blood can be used by anyone in an emergency situation when a patient’s blood type has not yet been identified.

Oklahoma Blood Institute is the twelfth largest, non-profit blood center in America, providing every drop of blood needed by patients in 150 medical facilities across Oklahoma, including all metro Oklahoma City hospitals.

For more information or to make an appointment to donate, contact Oklahoma Blood Institute at 877-340-8777 or visit us at www.obi.org. You can also call Donna Crisp at 580-782-2328 to make an appointment.