“Hit a Home Run. Give Blood”

Medic Regional Blood Center is teaming up with the Tennessee Smokies Baseball team and Chik-fil-A uriging area blood donors to “Hit a Home Run. Give Blood.” The next community blood drive is set for Friday, July 26, 2002 at the Kroger in Pigeon Forge and Ft. Sanders Sevier Medical Center Nursing Home from 10:00 a.m.– 6:00 p.m. Donors who give blood to Medic at any location this summer will receive a limited edition “Hit a Home Run.Give Blood” t-shirt, a coupon for a free Chik-fil-A sandwhich and Medic’s Family Blood Coverage. In addition, donors will have the chance to win non-transferable vouchers for tickets to any Tennessee Smokies Home Game. Drawings for four non-transferable vouchers will be made every two weeks. This year, Medic has scheduled more than 250 summer blood drives in communities, companies, churches and other organizations in the 21 counties the blood center serves. Medic is the only blood collector and supplier for the 26 hospitals in these areas, including all six Knoxville hospitals. Donors also may give blood for the promotion at Medic headquarters, 1601 Ailor Avenue in downtown Knoxville. Center hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. One donation a year to Medic exempts the donor and his or her IRS dependents from paying blood supplier processing fees at any U.S. hospital if blood is used. New members are covered except for pre-existing conditions. Donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and show a positive form of identification such as a driver’s license. Notices are sent to donors and the media in each community before blood drives. In addition, the blood drive schedule is available on the Medic website, www.medicblood.com or by calling 865-524-3074 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.