Red Cross employee Barbara Moore has been collecting and processing blood donations for over 19 years. She recently worked at Primex Plastic’s annual blood drive on June 2.  Photo by Teri Nehrenz

Red Cross employee Barbara Moore has been collecting and processing blood donations for over 19 years. She recently worked at Primex Plastic’s annual blood drive on June 2. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

According to the American Red Cross someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds. During summer months, when people are naturally busier, blood supplies are not as plentiful. This is the time when blood donations matter the most.

Primex Plastics tries each year to do their part in aiding the Red Cross in finding donors and providing an opportunity to donate locally here in Mesquite. To that end, they held their annual blood drive on June 2 at their plant location.

To help encourage donations during the summer months Primex invites the Red Cross Volunteers to set up camp in one of their buildings adjacent to the factory where donors can give blood in a relaxed, quiet and air conditioned location.

Red Cross employees Barbara Moore and Darryl Thompson ventured to Mesquite with the Blood Mobile to collect a couple of dozen pints of blood. Moore has been working for the Red Cross collecting blood for 19 years and said they were busy during their time at the Primex location.

Red Cross employee Darryl Thompson sets up long time blood donor Lois West in her first visit to the Primex location during their annual blood drive held on June 2.  Photo by Teri Nehrenz

Red Cross employee Darryl Thompson sets up long time blood donor Lois West in her first visit to the Primex location during their annual blood drive held on June 2. Photo by Teri Nehrenz

One of the visitors donating that day was Lois West who has been donating blood for many years. She donated for the past three years in Mesquite at the Mesquite United Methodist Church but was happy to take full advantage of being able to help out with the Primex drive.

West and her husband are residents of Mesquite now but began as snowbirds seven or eight years ago spending their winters here instead of in their hometown of Spokane, WA.

Carolyn Millyard is another Mesquite resident who was happy to donate for her third time at Primex. Millyard moved to Mesquite last year from Minersville, UT.

It was a great day to donate in the air-conditioned accommodations as temperatures rose to over 100 degrees in the area and the turnout was considered a success by the Red Cross Volunteer’s standards.

There are several more blood mobile locations scheduled for this summer. The next three scheduled drives will be on June 15 at the City of Mesquite Fire and Rescue 3, John Deere Dr. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., June 21 at the Eureka Casino Resort, 275 Mesa Blvd. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and on July 8 at the Mesquite Recreation Center, 100 W. Old Mill Rd.

For more information about donation opportunities or how to schedule a Blood Mobile at your location visit the Red Cross web site at www.redcrossblood.org or call 1-800- RED-CROSS (733-2767).