Donations Needed This Holiday Season: Blood Drives In Oceanside

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA – Emergencies don't take a holiday, so the American Red Cross is urging people to donate blood and platelets this holiday season.

Donations typically decline from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day when donors are busy celebrating the holidays, according to the Red Cross. In addition, severe winter weather can cause blood drive cancellations and negatively affect the blood supply.

Blood drives are being held across San Diego County. See the list of upcoming blood drives below. Donate blood or platelets to the Red Cross from Dec. 20 through Jan. 6 and receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last.

How to help

To schedule an appointment to donate, use the Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to help reduce the time it takes to donate.

Upcoming blood drives in San Diego County

Bonsall

• 1/15/2019: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Bonsall High School, 7350 Lilac Road

Chula Vista

• 1/2/2019: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Vons, 1745 Eastlake Parkway
• 1/7/2019: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Chula Vista Library, 389 Orange Ave.

El Cajon

• 12/28/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., East County Transitional Living Center, 1527 E Main St.
• 12/31/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Parkway Plaza, 415 Parkway Plaza
• 1/3/2019: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., El Cajon Library, 201 E Douglas

Encinitas

• 1/4/2019: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Best Buy, 1046 N. El Camino Real
• 1/7/2019: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive

Escondido

• 12/22/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Escondido East Valley Community Center, 2245 East Valley Parkway
• 12/30/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Westfield North County, 272 E. Via Rancho Parkway
• 12/31/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Westfield North County, 272 E. Via Rancho Parkway
• 1/3/2019: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Escondido East Valley Community Center, 2245 East Valley Parkway
• 1/8/2019: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Toyota of Escondido, 231 Lincoln Parkway
• 1/12/2019: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Escondido East Valley Community Center, 2245 East Valley Parkway
• 1/14/2019: 8:45 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Escondido East Valley Community Center, 2245 East Valley Parkway

Fallbrook

• 1/8/2019: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Fallbrook Library, 124 South Mission Road

La Jolla

• 1/4/2019: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Lawrence Family JCC, 4126 Executive Drive
• 1/9/2019: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., University California San Diego Library Walk, 9500 Gilman Drive
• 1/14/2019: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Scripps Green Hospital, 10666 N. Torrey Pines Road

Lake San Marcos

• 12/30/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Wal-Mart, 732 Center Drive

Oceanside

• 12/27/2018: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Oceanside Masonic Center, 511 Eucalyptus
• 1/2/2019: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Oceanside Masonic Center, 511 Eucalyptus
• 1/5/2019: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Wal-Mart, 705 College Blvd.
• 1/9/2019: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Oceanside Police Department, 3855 Mission Ave.
• 1/10/2019: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Oceanside Masonic Center, 511 Eucalyptus

Poway

• 12/26/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Poway Branch Library, 13137 Poway Road

San Diego

• 12/20/2018: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Scripps Mercy Hospital, 4077 Fifth Ave.
• 12/20/2018: 10:45 a.m. - 5:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 12/20/2018: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Scripps Mercy Hospital, 4077 Fifth Ave.
• 12/21/2018: 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 12/22/2018: 7:45 a.m. - 3 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 12/23/2018: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 12/26/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Navy Federal Credit Union, 10645 Tierrasanta Blvd. E
• 12/26/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Carmel Mountain Ranch Library, 12095 World Trade Drive
• 12/26/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Rancho Penasquitos Library, 13330 Salmon River Road
• 12/26/2018: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 12/27/2018: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., VA Healthcare Building 27, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive
• 12/27/2018: 10:45 a.m. - 5:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 12/27/2018: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Scripps Ranch Library, 10301 Scripps Lake Drive
• 12/28/2018: 8:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 12/30/2018: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 12/31/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Vons, 13255 Black Mountain Road
• 1/2/2019: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/3/2019: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., American Red Cross Chapter Main Building, 3950 Calle Fortunada
• 1/3/2019: 10:45 a.m. - 5:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/4/2019: 8:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/5/2019: 7:45 a.m. - 3 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/6/2019: 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/7/2019: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/8/2019: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., ICE, 880 Front St.
• 1/8/2019: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/9/2019: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Nordstrom, 4401 La Jolla Village Drive
• 1/9/2019: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/10/2019: 10:45 a.m. - 5:45 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/11/2019: 8:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/12/2019: 7:45 a.m. - 3 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/13/2019: 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/13/2019: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Tierrasanta Lutheran Church, 11240 Clairemont Mesa
• 1/14/2019: 12:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C
• 1/15/2019: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Case Mira View, 9800 Mira Lee Way
• 1/15/2019: 12:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Kearny Mesa Blood Donation Center, 4229 Ponderosa Ave. Suite C

San Marcos

• 12/24/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Fry's Electronics, 150 S.Bent Ave.
• 1/2/2019: 1:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., The Lodge at Lake San Marcos, 1105 La Bonita Drive
• 1/6/2019: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., MARC, 1045 Armorlite Drive

Santee

• 1/7/2019: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Santee United Methodist Church, 8964 Magnolia Ave.

Solana Beach

• 1/2/2019: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Solana Beach Library, 157 Stevens Ave.

Valley Center

• 12/20/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Valley Center Branch Library, 29200 Cole Grade Road

Vista

• 1/15/2019: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Avalon, 701 Breeze Hill Road

What to know about giving blood

Interested in donating? Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) for more information or to make an appointment.

A blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in.

Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

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