Donate blood, save lives at 14th annual Big Ticket Festival

Michigan concertgoers from around the state attending one of the country’s largest Christian music festivals this month will have a chance to roll up their sleeves and help save lives by donating blood during this critical time of the year.

Versiti Blood Center of Michigan will have three mobile blood donation units at the 14th annual Big Ticket Festival is June 26-29 at the Otsego County Fairgrounds, located at 895 N. Center Ave. in Gaylord. This year’s festival headliners are Chris Tomlin, For King & Country, Danny Gokey and Jordan Feliz.

Versiti hopes to see at least 300 blood donors at the event; 235 donations were received last year. For their generosity, festival blood donors will receive a pair of Versiti sunglasses while supplies last.

Throughout Michigan every day, Versiti needs to collect 560 units of blood to meet the needs of its hospital partners and their patients. The summer season is especially challenging to meet daily need as high school and college students are on break and families are on vacation. Summer also typically sparks a higher incidence of trauma and emergency situations, requiring Versiti’s nearly 70 partner hospitals to be prepared with enough levels of O-negative blood, the universal blood type everyone can receive.

Donating blood takes less than an hour. Anyone age 17 or older in good health who meets eligibility requirements is encouraged to give. Parental consent is required for donors age 16 to give. Donors should bring a photo ID that includes their birth date.

Appointments are encouraged and walk-ins are welcome at bloodmobiles at the Big Ticket Festival. To schedule an appointment to donate blood at the event, call 1-866-642-5663 or visit Versiti online.