DELMARVA - Blood Bank of Delmarva is launching its sixth annual Blood for a Brew summer campaign, urging people to donate blood ahead of Memorial Day weekend as hospitals prepare for the start of “trauma season.”
The blood bank said healthcare workers often see an increase in serious injuries during late spring and summer because of increased travel, boating activity, outdoor recreation and holiday gatherings. At the same time, blood donations typically decline during school breaks and vacation periods, creating added pressure on blood supplies.
To help encourage donations, the blood bank said donors who give blood at a donor center or blood drive between May 20 and May 27 will get a packable picnic blanket.
The Blood for a Brew campaign officially begins on May 19 with a blood drive at Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton. Organizers said appointments for the kickoff drive are already full, though donors can still register for a June 2 event and other participating Blood for a Brew drives across the region.
The campaign partners with local breweries and coffee shops, including:
- Dogfish Head
- Dewey Beer Company
- Revelation Brewing
- Crooked Hammock
- Ocean City Coffee Beanery
- Big Oyster Brewery
- Mispillion River Brewing
- Ocean View Brewing Company
“Blood for a Brew marks the beginning of our critical, summertime period, and Memorial Day marks the beginning of one of the most challenging times of year for the blood supply,” said Kristin Frederick, Vice President of Operations at Blood Bank of Delmarva. “Trauma patients, surgical patients, cancer patients, and many others rely on blood donations every day, and we need donors to step up before summer shortages impact hospital inventories.”
