Red Cross: Blood donors desperately needed

The Red Cross is pulling out all the stops in a desperate call for donors amid a historic blood shortage. Anyone who rolls up their sleeves this month will have a chance to win tickets to the Super Bowl in Los Angeles. Other prizes include entry to the official NFL Tailgate and a 500-dollar gift card for game-day food.

The incentive comes as the Red Cross declares the first ever national blood crisis, with supplies so low, some hospitals are canceling surgeries. Officials blame the pandemic and winter storms.

Upcoming area blood drives include:

from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday at the Brown County YMCA in Nashville.

from 1 to 6 p.m. on Monday at First United Methodist Church in North Vernon.

from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday Jan. 20th at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Seymour.

from 1 to 6 p.m. on Monday January 24th at Hope Moravian Church in Hope.

You can schedule an appointment to give blood by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS

TTWN Media Networks Inc. contributed to this report