By VINCE ROBINSON
External Communications Manager, Biomedical Field Marketing And Communications, American Red Cross

The American Red Cross asks eligible donors to help ensure blood is available for patients in need by giving blood in May before the busy summer season kicks in.

Blood and platelet donations often decrease when regular donors are vacationing and school is out of session, but the need for blood is constant. Donors are needed in the weeks leading up to summer to help alleviate this seasonal decline.

Donors of all blood types — especially those with types O negative, A negative and B negative — are needed to help ensure blood is available for patients this spring. Those who come to donate blood between May 23 and May 25, 2015, will receive a limited-edition Red Cross-branded RuMe tote bag, while supplies last.

To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call (800) 733-2767.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Elkhart County

• 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16, Douglas J. Snyder DDS, 427 Waterfall Drive, Elkhart.
• 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, May 18, Concord High School, 59117 Minuteman Way, Elkhart.
• Noon to 6 p.m. Monday, May 18, Believers Fellowship Church, 60781 SR 13, Goshen.
• 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, Sunnyside Park, 68546 S. Clinton, New Paris.
• 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 21, Faith United Methodist Church, 22045 CR 18, Goshen.
• noon to 4 p.m. Friday, May 22, Brentwood at Elkhart, 3600 E. Bristol St., Elkhart.
• 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, May 29, IU Health Goshen Hospital, 200 High Park Ave., Goshen.
• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 30, United Christian School, 29522 CR 52, Nappanee.

Kosciusko County

• 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, North Webster Church of God, 302 N. Main, North Webster.
• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 30, Wal-Mart, 2501 Walton Blvd. Warsaw.

LaGrange County

• 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, May 18, E & S Sales, 1265 N. SR 5, Shipshewana.
• 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, Wolcott Mills Elementary School, 108 E. Myers Road, Wolcottville.

Marshall County

• 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 21, Knights of Columbus, 901 E. Jefferson St., Plymouth.

The Goshen Donor Center, located at 1123 S. Indiana Ave., Goshen, accepts whole blood donations from noon to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; and 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Platelet donations at the Goshen Donor Center are accepted 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; 6 a.m. to noon, Friday and Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday.