Subaru of Indiana to be honored at Sept. 27 Lafayette blood drive

A special community blood drive Sept. 27 will honor a Lafayette-based corporation committed to saving lives for more than three decades.

Area residents are encouraged to take an hour and donate critically needed blood from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at River City Community Center, located at 2842 Old U.S. 231 in Lafayette.

At noon during the drive, Subaru of Indiana and its administration will be honored for more than 30 years of hosting an employee blood drive. Twice a year, the company encourages its employees to donate blood that Versiti Blood Center of Indiana provides to more than 80 Hoosier hospitals.

Subaru’s drive is the second-largest one in Indiana and the largest corporate partnership Versiti Blood Center of Indiana has in the state. Employees have generously donated nearly 15,000 units of blood since the drive’s inception, saving nearly 45,000 Hoosier lives.

“Versiti expresses its sincere gratitude to Subaru of Indiana for the company’s strong and committed partnership with us to help save Hoosier lives across the state,” said Versiti Blood Center of Indiana Area Vice President Penny Schroeder. “Corporate philanthropy is top of mind for Subaru of Indiana and we’re most thankful for the company’s generosity and long-standing support of our mission.”

Versiti employees will be wearing face masks and be temperature tested before the drive. Donors will also be temperature tested and prescreened before their donation. All donors must wear a face mask or covering while donating.

Social distancing will be practiced at the drive. Versiti will efficiently clean and disinfect all equipment and facilities continuously during the drive.

Donating blood takes about 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 donate blood. Donors should bring a photo ID that includes their birth date.

Appointments are encouraged but walk-ins are welcome. To schedule an appointment to donate at the River City Community Center Sept. 27, call 317-916-5150 or visit Versiti online.

More than 90,000 Indiana residents each year give blood through Versiti Blood Center of Indiana, formerly Indiana Blood Center, a non-profit organization founded in 1952 that operates blood donation centers in Lafayette, Indianapolis, Fishers, Carmel, Greenwood and Terre Haute. The center also operates thousands of mobile and community blood drives each year throughout the state. Versiti provides a continuous and safe supply of blood and biological services to more than 80 Indiana hospitals and their patients and beyond.