LANCASTER – As part of its Valentine’s Day tradition, the Antelope Valley Hospital Blood Donor Center is giving away free apple or cherry pies Feb. 12, 13 and 14 to encourage people to donate blood. Pies will be given to the first 20 donors on each of those days. All blood collected will be used for patients at the hospital.
“We celebrate Valentine’s Day by encouraging people to give blood, one of the most loving gifts to give because of how many lives can be saved,” stated Antelope Valley Hospital Blood Services Coordinator Ellen Gaines. “Our area has an urgent need for blood, and Pies for Pints helps our fellow Antelope Valley residents recognize the importance of donating blood that stays here in the community.”
It takes about five to 10 minutes to give a pint of blood, but the entire process takes about an hour to complete. All donors receive a free cholesterol test.
The AVH Blood Donor Center is on the hospital’s campus in the Antelope Valley Outpatient Imaging Center building, located at 44105 15th Street West, Suite 305, at the intersection of 15th Street West and Avenue J-5. The center is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesdays, from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., and the first and third Saturdays of each month, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, or donors can make an appointment by calling 661-949-5622.
