Buckeyeman Larry Lokai with Roger Bender at the Nov. 14 Darke County OSU Alumni Club Blood Drive.
Courtesy photo by Solvita
SIDNEY – Help sustain the local blood supply during the critical Thanksgiving holiday week by donating at the Shelby Count OSU Alumni Association Buckeye Blood Drive Tuesday, Nov. 21, from 12:30-6:30 p.m. at the Sidney American Legion Post, 1265 N. Fourth St.
Make an appointment to donate with Solvita (formerly Community Blood Center) on the Donor Time app, by calling 937-461-3220, or at www.donortime.com.
Everyone who registers to donate will receive the “Sleigh-In-It” long-sleeve, holiday season T-shirt and an opportunity to win Rose Bowl tickets. The blood drives comes during the week of “The Game.” OSU Alumni volunteers will be dressed in Buckeye gear and will serve special refreshments including hot sandwiches and chocolate and peanut butter buckeyes.
There will be multiple drawings for OSU prizes, and the blood drive will feature a visit by superfans “OSU Buckeyeman” Larry Lokai and Coach Jim Tressel look-a-like Dennis “Tress” Singleton.
Lokai is 81 and recovering from a recent surgery, the first time a hospital stay has interrupted his Buckeyeman schedule. He has cut back on appearances but did not want to miss the Buckeye Blood Drive.
“I’ve learned to say, ‘No’ but I am doing events again and got my invitation to the blood drive,” said Lokai. “I’ll have some things to give to donors, plus I’ll bring my usual charming personality and good looks.”
Thanksgiving week is an important time to donate. Solvita will be closed for Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23, with no blood collection and there are no mobile blood drives scheduled Friday, Nov. 24.
Everyone who registers to donate through Dec. 2 at any Solvita blood drive, or the Dayton Solvita Donation Center is automatically entered in the drawing to win two tickets to the New Year’s Day Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, California, plus a $1,000 Expedia gift card for travel expenses. The Rose Bowl is a College Football Playoff semifinal.
Donors can save time while helping save lives by using “DonorXPress” to complete the donor questionnaire before arriving at a blood drive. Find DonorXPress on the Donor Time App or at www.givingblood.org/donorxpress.
