During Red Cross Month in March, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to join in its lifesaving mission by giving blood.

Since 1943, every U.S. president has designated March as Red Cross Month to recognize how the Red Cross helps people down the street, across the country and around the world.

Red Cross Month is a celebration of the everyday heroes, like Karla Essmiller, who are the face of the Red Cross in their communities. Essmiller began donating blood and even coordinated a few blood drives when she was in college.

“Donating blood is a simple gift that I can make that may  help up to three people live another day,” she said in a press release. “That makes me feel like a hero!”

The Red Cross depends on blood donor heroes across the nation to collect enough blood to meet the needs of patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals nationwide. Donors of all blood types are needed to help accident and burn victims, patients undergoing organ transplants, those receiving cancer treatments and others who rely on blood products.

Make an appointment to become a hero to patients in need by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Upcoming blood drives

•March 10, 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., at Southland High School, 203 Second St. in Adams

•March 7, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 411 W. Main St. in Brownsdale

•March 8, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., at the Grand Meadow School, 710 4th Ave. NE

•March 11, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., at the LeRoy Community Center, 204 W. Main St.