MEDIC Regional Blood Center is teaming up with Zoo Knoxville in a unique partnership to help further the mission of both organizations. Zoo Knoxville is encouraging donors to give lifesaving blood with MEDIC during the month of July. The summer months are traditionally some of the most difficult for MEDIC.
During their donation, blood donors can also help the zoo’s vital conservation programs. Typically, every blood donor receives a MEDIC t-shirt when giving blood, but in July, for every donor who opts not to take a blood-drive t-shirt, MEDIC will donate the cost of the shirt to the zoo. The money will go to help support programs like Zoo Knoxville’s world-renowned red panda breeding program and the first Western lowland gorillas ever born in Knoxville.
To kick-off the month-long push, MEDIC and Zoo Knoxville will offer a free admission ticket to Zoo Knoxville for anyone who donates blood at any of MEDIC’s area locations on Friday, July 8th.
Donors can give blood at any of the following locations on Friday, July 8th:
MEDIC Knoxville Donor Center – 1601 Ailor Avenue, 8:00am-6:30pm
MEDIC Farragut Donor Center – 11000 Kingston Pike, 6:30am-6:00pm
MEDIC Crossville Donor Center – 79 South Main Street, 8am-4pm (CDT)
Blount Memorial Hospital – 907 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway 12pm-6pm
Methodist Medical Center – 990 Oak Ridge Turnpike, 12pm-6pm
Rite Aid Pharmacy in Maynardville – 2710 Maynardville Pike, 12pm-6pm
McKay’s Books – 230 Papermill Place Way, 12pm-6pm (Zoo animals at drive beginning at 4pm)
First Tennessee Bank Call Center – 6522 Chapman Highway, 9am-4pm
Lowe’s Cedar Bluff – 210 North Peters Road, 8:30am-1pm
Advance America – 4419 Western Avenue, 2:30pm-5pm
Last year the partnership helped encourage hundreds of blood donations – many from first time donors –- and raised more than $5,700 for Zoo Knoxville’s conservation work. Because of the Zika Virus, new restrictions are in place on blood donors. If you’ve been out of the U.S. or Canada in the past 28 days, donors can call MEDIC at 865-524-3074 to confirm their eligibility.
