La Grande Red Cross blood drive set for June 16, 17

All blood types are needed as summer begins, and La Grande’s next American Red Cross community blood drive will give Union County donors two chances to help keep blood on hand for patients who may need it without warning.

The drive is set for Tuesday, June 16, from noon to 6 p.m., and Wednesday, June 17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the corner of 12th Street and Gekeler Lane in La Grande. Appointments can be made by calling Linda Strand at 541-910-1973 or by using the Red Cross blood drive finder with ZIP code 97850. Donors can also schedule through the Blood Donor App or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

The Red Cross says summer is a difficult time to maintain inventory because scheduled donations make up about 90% of the blood it receives, and those appointments are the backbone of the supply. Whole blood donors can generally give every 56 days, and Red Cross eligibility guidance says donors should be in good health and feeling well. In most states, whole blood donors must be at least 16 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds.

The La Grande drive has become a recurring part of the local calendar, with other 2026 donation dates listed in April, June, September and November. The June collection is especially important because local blood drives often see lower turnout during the start of summer, when travel, school breaks and changing routines can keep regular donors away. That makes the June 16 and 17 event more than a routine stop. It is a direct response to a regional need that can affect hospitals and emergency care across northeastern Oregon.

The La Grande effort has also been supported by the La Grande Lions Club, adding another community group behind the drive. Past local collections have shown what steady participation can do: one La Grande community blood draw collected 248 units, another brought in 249 units, and a later report said the program collected 1,241 units in a single calendar year. A 2025 preview said organizers hoped to collect more than 275 units, underscoring how much the drive depends on local turnout.

A separate Red Cross drive is also scheduled in Baker City on June 8 and June 9, part of the same regional push for donors across northeastern Oregon. For Union County, the La Grande event offers a familiar location, two full days and a narrow but important window to help protect patients who may need blood on short notice.