OHIO - The American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood and platelet donors to give now to ensure blood is available for medical treatments and emergencies during the holiday season.

Blood and platelet donations often decline during the holidays. Regular donors are busy with holiday activities, and travel and severe winter weather may cause blood drive cancellations. Yet donations remain critical for patients like 4-year-old Wyatt Monacelli who is in the midst of intense chemotherapy treatments for leukemia. He has received a number of transfusions since his diagnosis in June and will likely need more.

"We are fortunate to have had so many donors give the gift of life to our child so far throughout the course of his treatment, and even more so, we are lucky to have had a supply of blood available for him when he needed it," said Julianne Monacelli, Wyatt's mother.

Donors are urged to give now to ensure that families like Wyatt's don't have to worry about the availability of blood this winter. In thanks for helping meet the urgent need around the holidays, all those who come to donate blood or platelets now through Dec. 19, 2018, will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email.*

Make an appointment to donate blood or platelets by downloading the free American Red Cross  Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

Another way to help keep the blood supply strong is to host a Red Cross blood drive this winter. To learn more about hosting a blood drive and to sign up, visit RedCrossBlood.orq/HostADrive.

*Restrictions apply. See amazon.com/qc-legal. More information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Together

Upcoming blood donation opportunities from November 26th through December 19th:

Crawford County

Bucyrus

• 12/4/2018: 11 am. - 5 p.m., Amvets Post 27 - Bucyrus, 235 E Galen St
• 12/5/2018: 7:45 am. - 1:45 p.m., Bucyrus High School, 900 W. Perry Street

Crestline

• 11/30/2018: 8 am. - 1 p.m., Crestline High School, 7854 Oldfield Road

Galion

• 12/11/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Galion Alliance Church, 430 Portland Way N

New Washington

• 11/28/2018: 8 am. - 1 p.m., Buckeye Central High School, 938 South Kibler Street
• 12/17/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, 110 South Kibler St.

North Robinson

• 12/13/2018: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., Colonel Crawford High School, 2303 State Route 602

• 11/26/2018: 9 am. 3 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 39 N Park Street
• 11/28/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 39 N Park Street
• 11/30/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., St. Peter's High School, 111 West First Street
• 12/3/2018: 9 am. 3 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 39 N Park Street
• 12/5/2018: 12 p.m. 6 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 39 N Park Street
• 12/8/2018: 8 am. 1 p.m., Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1951 Middle-Bellville Road
• 12/10/2018: 9 a.m. 3 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 39 N Park Street
• 12/12/2018: 12 p.m. 6 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 39 N Park Street
• 12/14/2018: 8 am. 1 p.m., OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, 335 Glessner Ave
• 12/17/2018: 9 am. a. 3 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 39 N Park Street
• 12/19/2018: 12 p.m. 6 p.m., Richland Blood Donation Center, 39 N Park Street

• 11/30/2018: 8 a.m. 2 p.m., Pioneer Career & Tech Center, 27 Ryan Rd
• 12/6/2018: 8 am. 1 p.m., Shelby High School, 1 Whippet Way