WINTERSVILLE - The Western-Southern Life Insurance Co. will offer a free child fingerprinting and identification card program Tuesday during the annual Media Blood Donor Day Drive at St. Florian Hall.
The blood drive, sponsored by the American Red Cross Jefferson County Chapter, is set from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the fingerprinting and identification process will be offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bryan Gregorich, Western-Southern Life sales manager, said the fingerprinting and identification program are a free service to the community. Parents can fill out a form that includes a child's blood type, allergies, contact information and more. The identification cards then will be ordered by Western-Southern Life and later delivered.
Article Photos
FINAL PLANS — Kathy Musso, executive director of the American Red Cross Jefferson County Chapter, and Bryan Gregorich, sales manager for Western-Southern Life Insurance Co. in Wintersville, plan the free child fingerprinting and identification card program that will be provided free of charge from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday during the annual Media Blood Donor Day Drive at St. Florian Hall in Wintersville.
-- Jeremy Kins
"We do it to make sure the kids in our community are safe, and if anything were to happen to them law enforcement or wherever can be contacted with that information," said Gregorich.
He said the cards typically are ready in less than two weeks after the forms are processed.
Gregorich said the business also offers this service at local schools, the mall and at other local programs.
"It's just a really nice program to offer those who come to donate blood," said Kathy Musso, executive director of the local Red Cross.
"We're not trying to sell anyone anything. It's just a free service that we like to provide," said Gregorich.
The blood drive will offer plenty of entertainment, according to Musso, with activities including prize packages and drawing items, the Eat'n Park cookie mascot, community spokespersons and more.
Notable prizes include Pittsburgh Pirates tickets donated by the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times, as well as Pittsburgh Zoo and Kennywood tickets donated by WCDK-FM.
Musso said there also will be green T-shirts that say "Extraordinary Donor" available at this year's event.
She is encouraging anyone who wants to help but can't donate to call the central office at (740) 264-7244. Blood drives are held at the office, 81 Talbot Drive, from noon to 6 p.m. every Monday.
Other upcoming blood drives are set from noon to 6 p.m. on July 2 at the central office; 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Dixon Health Center in Wintersville; 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Valley Hospice in Rayland; and noon to 6 p.m. on July 16, 23 and 30 at the central office.
Appointments can be made by calling (800) RED CROSS or by visiting www.redcrossblood.org, with the sponsor code: JeffersonCountyOH. Walk-ins are welcome.
(Kins can be contacted at jkins@heraldstaronline.com and followed via his @jkinsHS Twitter account.)
