Sonoma Raceway will partner with Vitalant (formerly known as Blood Centers of the Pacific) to help save lives one ride at a time during a High Speed Blood Drive on Monday, Sept. 9.
Sonoma Raceway puts a non-traditional spin on blood drives by giving donors a chance to get their hearts pumping with a high-speed "hot lap" around the road course prior to donating blood. Donors will ride along with a professional driving instructor in an official raceway Toyota Camry around the 12-turn road course. The popular event will run from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Sonoma Raceway.
Walk-ups are welcome, but appointments are strongly encouraged and can be scheduled at Vitalant.org. Click DONATE, then click locate a blood drive and enter sponsor code: Sonoma Raceway.
Vitalant Bay Area supplies blood to over 45 hospitals throughout Northern California. Founded in 1943, Vitalant is one of the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit transfusion medicine organizations, and provides blood across 40 states. Vitalant is an internationally known and respected leader that continues to push the boundaries to advance the experience, practice and application of transfusion medicine.
Since 2001, Sonoma Raceway's High-Speed Blood Drive has generated more than 1,350 pints of blood, and each pint can be used to save up to three lives.
"At Vitalant, we require about 500 volunteer blood donor registrations every day to help supply the blood for patients in need of transfusions," said Fred McFadden, Vitalant Regional Director. "These donations not only transform the lives of patients, but touch the lives of countless friends, family and community members."
"Not enough people are giving blood, so to have Sonoma Raceway's support is crucial in helping motivate people to donate," said continued McFadden. "Every donation is needed because every day there is a patient in need of blood, a family fighting for survival."
All donors must be at least 16 years old (16 and 17 year olds need a Minor Donor Permit signed by parent/guardian) and bring a valid photo ID. For more information, contact Chelsea Lazzari with Sonoma Raceway at [email protected] or Jeanne Nielsen with Vitalant at (415) 308-6982 or [email protected]
