Due to high demand, Mt. Zion Lutheran Church will host a blood drive next week.

The American Red Cross blood drive will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, at the church at 797 N. Detroit St., LaGrange. Donors can schedule appointments at RedCrossBlood.org by entering the site code "mtzion" or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross also offers a blood donor app that can be downloaded at RedCrossBlood.org , according to a community announcement.

The organization is urging donors to give generously this holiday season, as there is a significant demand for blood. Each day, approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed in the United States, according to the announcement.

This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@usatodayco.com, with

See Full Page