Prior Lake, Minn. – The public is invited to participate in the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s spring blood drive on Tuesday, April 15, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Dakotah! Sport and Fitness.

Blood donors are desperately needed. According to Memorial Blood Centers, the SMSC’s blood drive partner, someone in the local community needs blood every two seconds. All blood types are needed, but especially type O, the universal donor. Each pint of donated blood can potentially save as many as three lives.

In order to give blood, a donor must be healthy, weigh at least 110 pounds, be at least 17 years old, and not have donated blood in the last 56 days. Donors go through a brief screening process as part of the appointment.

Please make a blood donation appointment by calling the SMSC Wellness Coordinators at 952-233-2965. A limited number of walk-ins will also be accepted. The entire appointment takes about an hour.

SMSC blood drives among top 20 drives for Memorial Blood Centers

The SMSC has sponsored blood drives for more than 27 years. The SMSC has held 58 blood drive events since 1998 for Minnesota-based Memorial Blood Centers, resulting in 3,377 donated units of blood. In 2013 alone, the SMSC ranked 20th in blood drive donations, with 315 units collected. It is one of only two community-sponsored blood drives in the top 20, with all of the others being corporate drives.

Additional SMSC 2014 blood drives are scheduled for August 12 and December 9.

About the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized, sovereign Indian tribe located southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul. With a focus on being a good neighbor, good steward of the earth, and good employer, the SMSC is committed to community partnerships, charitable donations, a healthy environment, and a strong economy. The SMSC and the SMSC Gaming Enterprise (Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and Little Six Casino) are the largest employer in Scott County. Out of a Dakota tradition to help others, the SMSC has also donated more than $290 million to organizations and causes since 1992, funds its own infrastructure, and contributes generously to regional governments and infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer systems, and emergency services.