The Whitehall Ledger - Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana

As the final holiday rush arrives, the American Red Cross asks donors to shake up their holiday plans and give blood now and throughout the end of the year.

According to AAA, nearly 113 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, meaning many who may have otherwise given blood will likely defer their donation until the new year. Unfortunately, trauma patients in the emergency room, those undergoing cancer treatment and new parents in need of lifesaving transfusions can’t take a holiday break. The need for blood is constant.

It’s importan...