As many have been reminded through flyer we received in the mail this week, the need for blood donations during the holiday season will not be taking a winter break.  Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. Many believe that most blood is needed after major disasters, but daily personal emergencies and existing medical needs of thousands are reliant upon blood that is already on hospital shelves.   And that blood can only come from a volunteer.  A volunteer like you.

What if you are afraid of needles or have never donated before?  Donors have described the pain as nothing more than a mild pinch.  And first-time donors can be assured it's a very safe and simple process.

General eligibility requirements are that you are at least 18 years of age (or 16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health and are feeling well on the day of your donation.  And scheduling an appointment is very easy.  In Butte, Vitalant is at 3745 Harrison Avenue and their hours are from 11am to 6pm on Thursdays, 7am to 3pm on Fridays and from 7am to 2pm on Saturdays.  As an added holiday bonus, donors will receive a free $10 Amazon gift card when they donate through December 31.

If this is a cause you truly believe in and want to really go the extra help, you can host a blood drive.  Vitalant has shown that almost anywhere from local churches, clubs and even businesses and libraries are very effective in bringing communities together through a very worthy common goal.

RANKED: Here are the most popular national parks

To determine the most popular national parks in the United States, Stacker compiled data from the National Park Service on the number of recreational visits each site had in 2020. Keep reading to discover the 50 most popular national parks in the United States, in reverse order from #50 to #1. And be sure to check with individuals parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

LOOK: Here's where people in every state are moving to most

Stacker analyzed the Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey data to determine the three most popular destinations for people moving out of each state.

LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving

To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.

Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.

10 Blake Shelton Facts You Probably Didn't Know

In this list of 10 things you didn't know about Blake Shelton, you'll learn what the singer thought of his '90s mullet, what his pet peeves are, what songs he sang when he entered pageants as a kid (yes, really!) and more.

LOOK: The top holiday toys from the year you were born

With the holiday spirit in the air, it’s the perfect time to dive into the history of iconic holiday gifts. Using national toy archives and data curated by The Strong from 1920 to today, Stacker searched for products that caught hold of the public zeitgeist through novelty, innovation, kitsch, quirk, or simply great timing, and then rocketed to success.

LOOK: 25 over-the-top Christmas displays from across America

To help get everyone in the mood for the upcoming holiday season, Stacker compiled a list of some of the most over-the-top Christmas displays across America.

LOOK: What are the odds that these 50 totally random events will happen to you?

Stacker took the guesswork out of 50 random events to determine just how likely they are to actually happen. They sourced their information from government statistics, scientific articles, and other primary documents. Keep reading to find out why expectant parents shouldn't count on due dates -- and why you should be more worried about dying on your birthday than living to 100 years old.

 

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