During Red Cross Month in March, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to join in its lifesaving mission by giving blood.

Since 1943, every United States president has designated March as Red Cross Month to recognize how the Red Cross helps people down the street, across the country and around the world.

Red Cross Month is a celebration of the everyday heroes, like Karla Essmiller, who are the face of the Red Cross in their communities. Essmiller began donating blood and even coordinated a few blood drives when she was in college.

“Donating blood is a simple gift that I can make that may  help up to three people live another day,” she said. “That makes me feel like a hero!”

The Red Cross depends on blood donor heroes across the nation to collect enough blood to meet the needs of patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals nationwide. Donors of all blood types are needed to help accident and burn victims, patients undergoing organ transplants, those receiving cancer treatments and others who rely on blood products.

Make an appointment by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

Blood donation opportunities will be from 1 to 7 p.m. March 4 at Salem Lutheran Church, from 1 to 7 p.m. March 14 at United Methodist Church and from noon to 6 p.m. March 8 at Alden-Conger High School.