Elks Lodge #476 holds blood drive in Yuma

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Locals got the chance to donate blood this weekend as Elks Lodge #476 held a blood drive Saturday.

The event, which was in collaboration with Vitalant, took place at the lodge's meeting room from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Elena Mejia, the chairperson of the Elks Lodge #476 Blood Drive, says 90 to 95% of the blood collected in Yuma County stays in the county.

"We are a rural area. We only had the one hospital. Now, we have a couple of other ones going up in the Foothills. And the hospital now, our main hospital is building one in San Luis, and it helps the community because we don't have anything else close to us," Mejia explained.

Mejia says Elks Lodge #476 is the second blood drive contributor in Yuma County, with Onvida Health being the first and St. John Neumann Catholic Church being the third.

While the lodge sees more than 35 people donating blood during the winter time, Mejia says between 25 to 35 people donate blood at the lodge during the summer.

For those who donate blood between May 23 to September 7, they can enter to win a 2025 Volkswagen Taos.

If anyone missed out on this weekend's blood drive, Mejia says the lodge is holding another blood drive happening on October 18.

To sign up for that blood drive, and other blood drives happening in Yuma County, click here.