In today’s Alpena News (June 21, 2021) there’s an article about a retired Michigan teacher who recently donated his 200th pint of blood. At the end of the article it says, “To give blood with the American Red Cross, visit redcrossblood.org/. So, I went online and discovered that the closest place to Alpena where I can give blood is in Hale, Michigan! Why is that? I know that a few years ago the Red Cross stopped receiving blood donations in Alpena saying there was no longer a need for blood in this area, yet on the Red Cross website there’s a statement saying they have an “urgent need” for blood. I give blood every winter when I’m in Florida and would like to donate here, too. It seems a shame that my hometown of Alpena isn’t offering me that option.

GLORIA WEAVER,

Alpena