The American Red Cross Northwest Illinois Chapter holds its blood drives the first Friday of every other month at Trinity United Methodist Church, 2600 W. Pearl City Road, Freeport.

The next Freeport drive is December 2, 2011. Call 815-233-0011 to sign up, and for more information.

Other upcoming regional drives are as follows:

From 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday December 1, 2011 at the Dakota High School Main Hall, 400 Campus Drive, Dakota, IL. To sign up, call Dorothy Schlueter at 815-865-5314.

From 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, December 5, 2011 at the East Dubuque High School Cafeteria, 200 Parklane Drive, East Dubuque, IL. To sign up, call Alaine Jamison at 815-747-3188.

From 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, December 15, 2011 at the Community Building Community Room, 402 North West Street, Elizabeth, IL. To sign up, call Larry Berlage at 815-858-2259.

Walk-ins welcome!

Why give blood?

• EVERY TWO SECONDS, SOMEONE IN AMERICA NEEDS BLOOD.

• GIVING BLOOD IS EASY. IT ONLY TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR, AND A SINGLE DONATION CAN HELP SAVE UP TO THREE LIVES.

• GIVE TO SOMEONE IN IMMEDIATE NEED – IT COULD BE A FRIEND, A NEIGHBOR, OR A STRANGER.

• THE NEED IS CONSTANT, THE GRATIFICATION IS INSTANT.

• GIVE BLOOD.