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Red Cross blood drive to be held at Muhammad Ali Center on Jan. 17th for Ali’s 80th birthday

On Jan. 17, Muhammad Ali would have turned 80 years old. Throughout his life, he followed his principles, one of which was giving. Since January is National Blood Donor Month, the community is invited to consider donating blood in memory of Muhammad to help those in our community who desperately need it. The Red Cross Blood Drive will take place on Monday, Jan. 17 at the Ali Center in View Pointe Hall from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Partnering with the Red Cross on Muhammad’s birthday for this community initiative aligns so well with Muhammad’s spirit of giving,” said Laura Douglas, Interim President and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center. “Muhammad always said that ‘service to others was the rent you pay for your room here on earth,’ so we know he would be grateful for this blood drive.”

Donating blood is one of the simplest things a person can do to help celebrate a person’s life. For the hour it takes to give blood, there could be a whole community of people thankful for another birthday given to a loved one.

“We are excited to partner with the Ali Center to celebrate the legacy of Muhammad Ali,” said Eric Holden, District Manager-Donor Recruitment, Kentucky Region American Red Cross Blood Services. “As an organization that is built on the generosity of people giving, we believe our mission aligns perfectly with that of the Ali Center. We are excited to see this partnership grow as we work to ensure a more diverse blood supply through efforts like our Sickle Cell Initiative.”

Blood Drive Safety

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control. Additionally, precautions—including facemasks for donors and staff, regardless of vaccination status—have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Signing up for an appointment in advance helps reinforce the Red Cross safety guidelines.

Save Time During Donation

Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass®. With RapidPass®, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online—on the day of donation—from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass®, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App. To donate blood, individuals need to bring a blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification that are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements.

To show your support of this partnership or to share that you are giving blood on Muhammad’s birthday, please use the following hashtags on social media:  #Ali80 #GreatestGiveBack

About the Muhammad Ali Center

The Muhammad Ali Center, a 501(c)3 corporation, was cofounded by Muhammad Ali and his wife Lonnie in their hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The international cultural center promotes the Six Core Principles of Muhammad Ali (Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect, and Spirituality) in ways that inspire personal and global greatness and provides programming and events around the focus areas of education, racial and gender equity, and global citizenship. The Ali Center is formally associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications, and in 2020, became one of the newest stops on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. The Center’s headquarters also contains an award-winning museum experience. For more information, please visit www.alicenter.org

About the Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.