American Legion Post 558, in conjunction with Malta Bend School and the Community Blood Center of Kansas City, Mo., held their second blood drive for 2022 on Wednesday, Aug. 31. A total of 43 units of blood were collected. Many of the units were from donors through use of the ALYX (double red blood cell unit) collection process. It does not happen often, but every time slot was reserved by donors. This is a positive thing, and we really appreciate the interest by the community to support the need for blood.

This was the 18th blood drive sponsored by Post 558 and Malta Bend School. A total of 602 units of blood have been collected since the first recorded blood drive on Aug. 27, 2014. This blood drive captured the highest number of units in the past two decades of hosting Post 558 blood drives! The 43 units just beat out the 42 we had two years ago.

American Legion blood drives officially started in 1942, to support the war effort on the home front in the United States, and they continue in an effort to help alleviate nationwide blood shortages.