High School student Joe Gibson, initiator of the new Minnesota legislation allowing eligible 16 year olds to donate blood with signed parental/guardian consent, will host a Red Cross blood drive July 3.

The new law goes into effect July 1.

Gibson will host the blood donor day event at the Servicemen’s Club, 210 Fourth St. N.E., in Blooming Prairie, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, July 3.

Gibson will also donate blood for the first time at the drive.

All donors who come to the drive will receive a free Red Cross T-shirt, free VIP backstage passes to the Vans Warped Tour in Shakopee Aug. 3, and a free ticket to the July 3 Servicemen’s Club dance in Blooming Prairie.

The Blooming Prairie blood drive will be the first in Minnesota to celebrate 16-year-old blood donor eligibility. All eligible donors are invited to give blood and help the Red Cross meet the need for blood prior to the Independence Day weekend, when donations often decrease due to holiday activities. “We are asking first- and long-time donors to come out and give blood to celebrate the new legislation and to help the Red Cross ensure a stable blood supply for patients in need,” Gibson said.

First-time donors can take the following steps to help prepare for a good donation experience: Get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast or lunch, drink extra water and fluids to replace the volume of blood donated (avoid caffeinated beverages), and eat iron-rich foods to boost iron levels.

All 16-year-olds wishing to donate must have a parent/guardian Red Cross parental/guardian consent form signed July 1 or after. Sixteen-year-old donors must bring the signed Red Cross parental consent form with them when they donate.

To make a donation appointment call Gibson at (612) 741-6083, 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543) or visit givebloodgivelife.org.

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license, or two other forms of identification are required at check-in.

Donors must be at least 16 years old with a signed parent/guardian consent form on or after July 1, 2008 and must weigh at least 110 pounds.