Vitalant blood drive scheduled at PNC Park will offer donors a pair of Pirates tickets

PITTSBURGH ― While donating blood is a good way to support community members in need any time of the year, the return of an annual promotion may be the incentive some donors need to voluntarily face a needle.

Vitalant has announced it is again partnering with the Pittsburgh Pirates for their annual series of summer blood drives at PNC Park, with the donation event taking place from Tuesday, May 28, to Thursday, May 30. Donors who participate in this special series of blood drives will receive a voucher that can be redeemed for two tickets to a Pirate's home game this season.

"This longstanding partnership with the Pirates is vital to maintaining our area's blood supply," said Kathy Ryan, regional director of donor recruitment at Vitalant. "Without this support, meeting the needs of local hospitals during the busy summer months would be a challenge. The community blood supply often drops to critical levels due to vacations and summer activities, making it even more crucial to donate blood."

According to the event details, the ticket vouchers will be redeemable for any games that take place on Tuesdays through Thursdays during the Pirates' 2024 season. The draw site will be in PNC Park's Press Conference Room and appointments can be scheduled by visiting vitalant.org/pirates or by calling 877-25-VITAL (84825).

The Beaver County Times has previously reported that Vitalant is pushing for attendance at blood drives in the area as around 219,000 units of blood and platelets are needed for health emergencies each year, including those necessary for women giving birth. Despite this need for blood, Vitalant reports that blood donations tend to decrease around the summer and a higher demand is needed for blood this spring, especially from Type O donors.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: PNC Park blood drive will reward donors with a pair of Pirates tickets