The Kansas City Wizards and the Community Blood Center (CBC) announced today a series of events scheduled August 20-24 in order to raise awareness for the CBC through the efforts of the Kansas City Wizards players and staff. The weeklong drive will take place at nine different CBC locations and be highlighted by Wizards Day at the main CBC location at 4040 Main, scheduled for Tuesday, August 21.
"The Community Blood Center is excited to have an opportunity to team up with the Wizards and together host a weeklong blood drive, August 20 - 24, at the CBC's nine neighborhood donation centers," Community Blood Center Marketing Manager Mary Kelley said. "This blood drive will give fans an opportunity to meet the Wizards up close, to donate blood and save a life."
The drive, identified by the slogan "The Goal - Save a life. Right Here, Right Now." represents one of the Wizards main community outreach efforts of 2007. It marks the first time the two organizations have partnered on a program so extensive and beneficial to the community at large.
"The Kansas City Wizards are honored to help out the Community Blood Center in their mission to save countless lives," Community Relations Coordinator Erin Lawless said. "So many people are affected by drives like this one. We are happy to be able to raise the awareness for the Community Blood Center in any way that we can."
As part of the campaign, Wizards players, coaches, Starting 11 Girls and mascot Dynamo will make appearances throughout the week at various CBC locations. Donors will receive a specially designed t-shirt and a voucher for two free tickets to a Wizards game. Also, Wizards radio partners will hold live remotes at Community Blood Center locations, encouraging their listeners to Save a Life. Right Here, Right Now.
Everyone who registers to donate blood can enter a raffle for four (4) free tickets to the Midwest Sporting Event of the Year, the match-up between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Kansas City Wizards on September 27 featuring superstars David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Cobi Jones and former Wizards midfielder Chris Klein of Los Angeles and Eddie Johnson, Jimmy Conrad, Nick Garcia and former Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman of Kansas City. The winner's name will be drawn September 5 on The Jimmy Conrad Show, broadcast live each Wednesday from the Plaza 810 Zone on ESPN Radio 97.3 at 6 p.m. CT.
FOR A LIST OF CBC LOCATIONS, visit www.savealifenow.org.
Appearance schedules will be available at www.kcwizards.com soon.
About the Kansas City Community Blood Center
Nearly fifty years ago, a group of Kansas City area physicians, hospital and civic leaders became the first architects of today's Community Blood Center. Their single-minded vision was to save lives by serving the needs of patients in this community. Today, Community Blood Center meets that goal and offers many other services. The Community Blood Center provides blood and blood components to 73 hospitals in 70 counties in Missouri and Kansas.
As an independent, not-for-profit organization, Community Blood Center is an active participant member with America's Blood Centers (ABC). ABC is the nation's largest network of not-for-profit, independent community blood centers that collect over 50percent of the nation's blood supply at more than 600 blood collection centers. ABC members are licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and maintain the highest levels of quality control to ensure the safest and most dependable blood supply for the communities they serve.
About the Kansas City Wizards
The Kansas City Wizards celebrate their twelfth season in Major League Soccer with the innovative vision of new ownership and the aggressive, attacking style of a new coaching staff. The organization possesses the drive to spearhead new ideas and make the Wizards the premier organization in MLS. Kansas City was introduced as one of the 10 charter members of MLS on June 6, 1995. The Wizards have captured two major championships in team history. The Wizards won the 2000 MLS Cup Championship 1-0 over the Chicago Fire and then defeated the Fire again 1-0 for the 2004 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophy. The Wizards continue to strive for excellence on and off the field and pride themselves on their ability to touch lives in the Midwest and make Kansas City a better place to live through philanthropic activities.
