Southeastern Manitoba has a reputation of having residents who are generous donors when it comes to offering financial support, and now, with blood donations. 

Brett Lawrence is the community development manager for Canadian Blood Services. 

“Really, the need for blood is constant, but as people may remember, in December and January, we were calling for an immediate need for blood donors. The national blood inventory wasn't looking so great, so we were really calling people out to make appointments and for the people that made the appointments, to keep those appointments to show up to donate,” he says. “And I'm happy to say we're no longer in immediate need, the national inventory does look very good.” 

Lawrence says people need to continue to donate blood for a continued supply in the national inventory. 

“...which the people of Steinbach and surrounding area continue to do.” 

He is inspired by the consistent and strong response from people across the Southeast. 

“Our national blood system is completely supplied by just strangers helping strangers,” says Lawrence. “When you come in to donate, it's about an hour of your time. That needle’s in your arm for about 10 to 15 minutes and then you have your juice and cookies. But that blood is going to one of our labs and being processed, and then it's going to someone in need of blood or blood products. That could be someone undergoing leukemia treatment or someone in a car accident or someone getting heart surgery, and the whole country's blood system works like that. I think that's super inspiring because it's all voluntary.” 

Three blood donor clinics were held in Steinbach last month and he is not surprised by the strong response from people in the region. 

“As expected, and I'll say throughout the years of the pandemic, Steinbach and surrounding areas have continued to show up to donate blood. We're in Steinbach about twice a month and the January clinics pretty much followed the past pattern of people in Steinbach coming out to donate blood and help patients in need.” 

There are two blood donor clinics this month in Steinbach with some openings for both dates. 

Monday, February 13th is at Steinbach Mennonite Church on Loewen Boulevard. 

Monday, February 27th will be at Steinbach Evangelical Mennonite Church on Main Street. 

Clinics continue to run in several locations throughout the Southeast and you can book your appointment online by going to Canadian Blood Services website at blood.ca or calling 1-888-236-6283.