MITCHELL — Mitchell area residents will have a chance to help both their fellow humans and their fuzzy friends next month.
LifeServe is partnering with Mitchell Animal Rescue throughout May in an effort to boost blood donations while also benefiting animals through donations of pet food to the foster-based rescue organization.
It’s the first time LifeServe has joined forces with Mitchell Animal Rescue. Abbie Arneson, the territory representative for LifeServe, said it’s a great way to help with the ongoing need of blood as well as support the efforts to help area animals.
“All across the country they are trying to really find ways to bring in more people to donate blood,” Arenson told the Mitchell Republic. “That’s kind of where the partnership started. This is a way for people who are either giving support to (Mitchell Animal Rescue) or are blood donors to double their impact.”
Residents who stop at the Mitchell Donor Center will have the opportunity to donate a portion of their points from the organization’s donor reward program and turn them into support for animals under the watch of Mitchell Animal Rescue. Points will be exchanged for pet food items such as Purina Cat Chow Complete, Fancy Feast Kitten Pate, Friskies Pate poultry flavor and Tidy Cat lightweight clumping litter with Glade scent.
LifeServe will deliver those items to Mitchell Animal Rescue through its donor rewards online program, or blood donors can stop in the Mitchell Donor Center with those items and LifeServe will see that they get to the organization.
Donors even receive a free pet leash as part of the deal.
Partnerships with similar animal rescue organizations are also underway in Yankton and Aberdeen, though Mitchell donations will be funneled to the local Mitchell Animal Rescue organization.
Like its gift-wrapping program it holds in December,
the promotion is another way to encourage continued blood donation during a crucial period during the year. Arneson said recent reports put the percentage of the population who have given blood at least once in their lifetime at 3%. That’s a 2% drop from recent numbers and a 7% drop from 17 years ago.
The Mitchell Donor Center provides 100% of the blood to Avera Queen of Peace Hospital, and provides blood to 38 other hospitals in the region. That’s a lot of blood, and the demand for it continues to go up as treatments for diseases like cancer and injury accidents consume the existing supply.
“We just keep going further and further down (in donations), but unfortunately blood usage is up,” Arneson said. “It just keeps going round and round. All across the country they are trying to really find ways to bring in more people to donate blood.”
For the Mitchell Animal Rescue, the partnership and donations will allow the nonprofit to focus funds on veterinary bills as opposed to feeding costs for the animals in their care, most of which are cats and kittens in volunteer foster homes.
Linda Christensen, with Mitchell Animal Rescue, said food and litter bills can add up quickly. She said volunteers care for hundreds of cats and kittens a year, and April is the start of the season when more kittens are on the way.
“I’d say the biggest need is for vet bills, and the less money we spend on food, the more money we can put toward cat medical bills,” Christensen said. “We run through several hundred cats and kittens a year, and we’re getting to the point where we’re getting all the pregnant cats and orphans. It will be up to our eyeballs this summer.”
Cats taken in by Mitchell Animal Rescue are virus tested, vaccinated, spayed and neutered, which runs about $150 per cat, Christensen said.
Christensen said the monthlong partnership with LifeServe will hopefully make a dent in the needs of both organizations.
“It sounds great. We’re always happy to have people promoting us,” Christensen said.
Through the LifeServe donor awards program, volunteers earn points every time they donate blood. Those points can be exchanged for LiveServe merchandise or can be put toward other efforts such as the organization’s scholarship program, Arneson said. Blood donors can sign up for the program at
Arneson said LifeServe, a nonprofit organization, is entering a time when donations are critical. High school and college students make up a large portion of blood donors, and with schools letting out for the summer and many students picking up jobs and other responsibilities, their time is limited and donations drop off.
She hopes area residents take advantage of the program and stop in for a visit to donate blood over the course of May. It will be a great chance to help both people and pets with their important needs.
“We are right now heading into summer. Just like December, we’re heading into our critical needs month,” Arneson said. “We’re really just trying to come up with ways that work, and it’s really nice to say that I think we can help you too. If we can partner with them while introducing people to donating blood, what a great thing to, again, double the impact.”
More information on LifeServe and the Mitchell Donor Center can be found at their
Those wishing to schedule an appointment to donate blood can visit
Direct donations of food items for Mitchell Animal Rescue can be brought to the Mitchell Donor Center on Mondays and Fridays.
More information on Mitchell Animal Rescue can be found at www.mitchellanimalrescue.org.
Erik Kaufman joined the Mitchell Republic in July of 2019 as an education and features reporter. He grew up in Freeman, S.D., graduating from Freeman High School. He graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1999 with a major in English and a minor in computer science. He can be reached at [email protected].
