Busy holiday schedules make it difficult for the American Red Cross to collect enough blood to meet patients' needs.

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients, but the American Red Cross has a critical need for type O negative, which is used in emergencies when there isn't time to determine blood type.

“There's always a big need this time of year. People don't donate as much around the holidays,” said Mary Rogers, executive director of the American Red Cross West Central Pennsylvania chapter, which includes Butler County.

The American Red Cross helps make donating blood or platelets easy and links donors with blood drives in their areas through its online RapidPass — and is offering a little incentive to donors.

RapidPass lets donors complete their predonation reading and health history questionnaire online on the day of their donation before arriving at the blood drive. RapidPass and blood drive information are available at www.redcrossblood.org. People who use the website's preregistration process can complete their donation in about an hour.

People who donate blood or platelets by Dec. 18 will receive a $5 Amazon.com gift card via email from the American Red Cross.

This is an excerpt from a larger article that appeared in Monday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.