Moniteau senior Sydnee Brunst donates blood during a blood drive held in memory of Olivia Bartholomew at Moniteau High School on March 2, 2026. This is Brunst's fourth year donating blood. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

In March, nonprofit Vitalant is thanking donors who take the time to donate with a chance to win $10,000.

Donors of every blood type are needed daily for patients who need a transfusion during surgery, for treatment of blood disorders and many other life-threatening conditions.

The need is especially great for type O blood, which is critical when car accidents and other emergencies leave no time to match a patient’s blood type. Platelet donations are also constantly needed, most often to help cancer patients, said a news release from Vitalant.

There are blood drives throughout the month in Butler County. Butler drives are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 12 at 514 W. Wayne Street; from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 27 at 346 S. Main Street; from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 30 at 353 N. Duffy Road.

Cranberry Township has a drive from 2 to 6 p.m. March 31 at 6945 Route US 322.

Mars has drives from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 8 at 420 Beaver Street; and from 2 to 7 p.m. March 31 at 100 Adams Ridge Boulevard.

Sarver has a drive from 1 to 7 p.m. March 5 at 438 Bear Creek Road.

Slippery Rock has a drive from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 13 at 670 S. Main Street.

To register to donate blood at a drive, visit vitalant.org.