April is National Volunteer Month, and the American Red Cross is celebrating the millions of people who volunteer to give blood, platelets and plasma throughout the year. This month, the Red Cross and Peanuts are joining forces as a reminder that it’s cool to be kind and help save lives.

Don’t wait until there’s a crisis to give ­— donors of all blood types, especially type O blood donors and those giving platelets — are needed now to keep the blood supply strong enough to support critical patient care all season long.

Donors are encouraged to take a page from the comic strips that have charmed generations and take care of one another by making a blood or platelet donation.
Book a time to give by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

As a thank you, all who come to give blood through Sunday, April 23, will receive an exclusive Red Cross and Peanuts T-shirt featuring Snoopy as the coolest beagle in town, Joe Cool, while supplies last.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Herkimer County

Dolgeville — Tuesday, April 18 — 1 to 6 p.m., Dolgeville Fire Department, 20 S. Helmer Ave.;

Frankfort — Tuesday, April 18 — 1 to 6 p.m., Veterans of Foreign Wars, 4274 Acme Road;

Herkimer — Monday, April 10 — noon to 5 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 127 Prospect St.; Thursday, April 20, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Herkimer College Alumni Hall, 100 Reservoir Road;

West Winfield — Wednesday, April 19, 1 to 6 p.m., Federated Church of West Winfield, 452 E. Main St.

Madison County

Canastota — Thursday, April 13, 1 to 6 p.m., Canastota Veterans of Foreign Wars, 3835 Canal Road;

Cazenovia — Thursday, April 13, 1 to 6 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 27 Albany St.;

Chittenango — Thursday, April 6, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Parks and Recreation Bldg, 707 Legion Dr.; Saturday, April 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Chittenango High School, 150 Genesee St.;

Hamilton — Monday, April 10, noon to 6 p.m., Colgate University, James C. Colgate Student Union- Student Activities Building, College Street; Wednesday, April 12,
11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 27 Broad St.;

Oneida — Thursday, April 6, noon to 5 p.m., Oneida YMCA, 701 Seneca St.; Friday, April 14, 1 to 6 p.m., St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 551 Sayles St.

Oneida County

Boonville — Friday, April 14, 1 to 6 p.m., Harland J. Hennessey Veterans of Foreign Wars, 108 Park Ave.;

Lee Center — Friday, April 21, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., Lee Center Community, 5808 Stokes Lee Center Road;

New Hartford — Wednesday, April 12, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 105 Genesee St.;

Rome — Friday, April 14, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., St. John’s Lutheran Church, 502 W. Chestnut St.; Thursday, April 20, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Rome Health, 1500 N. James St.;

Sherrill — Friday, April 21, 1 to 6 p.m., Sherrill Community Activity Center, 139 E. Hamilton Ave.;

Utica — Today, Wednesday, April 5, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., SUNY Poly Student Center, 100 Seymour Road; Thursday, April 6, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Faxton-St. Luke’s Health Care, 1656 Champlin Ave.; Thursday, April 13, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mid York Library System, 1600 Lincoln Ave.; Tuesday, April 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., MVCC, 1101 Sherman Dr.

Westmoreland — Friday, April 7, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Westmoreland Fire Department, 100 Station Road;

Whitesboro — Thursday, April 20, noon to 5 p.m., CrossPoint Church, 317 Oriskany Blvd.