RED CROSS AND WAFFLE HOUSE APPEAL FOR MORE BLOOD AND PLATELET DONORS   (Friday, Aug. 19, 2005) ATLANTA – The Waffle House is partnering with the American Red Cross to promote the urgent need for blood and platelet donations during August. All people eligible to give blood or platelets, especially those with Type O blood, are urged to visit their local donor center immediately. Those who visit a donor center between August 22nd and 31st will be thanked by the Red Cross and Waffle House with a coupon for a free waffle to be used during the ten-day period. The coupons can be presented at any of the more than 200 Waffle Houses in the metro-Atlanta area.     “The Waffle House community is eager to help the Red Cross increase the current blood supply and wants to celebrate our 50th Anniversary in a meaningful way,” says Pat Warner, vice president of communications for Waffle House.  “We strongly believe in the importance of blood donations and the impact that it has on the lives of people in our local communities. Our goal is to help the Red Cross bring in more people to donate blood and platelets to help save as many precious lives as we possibly can.”   The Red Cross is currently making an emergency appeal to all new and regular donors to give blood and platelets in August because of a critical shortage in the state. More people need to donate in order for there to be enough blood and platelets for patients in need of transfusions. The Red Cross distributes blood to 140 hospitals in the region and at least 1,200 donations are needed each weekday to meet the needs of hospital patients.   “With the help of Waffle House, the Red Cross is asking all eligible donors to donate immediately,” says Randy Edwards, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross Blood Services, Southern Region. “Waffle House passionately believes in helping the community around them and is supporting the Red Cross this August to improve a severe dip in the blood supply. For the last three years Waffle House has shown true dedication to ensuring enough blood and platelets for the many patients in need of life-saving transfusions. We thank them for including us in their 50th Anniversary celebration and congratulate them for reaching this extraordinary milestone.”   The donor centers participating in the promotion include:   Alpharetta Donor Center 3000 Old Alabama Rd., Suite 110, Alpharetta Mon. 10 am – 7 pm, Tue.–Thu. 1 pm – 8 pm, Fri. 8 am – Noon, Sat. 8 am – 3pm Camp Creek Donor Center 3645 Marketplace Blvd., Suite 180, East Point Tue. & Thu. 1 pm – 8 pm, Sat. 8 am - 3 pm Cobb Donor Center Eastlake Shopping Center, 2145 Roswell Rd., Suite 250, Marietta, Mon.-Wed & Fri. 7 am – 8 pm, Thu. 10 am – 4 pm, Sat. 8 am – 3 pm Duluth Donor Center 3090 Premiere Pkwy., Suite 500, Duluth, Mon.-Thu. Noon – 8 pm, Fri. & Sat. 8 am – 4 pm Dunwoody/Sandy Springs Donor Center 1155 Hammond Dr., Bldg. A, Atlanta, Mon.-Thu. Noon – 8 pm, Fri. & Sat. 8 am – 4 pm Midtown Donor Center 1925 Monroe Dr., Atlanta Mon.-Wed & Fri. 7 am – 8 pm, Thu. 10 am – 4 pm, Sat. 8 am – 3 pm South Metro Donor Center 675 Southcrest Pkwy., Suite 120, Stockbridge Tue. & Thu. 1 pm – 8 pm, Sat. 8 am – 3 pm   Blood and platelet donors must be age 17 or older and weigh at least 110 pounds. Blood cells replace themselves, which enables most people to safely give blood every 56 days and platelets every two weeks. For more information and to find out how to make a donation appointment, please call 1-800-GIVE LIFE or visit www.givebloodredcross.org.   ###