(June 1, 2006, ATLANTA) – Richmond Hill Middle School teacher Laura Maes was looking forward to summer vacation, but thanks to Delta Air Lines and the American Red Cross, her holiday is going to be even more special than she anticipated. Maes is the lucky winner in the Red Cross’ Miami Getaway sweepstakes of a pair of roundtrip tickets from Delta as well as a weekend for two at the Trump International Sonesta Beach Resort in Florida. 

Maes also received gift certificates to dine at several popular Miami restaurants such as Mendoza, Gordon Biersch, and Bubba Gump. She received her prize package from Dean Smith, American Red Cross district manger for the Savannah area.  

On March 23, Maes gave her tenth donation of a pint of blood at a community drive in Richmond Hill then entered her name in the drawing to win the exciting prize offered by the American Red Cross in partnership with Delta and Trump International. On May 12, her name was pulled from among thousands of others as the grand prize winner.

“The Red Cross is excited that Delta Air Lines and Trump International Beach Resort decided to partner with us to offer this wonderful gift to our donors,” said Smith. “Blood donors are unselfish givers who help save lives everyday and it is a nice turn of play to be able, from time to time, to give them something in return. We thank Delta, Trump International and Laura for helping the Red Cross realize its mission of saving lives.”

The American Red Cross also will be raffling off several other wonderful prizes between June and September to lucky donors who donate blood or platelets at any American Red Cross donor center or blood drive. Raffle prizes include a $1,500 gas card from CITGO, a pair of international roundtrip tickets from Delta, and a $1,000 shopping card.

Blood collections typically fall during the summer months, resulting in a shortage that often threatens the lives of people who need blood and platelets, the clotting factor in blood, for emergencies, planned surgeries, and the treatment of various cancers and blood disorders that require chemotherapy. The American Red Cross urges all eligible blood and platelet donors to donate at least once over the summer to help prevent a critical shortage.

Every two seconds, someone in America needs blood. The Southern Region supplies 140 hospitals with blood and must collect approximately 1,200 units of blood a day. Blood donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh 110 pounds or more, and provide proof of identification.  Call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (448-3543) or log on to www.givebloodredcross.org to find a blood drive, schedule a blood donation appointment or to sponsor a drive at your job, school, place of worship or other community location.  

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