Classic Rock fans come together to give blood, save lives
KSHE Sweet Meat mascot with blood donor
KSHE Summer Blood Drive donor with T-shirt
Earth City, Missouri, July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — During some of the most challenging weeks of summer, ImpactLife turns to fans of “real rock radio” KSHE-95 for help with the St. Louis region’s blood supply. The loyal and generous KSHE audience came through in great numbers during the month of July, with 2158 volunteer donors stepping forward to support the KSHE Summer Blood Drive.
The blood drive provides essential support for the blood supply, with more than 2100 donations helping ImpactLife recover donations lost due to Fourth of July weekend and the challenging weeks that follow.
“The KSHE summer blood drive provides a boost when we need it most,” said Stephen Gates, ImpactLife Director of Blood Drive Partnerships. “Summer holidays and summer vacation season, in general, can be a real challenge for the blood supply, but the need for lifesaving donations in the communities we serve never stops.”
Blood donations are used in a variety of critical health care settings, such as trauma, oncology, surgery, and obstetrics. And the need remains constant even when the rate of blood donation declines.
“That’s why we’re so grateful to KSHE and their listeners for supporting the blood drive in such great numbers,” said Gates. “KSHE blood donors share a similar taste in music and a lot of the same values when it comes to supporting their community and serving neighbors who are in need.”
The KSHE Summer Blood Drive was first held in 1984 to help support the blood supply during this critical time of year. Since that time, the KSHE listening audience has become a reliable base of support for the blood supply during the summer and holiday season, with nearly 5000 listeners participating in the July and December blood drives every year. Participants in the blood drive all received the prized KSHE Summer Blood Drive T-Shirt and entry in a prize drawing for a pair of tickets to the KSHE Rock & Roll Fantasy concert, August 31 at Saint Louis Music Park, featuring The Hard Promises – A Tribute to Tom Petty and Breakfast In America – A Supertramp Celebration.
ImpactLife Donor Rewards
The additional need for lifesaving donors continues into late July and August. Through its Donor For Life program, ImpactLife offers rewards that grow in value with each donation made within a calendar year. Everyone who gives blood with ImpactLife receives a voucher by email to redeem for the donor’s choice of an electronic gift card, bonus points to use in the ImpactLife Donor Rewards Store, or the option to make a charitable donation to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit of their choice through the blood center’s Good Giving program.
To book an appointment for blood donation, call (800) 747-5401, text LIFESAVER to 999-777, or schedule online at www.bloodcenter.org or via the ImpactLife mobile app (www.bloodcenter.org/app).
About ImpactLife
ImpactLife is a nonprofit, independent, community blood center founded in 1974 that provides lifesaving blood products and services to more than 130 hospitals and emergency medical service providers in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin. ImpactLife is one of the top 12 blood providers in the U.S. supporting the needs of patients, hospitals, EMS partners, and medical researchers throughout the country. The blood center’s mission is supported by more than 200,000 volunteer blood donations each year. For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Attachments
CONTACT: Kirby Winn ImpactLife (563) 349-1571 [email protected]
