The American Red Cross plans to conduct blood drives from 2 to 6 p.m. May 31 at Walmart Supercenter, 2410 N. State Road 3, North Vernon, and from noon to 5 p.m. June 5 at the Senior Citizens Center, 515 Buckeye St., North Vernon.

Around Memorial Day, the Red Cross sees a steep decline in blood donations. Busy summer schedules, vacations and school breaks also cause a drop in donations. Accidents and medical emergencies don’t take a summer break. Patients need blood every minute, every day.

In thanks, all those who come to donate blood or platelets now through June 10 will receive a $5 amazon.com gift card via email, courtesy of Suburban Propane. Information and details are available at redcrossblood.org/together.

To schedule an appointment, go to redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767.