This would have been the 44th Year that the Robert A. Heinlein Blood Drive would work with San Diego Comic Con to help the San Diego Blood Bank collect copious amounts of blood to help them with their annual needs of blood.
And speaking of blood, what better blood to receive then the high octane blood of the nerds who volunteer every year. Fueled by caffeine, and Twizzlers from the con-suite, the dedication of nerds to help is not lost on the organizers, and well appreciated. We actually give blood every year when we are down in San Diego for the event.
Robert A. Heinlen rarely attended conventions, but when he almost died, save for the donation of blood that saved his life, he made a decision. When asked if he would attend a convention, he said that he would only sign autographs for people who donated blood. In 1977, San Diego Comic Con approached him and offered him a blood drive in his name if he would consent to be a guest at the convention. The rest is history, glorious life-saving history.
With the push this year as San Diego Comic Con goes online with Comic‑Con@Home, it has prevented the large influx of guests to the area who take time out from their panels for a good cause. This blood drive though is the longest-running, and largest blood drive in San Diego history. Last year alone the drive collected over 3,300 pints of blood for people in need, and over its lifetime has collected almost 26,000 pints of blood. All in all, the organization has saved or helping over 75,000 lives over the course of blood drive’s 43 years,
So to make up for the loss of such a pivotal blood drive, the Robert A. Heinlein Blood Drive is pushing forward, and opening their doors for longer to accommodate health and safety. They are asking anyone in San Diego who can spare their blood, to attend the drive.
The blood drive is currently running from now until August 16, 2020. All donors in July will receive a free antibody screening for COVID-19. Rest assured that the blood drive is taking precautions to be safe, not just for the donors, but for the staff and blood collected.
Appointments are required, and can be acquired by heading Here and by using group code CCON. So what are you waiting for? If you are in San Diego, go be someone’s superhero.
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