It might look like a winter wonderland at times, but the winter weather is no wonderland for hospital patients who depend on blood to keep them healthy and alive. Grygla-Gatzke residents are gearing up for a community blood drive to help prevent possible shortages in the coming weeks.

“In areas with harsh winter weather, cold weather and storms often keep people from donating blood,” says Rob Miller, Donor Recruitment Manager of Vitalant, formerly United Blood Services. “With fewer people donating blood, some parts of the country run the risk of having critical blood shortages,” Miller says. T...