The Saving Arizona Blood Drive is bringing a donation event to Glendale.

Vitalant is asking Valley residents to participate between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, July 2 at Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave.

Vitalant has teamed up with organizations Valley-wide to host the state’s largest blood drive to build blood supplies during the Fourth of July weekend. One Saving Arizona donor will be drawn as one of the 10 finalists for a 2022 VW Taos, donated by the Valley Volkswagen dealers.

All donors will also be thanked with a Vitalant grilling apron, a voucher for a free Whataburger, and be entered to win four tickets to Gila River Arena’s Professional Bull Riders event on Oct. 14.

Appointments are strongly recommended for social distancing. Click here or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).

The Independence Day holiday timeframe is the lowest week of the summer for donations, according to Vitalant.

Type O blood supplies remain 50% below required levels. Blood donors are critically needed.

“While donor vacations reduce the number of people giving blood, heavy traffic on the roads and highways increases the potential for accidents and the need for blood,” Sid Lewis, Senior Director of Donor Recruitment for Vitalant’s Southwest Division, shared in a news release.

While donors of all blood types are needed, Type O blood is in greatest demand because it can be substituted for other blood types in emergencies or when shortages arise. While O-negative is the universal blood type than can be given to 100% of patients, O-positive can be substituted for all positive blood types, which makes up more than 80% of the population.