IRON MOUNTAIN — With many regular donors delaying giving to take final summer vacations and prepare for school to start, the American Red Cross has an emergency need for blood and platelet donations to help end a summer blood shortage.

While thousands of donors have rolled up a sleeve this summer, blood and platelet donations aren’t keeping pace with patient needs. More donations are urgently needed to replenish the blood supply and be prepared for patient emergencies.

To help replenish supplies, local blood drives are planned:

— Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 395 Hamilton Ave. in Kingsford.

— Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bay College West, 2801 N U.S. 2

— Wednesday, Sept. 11 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Bay College West.

Make an appointment to donate blood now by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS, 1-800-733-2767, or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Those who donated blood earlier this summer may be eligible to give again. Blood can be safely given every 56 days, and Power Red donations can be given every 112 days.

With the help of a $1 million donation from Amazon, the Red Cross is thanking those who help overcome the shortage by coming to give July 29 through Aug. 29 with a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email. Restrictions apply; see amazon.com/gc-legal. More information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Together.