Finally, my veins will run with cookie dough!
This Saturday, the Ben and Jerry’s on SE 36th and Hawthorne is teaming up with the Red Cross to host a “Pints for Pints event”: they’ll give a free pint of ice cream to anyone who donates a pint of blood between noon to 5pm. Since starting the event in 2008, the Hawthorne Ben and Jerry’s has given out about 800 pints of ice cream, which is about 53 entire humans worth of blood.
Important note: Anyone who tries do donate blood can receive the free pint. Check the eligibility requirements before heading over, but be aware that they rule out sexually active gay men (“Are a male who has had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977?”) and people from West Africa.
I’m gay *and* vegan, so I can neither give blood nor enjoy the free ice cream. WON’T SOMEONE THINK OF THE GAY VEGANS?!
@theterminizer: No.
@theterminizer – I will totally trade you ice cream for blood. Any flavor you want! I do have an 14-pint minimum, though.
Reymont, do you have any of the stuff made from coconut milk? Also, does the blood have to be mine?
@theterminizer – Well hello there…
Just ‘cuz we get this question frequently…
The rules regarding gay men and blood donation are set by the FDA, not the Red Cross. In fact, we’ve been advocating for change for years now and call the regulations “medically and scientifically unwarranted.”
You can see our most recent statement here:
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/men…
Always happy to answer any questions!
Lise Harwin
Communications Director
American Red Cross — Oregon Trail Chapter
Lise, I appreciate the thought, but my husband and I definitely have sex more frequently than once a year. I can’t say I’ve ever heard of someone spontaneously developing HIV from having monogamous sex with their negative spouse, but I guess it’s best to be on the safe side?