The Buddy Up For Life Red Cross Blood Drive is happening at Parkview Field Saturday, July 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Red Cross faces an emergency blood shortage and is issuing an urgent call for blood and platelet donors to give.

Every two seconds in the United States blood is needed to respond to patient emergencies.

Those who come to give blood at this event will receive a free ticket to a future TinCaps baseball game and a Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last.

This blood drive has been held annually since 2009, resulting in 1,064 blood donations so far.

The Red Cross must collect more than 13,000 blood and platelet donations every day for the patients at about 2,600 hospitals nationwide, including 80 hospitals in Indiana.