Blood Drive At St. John Vianney On Sunday

With Halloween approaching, vampires are sure to be a common sight in the coming week. Blood gatherers of a much different sort, however, will be at St. John Vianney Catholic Church next Sunday.

The Inland Northwest Blood Center will be at the church, 503 N. Walnut Road, from 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. that day taking donations.

The blood center serves 25 hospitals in Eastern Washington and North Idaho and must collect at least 150 units of blood every day to maintain its supply, said Becky Bishop, community resource coordinator.

The most commonly used blood types are O negative and O positive, which make a large supply necessary. Right now, the center also has a special need for A positive blood.

“Every blood type is needed all the time,” Bishop said, since donated blood can only be stored for 42 days. All donated blood is tested for HIV, hepatitis, and other diseases to safeguard the health of recipients.

Donations have already started to drop because of the upcoming holidays, said Bishop.

People who want to donate blood must meet a few basic requirements: They must be over the age of 18 (16- and 17-years-olds can donate with a parent’s permission), weigh at least 110 pounds, not be on antibiotics, and have had no body piercing or tatoos within the last year. Women who are pregnant or who have given birth less than six weeks ago also cannot give.

The Knights of Columbus will be serving breakfast from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The breakfast is free to blood donors. All others are asked to make a donation.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 926-5428.

One-man play at Zion Lutheran

“Martin,” a one-man play performed by Allan Lemke, will be featured at the 8:30 and 11 a.m. worship services on Sunday at Zion Lutheran Church, 8304 E. Buckeye.

The play is about the life of Martin Luther.

Zion Lutheran will also host a chili feed and square dance Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. The evening is low-key, so no dance experience or special outfits are necessary.

The events are free, but donations are requested to cover expense of the chili feed.

Performers at Crossroads Baptist

Crossroads Baptist Church, 509 N. Sullivan Road, will host the Covenant Players at its 10:45 a.m. worship service on Sunday.

The Covenant Players organization sends teams to perform dramas, comedies, and other plays with a Christian message at churches around the country.

The non-profit group, founded in 1963, is based in California.

Concert at Holy Trinity Lutheran

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2511 S. Pines, will host Captive Free, a youth oriented musical ministry group, for a special concert Sunday at 7:30 p.m.

The group of young adults is sponsored by Minneapolis-based Youth Encounter.

Group members spend one year traveling the country performing in churches, schools and nursing homes.

Donations to help cover the group’s expenses will be accepted.

Party at Good Shepherd Lutheran

Adults are invited to celebrate Halloween at a “Poor Taste” party at 7 p.m. today at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 810 S. Sullivan Road.

It’s the perfect opportunity to dig those funky leisure suits and outrageous outfits out of the back of the closet.

Awards will be given for the outfits in poorest taste. Refreshments will be served.

Those attending are asked to bring wrapped gag gift to exchange.

Dinner and costume parade Wednesday

A Spokane County sheriff’a deputy in full-body shielding will tussle with his K9 partner at Wednesday’s Halloween party at the Pasadena Park Church of the Nazarene, 8822 E. Upriver Drive.

The evening will begin with dinner at 6 p.m. Entertainment and a costume parade will follow. The cost of the dinner is $2 for kids age 13 and up and $1 for kids between 6 and 12. Kids five and under are free.

For more information, call the church office at 926-5858.

Costumes optional at party

Costumes are optional at the Sunday’s Halloween party at Verdale United Church of Christ, 611 N. Progress. Children are invited from 4 to 6 p.m. to play games, decorate cookies and pumpkins, and enjoy refreshments. Admission is a can of food, which will be donated to the Valley Food Bank.

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