Pay your Cedar Rapids parking tickets in blood

CEDAR RAPIDS - This summer, people with Cedar Rapids parking tickets can pay them off by donating blood.

The Citation Forgiveness Blood Drives allow those with Cedar Rapids parking violations to help those in need while at the same time settling their fines. The program focuses on those who have parked in downtown Cedar Rapids.

The initiative is a partnership between the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center and Park Cedar Rapids. Blood drives take place at 349 Fourth Ave. SE in the blood center donor bus from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday and again from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Aug. 17.

Participants must donate blood at the specific Park Cedar Rapids-hosted blood drives to have a citation dismissed. Citations up to $25 will be eligible for dismissal, per donation. Donors also will be entered into a blood center vacation package giveaway.

Blood donation takes approximately 45 minutes, and donors can schedule a time in advance by visiting bloodcenterimpact.org. Use code 2998 to locate the drive, or contact Park Cedar Rapids at (319) 365-7275.

Donors must weigh more than 110 pounds and be at least 17 years old. Participants 16 years of age are eligible with a signed parental permission form, available at bloodcenter.org. Individuals with diabetes or controlled high blood pressure may also be eligible. For eligibility questions, contact the blood center at 1-800-757-5401.

Park Cedar Rapids is the company hired to manage fee-based parking in downtown Cedar Rapids. The blood center supplies more than 85 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin and is the exclusive provider to Mercy Cedar Rapids and UnityPoint-St. Luke's Hospital.

l Comments: (319) 339-3177; brian.morelli@thegazette.com