Feature News

ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the Emmy Award-winning reality TV series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (EMHE) premieres its seventh season on the ABC network this fall, Minnesota-based Memorial Blood Centers will be among a select group as a Designated Charity for an upcoming episode that is filming over the next week in the Duluth/Superior area. The EMHE episode, air date to be announced at a later date, will put the talents of team-leader Ty Pennington, his EMHE crew, and local Twin Ports builders, contractors, hundreds of volunteers, and other area businesses to work rebuilding the home of the Huber family of Douglas County, Wisconsin in a race against time to finish a complete renovation in just seven (7) days.

"Memorial Blood Centers is extremely pleased to be part of this wonderful, life-changing event benefitting such a deserving family in our community," said Donald C. Berglund, Chief Executive Officer of Memorial Blood Centers. "As a leading provider of life-saving blood products and biomedical services to over 30 hospital partners throughout Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin, we face a demand for more than 2,700 units of blood every week and the blood drives we have the opportunity to conduct on the EMHE site will go a long way in both honoring the Huber family and meeting the needs of the people we serve."

"Every two seconds, someone needs blood," Berglund added. "And while the EMHE crew and volunteers are working to give the Huber family a life-changing experience with an extreme home makeover, donating blood--the ultimate renewable resource--is one way to give a life-saving gift to friends, family, or someone in the community as well. We encourage everyone in the Duluth/Superior area to come out and be an Extreme Volunteer: roll up your sleeves and make a donation to save a life during one of our sponsored blood drives at the EMHE site."

Memorial Blood Centers will be operating blood drives at the entrance to the EMHE building site during the following days and times:

Thurs. August 6 1 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Fri. August 7 1 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Sat. August 8 noon - 6 p.m.

Sun. August 9 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Mon. August 10 8 a.m. - noon

If you want to help us meet the EMHE challenge of collecting 500 units of blood as part of this event, but you are unable to donate during the on-site blood drives - please stop by one of our 11 donor centers before August 31, 2009 to make a blood donation. To find the donor center nearest you, please visit www.mbc.org.

About Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

The Emmy award winning reality program "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," now in its 7th season, is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. It's executive-produced by Anthony Dominici. David Goldberg is Chairman, Endemol North America. The show airs Sundays from 8:00-9:00 p.m., ET on ABC.

About Memorial Blood Centers

A nationally known and locally operated nonprofit organization, Memorial Blood Centers has been savings lives for over 60 years, supplying life-saving blood and blood components to health care partners throughout Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. An advanced scientific laboratory--FDA licensed and compliant with European Union standards for manufacturing and testing blood--also leads the field in transfusion medicine, with professional staff providing expert technical services to clients around the world, including medical consulting, parentage testing, reference laboratory work, virology testing, and transplantation support services. Operating 11 donor centers and conducting hundreds of blood drives each month, Memorial Blood Centers employs more than 350 people.

Give Blood: The Ultimate Renewable Resource.(SM)

Visit www.mbc.org for donor centers in Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. For blood centers in other areas, please visit www.americasblood.org.