SIMI VALLEY : Agency to Open New Blood Donor Center

Hoping to increase blood donations countywide, United Blood Services plans to open a new donor center at 2411 Sycamore Drive in Simi Valley this week.

The facility will open Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting celebration from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The center will replace an existing facility that was closed earlier this year after suffering damage in the Northridge earthquake, United Blood Services spokeswoman Lauren Mouris said.

The organization now hopes to boost its blood donations by establishing a larger and more centrally located donor center. “It is a base we have not tapped,” she said of the Simi Valley area.

United Blood Services anticipates that businesses in eastern Ventura County and the San Fernando Valley will use the center for company blood drives.

“Businesses will be able to run promotions,” Mouris said. “We’re going to encourage people to donate more often.”

United Blood Services is Ventura County’s sole blood provider. The nonprofit organization has donor centers in Ventura and Thousand Oaks and visits Camarillo, Moorpark, Ojai, Oxnard, Fillmore, Point Mugu and Port Hueneme regularly with its bloodmobile.

But Mouris said most of the donations are through donor centers. United Blood Services collects about 110 pints of blood per day in the county, about 80 of which are donated at the centers.

The Simi Valley center’s hours will be 3 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and appointments are encouraged by calling 654-8104.