The Blood Mobile will be parked outside of the Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm. on Monday, October 14th

What can be done to make sure your friends, neighbors, and family receive the blood they need? It’s simple – donate blood to the Community Blood Bank.

Update: All donors will receive a $10 Hy-Vee gift card!

Ten reasons why you should give blood:

1. You can save up to 3 lives!
2. Not everyone is eligible to donate blood. Only 38% of the population can donate, so if you're able, you are a selected minority.
3. Your body will make new blood. It takes about 24 hours to replace plasma and about 4-6 weeks to replace red blood cells.
4. Giving blood is not painful. You may feel a slight prick initially but it doesn't last long.
5. Donating blood burns calories! Your body will burn approximately 650 calories just by donating.
6. You get a free well-check. Before you give, the phlebotomist will check your blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and hemoglobin levels. You may also be screened by HIV, Hepatitis, and other diseases. 
7. It takes only 30 to 40 minutes of your time.
8. You feel a boost in confidence and your emotional well-being knowing that you have done a good deel and are a part of saving lives.
9. There is no substitute for human blood. Blood can not be manufactured in any way and it always in high demand.
10. You may be one of the 25% of people who need blood donation one day. 

Donation times are available from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and again from 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Check-in is in the Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic main lobby.    

To schedule your appointment, click the link below and select an available time. You can also call Community Blood Bank at 605-331-3222.

  Sign Up Here

• Blood donors must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with a signed parent consent form found at www.cbblifeblood.org) weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good general health.
• Valid identification is required at the time of registration. 
• It is recommended that a person eat and drink plenty of fluid prior to donating blood. Avoid energy drinks.
• Walk-ins will be accepted, if there is room or a cancellation – staff on event day will manage this process

Download Blood Drive Poster

What To Expect When Donating Blood

Just like clothes and shoes, children grow out of their passenger safety seats depending on their height and weight - it has very little to do with age. Many parents and caregivers are uncertain as to when to move a child into either a booster or to a seatbelt.

According to the National Digital Car Seat Check Form (NDCF) database, nearly three-fourths (74.0%) of all car seats inspected by Child Passenger Safety Technicians in 2023 were improperly installed and used. Yet, a general consumer survey revealed only 1 in 5 parents and caregivers seek expert help installing a car seat or securing a child in a car seat.

The study also found three common misuses:

• The car seat installation is too loose
• Not using the tether when installing a forward-facing car seat with either the lower anchors or seat belt
• The harness is too loose when securing a child in a car seat

However, when used properly child safety seats account for thousands of saved lived and reduced injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shared the following statistics:

• In passenger cars, car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers 1 to 4 years old in passenger cars. For infants and toddlers in light trucks, the corresponding reductions are 58% and 59%, respectively. 
• Since 1975, child restraints have saved the lives of an estimated 11,606 children under the age of 5. 
• A recent study found that while most parents and caregivers believe they know how to properly install their car seats, about half (48%) have installed their child’s car seat incorrectly. 

PLHS has several Certfified Child Passenger Seat Technicians available by appoint to check a child's safety seat. Car seat checks provide an opportunity to have your infant or toddler car seat checked by trained staff. You will be given an appointment time and should arrive with your seat already installed in your vehicle. Staff will check the seat and have you make any necessary changes to the installation of the seat. For more information or to schedule an appointment please call 605-882-7735.

In the meantime, Safe Kids provides a comprehensive online tool that can help you ensure a child's seat fit properly and when they may be ready to advance to the next step of passenger seat safety. 

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System will be offering walk-in flu vaccination clinics at our Prairie Lakes Brown Clinic Main location this fall. 

Walk-In Flu vaccination Clinic Event Details:

• Dates: Monday, October 14th and Monday, November 11th
• Times: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Cost: $0 (insurance will be billed)
• Doses Available: Regular and High-Dose
• Walk-in service available

COVID Vaccines

COVID vaccine availability TBD - we will share further information as soon as it becomes available.

RSV Vaccines

We will not be offering the RSV vaccines at the flu vaccination clinic at this time, but if patients would like to receive a vaccination, they may schedule an appointment with your primary care provider. 

We are entering the 2024 flu season and the Center for Diseasse Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends flu vaccines for anybody 6 months or older to best protect yourself from contracting the flu and spreading it to others. PLHS is doing our part to make it as convenient as possible for local employers to offer their employees a flu vaccine while also maximizing the number of individuals who receive the vaccine. 

From Monday, September 30th to Friday, October 4th, Prairie Lakes Brown Clinic staff will be visiting local businesses to provide on-site flu shots. There will be two convenient payment options for employers to take advantage of. For more information, click the link below to read the letter that has been sent to local business leaders. 

Flu Shot Clinic Letter

If you are interested in scheduling an on-site flu clinic at your place of business, please reach out to Catie K. via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 605-882-7765.

Influenza (flu) vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against infection with the flu viruses that are used to make vaccine. The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the influenza viruses that research suggests will be most common during the upcoming season.