MEDIC Regional Blood Center is launching its annual Summer Kickoff Cookout Week from May 18–22, 2026, to help bolster the blood supply ahead of Memorial Day weekend and the busier summer months. Grilling will take place daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at their donor centers, including Athens (Monday), Crossville (Tuesday), and the Ailor Avenue and Farragut centers (Wednesday and Thursday). Donors will receive a special edition cookout T-shirt, a ticket to the Array Variety Show, automatic entry to win four tickets to a Knoxville Smokies game, and coupons for local businesses such as GSM Cabin Rentals, Denton’s, Texas Roadhouse, Salsarita’s, and Papa John’s. First-time donors will also get a $25 e-gift card. Appointments can be scheduled online at www.medicblood.org, through the MEDIC app, or by calling 865-524-3074, and walk-ins are welcome. As the primary blood provider for 24 hospitals and medical transport services across 23 counties in East Tennessee and Southeastern Kentucky—including major facilities like UT Medical Center and Dolly Parton’s Children’s Hospital—MEDIC emphasizes the need for donations now, since blood products take at least three days to process and be ready for use in trauma or other emergencies. For more information or interviews, contact Kristy Altman at 865-805-2008.