A grand opening celebration to mark San Diego Blood Bank’s East County Donor Center move to larger quarters will be held at the new location at 776 Arnele Ave. in El Cajon at 11 a.m. on Dec. 18.   
   The new center is supported in part by Grossmont Healthcare District.  
   The public will have an opportunity to tour the new center at the ribbon cutting. Refreshments will be served.
   “The new center is very spacious and convenient to the freeway,” said Ramona Walker, San Diego Blood Bank CEO.
   It will offer the same services as the previous East County Donor Center: volunteer blood donations for area patients, the opportunity to give blood for one’s own planned surgery, and it will allow donors the ability to direct their donation to a specific patient in need of blood. In addition, the center will routinely offer free bone marrow testing on site.
   For more information on the San Diego Blood Bank’s new donor centers, visit sandiegobloodbank.org or call 1-800-469-7322.