3 To Know: For the Love of Cats tops program nationwide

Marco Eagle

For the Love of Cats was selected as the February beneficiary of the program by store leadership at the Winn Dixie located on Marco Island. For the Love of Cats received a $1 donation every time the $2.50 reusable Community Bag was purchased at this location during February.

1. For the Love of Cats tops program nationwide

The Winn-Dixie community bag program, which launched in February 2019, is a reusable bag program that facilitates community support with the goal to make a difference in the communities where shoppers live and work.

More:3 To Do: 'Bridge Run,' an Irish gala, more

For the Love of Cats was selected as the February beneficiary of the program by store leadership at the Winn-Dixie located on Marco Island. For the Love of Cats received a $1 donation every time the $2.50 reusable Community Bag was purchased at this location during February.

For the Love of Cats was the nationwide leader with 388 bags sold at the Marco Island Winn Dixie.

"We are so very thankful to all of our supporters and to Steve and his staff at the Marco Island Winn Dixie,” said Jan Rich, Founder and volunteer at For the Love of Cats.

Learn more about For the Love of Cats by visiting fortheloveofcatsfl.com. For more information on the Community Bag Program, visit seg.bags4mycause.com.

More:WOW To Do List: ‘Born Yesterday,’ seafood fest, more

2. Pepsi is acquiring energy drink maker Rockstar

Pepsi plans to edge further into the energy drinks category by acquiring a rival beverage maker in a $3.85 billion deal.

Pepsi announced Wednesday that it entered into an agreement with Rockstar Energy Beverages, which offers an extensive line of caffeinated canned drinks, many of which are low in calories and sugar.

The deal is likely to close within the next few months.

Pepsi's energy drink portfolio includes Mountain Dew's Kickstart and GameFuel for video gamers. The company has had a distribution agreement with Rockstar in North America since 2009.

Rockstar, founded in 2001, makes 30 variations of 16-ounce drinks that are sold in convenience stores and grocers in more than 30 countries. The beverages are popular among athletes and performers.

More:Club Briefs: Knights' Friday Fish Fry, more

3. Blood banks gear up for donations shortage, fallout from coronavirus

Southwest Florida blood banks are preparing for a fallout from the novel coronavirus that could mean fewer donors and a strain on blood supplies at area hospitals.

The Food and Drug Administration has provided advice to blood banks if they choose to defer blood donors because of COVID-19, according to a Feb. 4 notice.

Marco Island resident Francis E. Sanz donates blood in the Community Blood Center mobile unit at Marco Healthcare Center on March 5, 2020.

“The potential for transmission of COVID-19 by blood and blood components is unknown at this time,” the FDA said.

“However, respirator viruses, in general, are not known to be transmitted by blood transfusions, and there have been no reported cases of transfusion-transmitted coronavirus,” the federal agency said.

The FDA’s advice on blood donation says people should self defer for 28 days if they have traveled to any of the four countries with outbreaks or if they have been diagnosed or suspected of having COVID-19. The four countries are mainland China, South Korea, Italy and Iran.

Donors who live with or have had close contact with someone suspected or diagnosed should also defer for 28 days, the FDA said.