The Shepeard Community Blood Center will hold a blood drive in Lincoln County on Saturday, June 6, from 9:30 until 1:30 p.m. the fellowship hall at Lincolnton Baptist Church.

The goal for the drive is 40 units.

"We want to encourage all Lincoln County residents to roll up their sleeves and donate blood this Saturday," said Linda Walker, recruitment coordinator for Shepeard. "We need your support to help us save lives.

"Please remember that when you donate blood to the Shepeard Community Blood Center, your blood stays here in your community to benefit you, your family, friends, and neighbors."

Every unit of blood helps save the lives of three individuals.

The recruitment coordinator went on to say that the center provides blood and blood products for 16 hospitals in 11 counties including the University Health Care System; Doctors Hospital; Trinity Hospital; Aiken Regional Medical Centers; the MCG Health System; Burke County Hospital; Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Augusta; the Augusta VA Medical Center; McDuffie Regional Hospital; Jefferson Hospital, Louisville; and Wills Memorial Hospital.

In other comments, Walker said, "We invite everyone to come out and start off the summer right by sharing their good health with those less fortunate.

"Cancer patients, burn patients, those in car and boating accidents, and people who have suffered heart attacks — they all need blood. Often, less than a teaspoonful of blood can help save an infant's life. The bottom line is if you do not donate blood, where else can we get it from?"

Healthy individuals 16 years of age or older, weighing 110 pounds or more, who have not donated blood in the past two months, are eligible to make a donation. Donors are asked to bring a picture I.D. or a donor card with them to the drive.

Parental permission is needed for those 16-year-old donors who have never taken part in a blood drive.

From beginning to end, it takes less than half an hour to give the gift of life.

Moreover, all participants will receive a free T-shirt and a coupon for the ice cream treat known as Dippin' Dots. In addition, free cholesterol screenings will be available upon request for those 19 years of age or older.

Some interesting facts about blood donation include:

.. One out of every 10 hospital patients requires a blood transfusion.

.. Severe burn victims may need as much as 20 units of platelets during their course of treatment.

.. Children being treated for cancer, premature infants, and children having heart surgery need blood and platelets from donors of all types.

.. Fourteen tests (11 for infectious diseases) are performed on each unit of donated blood.

.. Red blood cells can be stored for up to 42 days; platelets for only five; and frozen plasma for as long as one year.

.. Some studies show that regular blood donation may lower the risk of heart attack.

.. A person's body replaces its entire blood volume every 180 days.

.. Eighty-five percent of those who live to age 72 will need blood or blood products at some point in their lives; however, less than five percent of the population donates blood on a regular basis.

For more information about blood donation, contact the Shepeard Community Blood Center at 1-706-737- 4551 or visit the organization's website at www.shepeardblood.org.