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

The goal for the drive is 40 units.

“Your donation is urgently needed,” said Mistie Harris, public relations coordinator for Shepeard. “Right now, five critically ill patients need a continuous supply of Type O- blood, which means we need 20 additional donors with this blood type every day. This increased demand is expected to continue for the next couple of weeks at least.”

She went on to explain that Oblood is known as the “universal blood type” because it is the only type everyone can receive.

“In addition to burn patients, our emergency rooms use O- for crisis care, and this blood is just not there for them right now,” Harris said. “Presently, we have less than a twoday supply of this blood type.”

In closing, the recruitment coordinator stated, “Even if you don’t know your blood type, please give the gift of life on Saturday. All blood types are needed. You probably never think of yourself as a hero, but you are a hero to the local patients whose lives depend on your willingness to donate blood.

“Remember every time you donate blood, you save three lives. If you have been blessed with good health, you can pass it on by giving blood to those who need it to survive.”

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 blood.

Moreover, all participants will receive a free T-shirt, and free cholesterol screenings will be available upon request for those 19 years of age or older. In addition, all who register to donate blood in January will become eligible to win a $1,000 Visa gift card.

The following Lincoln County residents are to be commended for donating blood recently: William L. Clary, Craig C. Jenkins, Gail E. Salmon, Linda P. Jones, Tracy D. Hall.

Benjamin A. Ridgeway, James A. McGee, Stan E. Tankersley, Ella H. Arnold, Timothy F. Crook, Joseph D. Simmons, Jr., Denise J. Kirkland, Terry J. Kirkland.

Judy F. Cunningham, Earnessa A. Davis, Carol McCord, Marie C. Begley, Marsha W. Scott, Jeremy L. Davis. Florence B. Dallas, Bonny S. Rayner, James R. Neal.

Richard L. Creswell, Grayson W. Goble, Garrett M. Goble, Carol Spence, Alton H. Danner, Jr., Nelson N. Brooks, Jessie W. Turner, Gretchen B. Keneson.

Rita W. Hussey, Mary L. Glaze, James A. Rowland, Jr., Deborah M. Dent, Thomas C. Dent, Joyce E. Jones, Samirkumar B. Patel, Leighann Paradise, James A. Deas.

Olivia G. Deas, Dawn M. Milner, Nicole M. Sullivan, Tammy B. Wright, Amanda L. Etheridge, Erin M. Cameron, Brittany L. Parham, and Kevin L. Bentley.

The Shepeard Community Blood 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 Washington.

Some interesting facts about blood donation are as follows:

.. 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.

.. 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.

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.shepeard.org.