Published: July 19, 2008 05:56 pm            

There will be blood, hopefully

By Trent Moore

trentm@cullmantimes.com

A battle for blood is set for various locations all over Cullman on Friday.

The county will face off against defending champs the city, to see which group can rally the most blood donations through a joint blood drive.

The prize: bragging rights.

The real prize: a chance to refill the flagging supply of blood in the Cullman area.

“Supplies are very, very low right now,” county organizer Cherrie Haney said. “Many people just don’t take the time to donate.”

City organizer Lisa Dodson agreed, saying the bragging rights are great, but it’s the chance to help that she believes is truly important.

“We may have the bragging rights, but really it doesn’t matter,” she said. “We just want people to come out and give blood. People from the city and the county — just everyone.”

Donation areas for the city will be at Festhalle Market Platz and in the Cullman Shopping Center parking lot.

The Cullman County Courthouse will be the base of operations for the county drive, with two LifeSouth blood mobiles on hand.

If keeping local hospitals stocked with blood isn’t enough of a draw to participate, Haney said raffles and prizes will also be a part of the one-day event.

“We have over 100 prizes,” she said. “When someone gives blood we draw names and give prizes.”

A raffle will also be held for everyone who donates, with the grand prize being a two-person vacation weekend to Gatlinburg, Tenn.

The various donated prizes for this year’s blood drive will run the gamut from cash to gifts.

“We have cash prizes, free gas, tool sets and coupons to various business and restaurants in the area,” Dodson said.

Everyone who gives blood will receive a free T-shirt and a coupon for a free pizza from Dominos.

The combined goal for this year’s drive is 200 units of blood — a target both the city and county have been trying to reach in the five years since the competition began.

“Last year was kind of a down year,” Haney said of the 2007 campaign that took in 145 units of blood.

Hopes are high for donations to rebound in 2008, Dodson said.

“We’ve had this goal for the last couple of years and never have quite made it,” Dodson said. “But, we still keep hoping.”

Dodson said the great thing about giving blood is that all it costs to do so is time.

“Even during tough economic times it doesn’t cost you any money, just a bit of your time,” she said. “It’s a great way to help others and the need for blood knows no gender or race or socio-economic circumstances. People of all walks of life and all ages are going to need blood.”

Haney agreed, saying ”If people could just take 45 minutes out of their day it would be such a help.”

Both the city and county use LifeSouth for the blood donations because LifeSouth is the direct provider for both Cullman Regional Medical Center and Woodland Medical Center in Cullman.

Anyone interested in donating blood must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds.

A health-based screening process is also in place to ensure all donors can safely donate blood.

        

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