With the typical

summer shortage in the area's blood supply, the American Red Cross is

campaigning for assistance.

Local residents

will have their chance to contribute Sunday, July 13 at the First United

Methodist Church in Fayetteville from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This week,

the amount of O-positive, O-negative and B-negative units on hand were

less than a day's supply, said Marcy Blount of the American Red Cross.

"In the

past few weeks with the severe weather we have seen a sharp decline in

donations," Blount said. "We really need people to come on out

and donate in the next few days and weeks to help bolster the blood supply."

The blood supply

dwindles in the summer because schools aren't open to hold blood drives,

and those donations account for a significant amount of the supply, according

to Red Cross officials. Also, businesses that typically hold blood drives

during the school year tend to slow down the pace in the summer because

of employees taking vacation.

Those planning

to donate should set aside about an hour for the whole process, including

registration, donation and recovery time with juice and cookies, Blount

said.

Appointment

times are available by calling the blood drive hotline at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE

or online at www.givelife.org.

Interested

persons who can't attend the blood drive can donate blood at the new donation

center the Red Cross recently opened in Stockbridge. The center is located

at 675 Southcrest Parkway in suite 120, near the Garden Ridge home improvement

store.

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