Wilmington local reaches blood drive goal for scholarship | News

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - A Wilmington local competing in a Red Cross Scholarship Challenge has reached her goal.

More than 50 people came out to donate blood for Marty Blackmon's blood drive.

Four winners will receive $1,000 each for collecting at least 35 units
of blood, and one will be awarded $2,000 for 50 units of blood.

Reaching her goal does not mean she automatically wins.

If more than one person reaches that same goal, a drawing will be held to determine the winner.

Blackmon says money is not the only reason to participate.

"One pint of blood can go to three different people," said Blackmon. "I really like the fact that it's not just for me, it's for people that really need it."

Autum Mihm of the Red Cross said, "Severe storms that hit the mid-Atlantic and along the coast here, they caused an even greater impact on the blood supply. During the month of June, blood donations came in 50,000 shorter than expected."

The scholarship challenge is held during the winter and summer months, when blood donations tend to dry up.

"People are on vacation a lot of times and school is out," said Mihm. "We have a lot of school blood drives, so this is a time that we're really in need of more blood.

Shannon Jordan with the Red Cross says "By starting out doing this at a high school level, saving lives, then as you go through college and as an adult, there's many many lives you can save by starting out at a young level."

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