Giving blood is easy and relatively painless (like getting a flu shot), so it's hard to understand why more people don't participate in blood drives. Unfortunately, winter holidays are needy times for blood banks; think of all the accidents and other emergencies. Bad weather often complicates blood drives, and that is especially so in recent days as snow storms penetrated most of the continent. Calls are going out; a "blood emergency" is declared.
So, regardless of what community you live in, think of using a bit of your free time over the holidays to make a gift to strangers. The Internet or the phone book will yield the number of your local blood bank and the representative you reach by phone will be delighted to schedule an appointment. In most locations drop-ins are welcome, too. They'll treat you right.
