How wonderful a day it will be when the American Red Cross does not have to keep asking, asking, asking for blood donors to shore up the supply. But we are not there yet. Month after month the organization is forced to come up with creative ways to encourage people to roll up their sleeves.

As the summer winds down, the Red Cross has a particular need for Type O blood donors to help keep hospital shelves stocked. Yet somehow there are still fewer donors answering the call, even before we turn the corner back into a school year of calendar-filling activities.

The Red Cross does not just ask for donors, it continues to offer incentives. This time, a $20 amazon.com gift card via email for those who donate in August.

Volunteers are needed too, as there is always a place for those willing to be blood donor ambassadors who greet, check in, and thank blood donors to make the experience even more positive.

Here in our area, local opportunities to give blood include:

The Parks and Recreation Building in Marlinton will host a blood drive on Tuesday, Aug. 6 from noon to 6 p.m.;

Orchard Hall in Elkins will host blood drives on Wednesday, Aug. 11 and Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. both days;

First United Methodist Church in Parsons will host a blood drive on Monday, Aug. 19 from noon to 5 p.m.;

West Virginia Wesleyan College’s Benedum Center Social Hall om Buckhannon will host a blood drive on Tuesday, Sept. 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.;

Chapel Hill United Methodist Church in Buckhannon will host a blood drive on Monday, Sept. 16 from noon to 5 p.m.

Why bother? “It is essential for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses, and traumatic injuries,” the Red Cross says. “Whether a patient receives whole blood, red cells, platelets or plasma, this lifesaving care starts with one person making a generous donation.”

You never know who those patients might be, or when they might need YOU.

But whether you donate or not, the need never stops.

Don’t just answer the call, make it a habit.