DAPHNE, Ala.—For the 20th year, Bebo’s Express, in conjunction with the American Red Cross, will be heating up the summer blood inventory with its annual Bebo’s Blood Drive, scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 6 and Friday, Aug. 7 from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at the Foley Civic Center and the Daphne Civic Center.

Each year, numerous sponsors come together to make the Bebo’s drive the biggest blood drive in the southern half of Alabama. Since the drive’s first year in 1989, over 12,000 units of blood have been collected, providing an annual injection of blood into the American Red Cross inventory during a critical time for the region’s blood supply.

The Bebo’s drive comes at a particularly critical period for the blood supply, as the traditional summer shortages put a dangerous strain on the blood supply, according to the

Because students, who make up 21 percent of the blood supply, are out of classes in the summer, collections decrease. This decrease is also due to the fact that more regular donors are on vacation, thus further causing a decline in the amount of blood that is taken in.

Summer-travel holidays result in more traffic accidents requiring blood, and more outdoor recreation and labor results in more serious injuries. Hurricanes further compound the problem by interrupting collections while at the same time causing injuries that require blood.

In order to give blood, you must weigh at least 110 pounds, you must be at least 17 years old and you must be in general good health.

For more information, visit www.alacgc.org, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE.